The Residence pays tribute to the late Andre Braugher – who was in original cast

In The Residence, he was due to play seasoned and virtually unflappable White House Chief Usher AB Wynter, who is the victim of the show's central murder case, but appears throughout in the form of flashbacks from various perspectives.

An early behind-the-scenes photo (below) sees Braugher sat with The Residence co-stars Uzo Aduba and Randall Park at an initial table read of the script.

Filming on half of the first season had been completed when the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) strike of 2023 meant that production had to temporarily shut down for most of that year.

The cast and crew were due to return to the set on 2nd January 2024, but sadly, Braugher suddenly passed away just three weeks prior on 11th December 2023, aged only 61.

The resumption of filming was consequently delayed until the following month, with Better Call Saul and The Mandalorian alum Giancarlo Esposito being selected to replace Braugher in the The Residence cast.

Strangely, this was not the first time that Esposito had succeeded Braugher in a television project, having taken a role in Homicide: Life on the Street as FBI agent Michael Giardello directly after the latter's exit as Detective Frank Pembleton.

The two characters would eventually cross paths in 2000's feature-length finale Homicide: The Movie.

In a statement at the time of his casting, Esposito said (via Deadline): "I couldn’t be prouder and more honoured to be stepping into Shondaland's The Residence for someone that I loved and respected and cherished in Andre Braugher.

"To be afforded the opportunity to create in his honour with this incredible team extends the depth and breadth of his legacy through all of us who loved him so dearly."

The season finale of The Residence ends with a card that reads: "In memory of Andre Braugher".

The Residence is available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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