Mike Royce, the showrunner and co-creator of TNT’s ‘Men of a Certain Age,’ spoke about working with Andre Braugher and his dedication to the craft of acting. ‘He was not super show business-y. He was all about the work.’
Andre Braugher was one of the three stars of “Men of a Certain Age,” a well-received cable dramedy about a group of college buddies grappling with the insecurities and disappointments of middle age. Initially, producers were hesitant to cast Braugher in the role of Owen Thoreau Jr. The series premiered in 2009 on TNT, and the actor, who died Monday at 61, garnered two Emmy nominations for his performance as a frustrated car salesman.
Despite its critical acclaim, the show was canceled after only two seasons (it’s available to stream on Max). Mike Royce, the showrunner of the series, spoke to The Times about casting Braugher and what it was like to work with the distinguished actor.
“First of all, he allowed himself to be cast,” recalled Royce, who in addition to showrunning, was co-creator of “Men of a Certain Age” with Ray Romano (“Everybody Loves Raymond”), also a star in the show. Actor Scott Bakula rounded out the trio.
“We were fortunate to get a lot of really good people to read for us … and Andre Braugher — he had no business reading for anybody. He should just be given any part that he wants,” Royce said. “But he flew in from New York to read with Ray. It was his dedication to the craft and also his lack of ego to do that.
