Who doesn’t love the cast of Brooklyn Nine-Nine? Michael Schur’s breakout fan favorite comedy is one of the best shows on TV, much of which is due to its phenomenal cast. Full of acting chops and funny bones, the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast is up there with the best of the best.
Whether they’re series regulars such as Terry Crews, or now previous cast members like Chelsea Peretti, each member of the cast now has an even bigger fan following thanks to the show. Although the actors are adjusting to the brighter spotlight, fans still don’t know everything about these comedians. Here are ten little-known facts about the stellar cast from Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Stephanie Beatriz’s Signature Scar Is From A Lego
One of the biggest breakout stars of Brooklyn Nine-Nine is none other than Rosa Diaz herself: Stephanie Beatriz. Born Stephanie Beatriz Bischoff Alvizuri, Beatriz grew up in Texas and has become an accomplished comedic, dramatic, and voice actor. Apart from her role as Rosa, she has also appeared in the critically acclaimed Indie film Short Term 12 and the animated sequel The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part.
Speaking of Legos, these little bricks were the cause of Beatriz’s iconic eyebrow scar. In an interview for the Lego Move 2, Beatriz told the story in full. As a child playing with Legos, she refused to pick up after herself. Doing so caused her to trip and gouge her eyebrow with one of the little bricks. Although the scar fits her rough-edged character on Nine-Nine, the real-life origins are far tamer.
Terry Crews Is A Former NFL Star
Terry Crews is one of the better-known cast members of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. With multiple film and television credits, he has remained a constant in the world of entertainment. But, Terry is more than just an actor. As seen here and in later segments, Terry Crews is a multifaceted individual. He’s is a sort of renaissance man if you will.
One of his many attributes is his athletic ability. Before becoming an actor, Terry Crews held a lucrative career in the NFL. After college, Terry was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 1991. Afterward, Terry would go on to play for other teams including the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, and the Philadelphia Eagles. Eventually, he left his football career behind and moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting.
Andy Samberg Had Worked On The Brooklynn Nine-Nine Lot For One Of His First Hollywood Gigs
To say Andy Samberg has had a successful career in the world of entertainment would be an understatement. Not only does he have multiple film and tv credits, including live action and voice work, but he also was a long-running cast member on Saturday Night Live and established his own popular comedy group The Lonely Island. But, like many stars, he had to start from the ground up.
Before getting his own network comedy, Samberg worked as a PA on productions around Los Angeles. One of these shows included Spin City (1996), a government workplace comedy. Fittingly, the same lot that Spin City shot on would eventually be the hosting lot for none other than Brooklyn Nine-Nine. This coincidence is the perfect bookend to a career-long journey for Samberg.
Melissa Fumero Was A Professional Dancer
Similarly to Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero, who plays Amy Santiago on the series, has multiple talents. As an actress and comedian, Fumero has not had as much on-screen work as some of her counterparts. She has quickly risen to become a major TV talent, both on screen and behind. Acting though has not always been her primary focus.
For many years, Melissa Fumero was actually a professional dancer. She spent many years both training, performing, and instructing dance classes. She is skilled in ballet, as well as other forms of classical dance.
Terry Crews Used To Be A Courtroom Sketch Artist
Speaking of Terry, he is hiding even more talents. Apart from being a beloved actor and comedian, as well as a professional athlete, Terry Crews had always had an artistic side. Terry has a deep love of drawing since he was a kid. He honed his skills over his life, even submitting some of his sketches to Walt Disney Animation in hopes of getting a job.
Sadly, he never was hired, but Terry did get briefly paid for his artwork (but not in the most traditional way). At the age of eighteen, Terry was hired by a local courthouse to serve as a courtroom sketch artist. This little stint in the world of criminal justice certainly mirrors his now full-time gig on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Andre Braugher Is An Accomplished Shakespearean Actor
Oh, Captain Holt. Andre Braugher’s often abrasive but occasionally goofy police captain is one of the best TV bosses period. He brings perfect deadpan delivery to all of Samberg’s hijinks and gets to deliver some of the greatest one-liners ion the show. He is a comedic powerhouse but isn’t limited to one genre. Trained as a classical actor, Baugher also has held multiple roles in many productions of Shakespeare’s works.
As a theater actor, Andre Braugher has appeared in productions of Coriolanus, Richard II, Othello, and Macbeth. In 1996, New York’s Shakespeare in the Park Festival cast Braugher in Henry V in the titular role. This performance earned Braugher an Obie award, an honor that is given by The Village Voice to New York theater artists.
Chelsea Peretti Is Married To Jordan Peele
A fondly remembered former Brooklyn Nine-Nine castmember, Chelsea Peretti played the irresponsible but loveable Gina Linetti. Peretti is one of the most sought after comedic talents working today. Not only is she an incredible comedic actor, but she has held a viable stand-up career as well as stints at screenwriting for popular series such as Parks and Rec and Portlandia.
Someone this funny would obviously find a partner on the same comedic playing field. It’s no surprise that she settled on Jordan Peele himself. The former comedian turned prestige horror director, and Peretti began dating in 2013 and soon married two years later. It was a match made in comedy heaven and established them as a talented powerhouse Hollywood couple.
Joe Lo Truglio Previously Animated For The State
Joe Lo Truglio, who plays the adorkable Charles Boyce, certainly has comedic chops on par with the rest of his Brooklynn Nine-Nine peers. Often the odd man out, Truglio plays the perfect misfit on the series. Little do many know though that he is actually a gifted artist.
Terry Crews isn’t the only one to draw and sketch on Brooklynn Nine-Nine. Truglio, before he took on the role of Charles, had been an animator. One of his significant credits included animating title sequences and transitions of the sketch comedy show The State. Seriously, this cast is absurdly talented.
Terry Crews Plays The Flute
This list has referenced Terry Crew’s repertoire of artistic and athletic abilities verbatim, but there is one more that has to be mentioned. Not only can Tery Crews act, do comedy, play professional football, draw, paint, and sell Old Spice, but he can play a musical instrument as well.
During a visit to The Late Show with James Corden, Crews revealed that as a child his mother bought him a flute and forced him to practice it regularly. Now, Crews has mastered the instrument, becoming an accomplished flutist (because apparently, that’s a thing). Is there anything Terry Crews can’t do?
Andy Samberg And Chelsea Peretti Were Childhood Friends
There is no denying that the cast of Brooklyn Nine-Nine is close. Through thick and thin they have stuck together and championed each other and the show. Their real-life chemistry blends into their characters perfectly, making the show that much more believable and likable. Some of the friendships though reach farther back than most realize.
Both Andy Samberg and Chelsea Peretti knew each other and have been friends since they were kids. Growing up together, the two entered the world of comedy and show business around the same time, eventually teaming up for Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Peretti has even admitted to having a crush on Samberg as a kid! This real-life friendship made it into the show, as both Jake and Gina grew up together too.
