Andre Braugher, star of ``Brooklyn Nine-Nine'' and ``Homicide: Life on the Streets,'' has died at the age of 61 after a short battle with illness.
Prager often played police officers throughout his career, playing both dramatic and comedic roles.
During his career, he won two Emmy Awards out of 11 nominations for his role in Murder and Thieves.
Terry Crews, who played Terry Jeffords on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, praised Prager's "invaluable talent."
"It has been an honor to share eight glorious years knowing you, laughing with you, working with you, and witnessing your unique talent," Cruise wrote on Instagram.
"It hurts. You left us too soon. You taught me so much and I will always be grateful for the experience of knowing you. Your wisdom, advice, Thank you for your kindness and friendship.”
"You showed me what a fulfilling life looks like."
Prager was born in Chicago and attended the Juilliard School of Drama after graduating from Stanford University.
He has been nominated for 11 Emmy Awards, including four for his role as Captain Raymond Holt on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
He won the award in 1998 for his role in Homicide: On the Street, and in 2006 for his role in Thief, where he played the leader of a group of robbers.
Prager's breakthrough came in the 1989 film Glory, in which he played a soldier in a black Union Army regiment during the Civil War.
The film was directed by Ed Zwick and also starred Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman, and Denzel Washington, who won his first Academy Award for his supporting role in the film.
Prager's television career blossomed when he played Detective Frank Pembleton on the gritty Baltimore police show Homicide: On the Street.
He recently starred in the biographical drama She Said, starring Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan as investigative journalists who uncovered the truth about Harvey Weinstein.
In the film, he played Dean Baquet, the editor-in-chief of the New York Times, who oversees the work of reporters.
The actor's other film credits include Primal Fear, which saw him star opposite Richard Gere, Salt, with Angelina Jolie, and City of Angels, alongside Meg Ryan and Nicolas Cage.
But many will remember him best for his role as Captain Ray Holt in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which saw Braugher co-star with Andy Samberg, Stephanie Beatriz, Joe Lo Truglio and Melissa Fumero, playing New York police officers in Brooklyn's fictional 99th Precinct.
David Simon, whose non-fiction book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets inspired the show Homocide: Life on the Street, said Braugher's death was "too damn soon".
"I've worked with a lot of wonderful actors. I'll never work with one better," Simon, who also created The Wire, said on X.
Actor Marc Evan Jackson, who played Braugher's on-screen husband in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, shared a picture of the pair hugging while on set, wearing their wedding rings.
He captioned the post on X: "O Captain. My Captain."
Joe Lo Truglio, who played Detective Charles Boyle on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, posted on Instagram about being on set with Braugher.
He wrote: "What you probably don't know is that Andre could sing, too, and did often at lunch, belting bassy vocals from his dressing room to whatever new music he found. At first, it was odd but then very quickly it made all the sense in the world because the man was so full of song and that's why the world took notice."
Chelsea Peretti who starred alongside Truglio as Gina Linetti in the show, said that she was "forever lucky to have gone on such a journey" with Braugher.
Ryan Case, who directed the US sitcom, posted a thread of her favourite memories of Braugher on X, writing: "My 'challenge' editing him in the Brooklyn pilot was finding takes where he wasn't smiling. We wanted to save that for the end. He was like a giddy school child doing his first comedy and it was so wonderful."
"If there weren't men like Andre in this business I probably would've quit it a long time ago. The world is worse without him," she added.
Dirk Blocker, another co-star, known for his role as Michael Hitchcock, said: "Fiercely intelligent, remarkably kind, supportive, generous and possessed a deep and extraordinary talent, and had even more to offer. I am devastated. I love him. The nine years I was able to work with him and to just be in his presence was truly a blessing."
Viola Davis, who worked with Braugher for a live staging of Good Times, wrote on Instagram: "Heart-breaking. You went way too soon. I loved every minute of working with you."
Speaking to BBC News earlier this year, Homicide writer and producer Tom Fontana praised Braugher's screen presence, charisma and energy.
"I had never seen an actor like that on television," said Fontana. "His rhythms were so unique."
Braugher's other notable credits include Benjamin O Davis in Tuskegee Airmen, Dr Ben Gideon in Gideon's Crossing - which won him a Golden Globe nomination - and Owen in Men Of A Certain Age, all roles which won him Emmy Award nominations.
Mike Royce, who co-created Men Of A Certain Age, said on X: "This is impossible for me to process. He was best actor in the world. An incredible human being. An incomprehensible loss."
According to the Hollywood Reporter, he had been cast as the male lead in a Netflix-backed murder-mystery The Residence, set at the White House.
Braugher died on Monday after a brief illness, his publicist Jennifer Allen told the PA news agency.
He is survived by his wife, actress Ami Brabson, who he met on the set of Homicide, and his three sons.
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