Lance Reddick, star of ‘The Wire’ and ‘John Wick’, dies at 60
NEW YORK (AP) — Lance Reddick, a character actor who specializes in intense, icy, and possibly sinister authority figures in TV and movies, including “The Wire,” “Fringe,” and the “John Wick” franchise, has died. He was 60 years old.
Reddick died “suddenly” on Friday morning, his publicist Mia Hansen said in a statement, attributing his death to natural causes. No additional details were provided.
Wendell Pierce, Reddick’s co-star on “The Wire,” paid tribute on Twitter. “A man of great strength and grace”, he wrote. “Both talented musician and actor. The epitome of class.” “John Wick: Chapter Four” director Chad Stahelski and star Keanu Reeves said they dedicated the upcoming film to Reddick and were “deeply saddened and saddened by the loss.”
Throughout his career, Reddick often wore a sharp suit or uniform, playing distinguishable men who were tall, taciturn, and elegant. He was best known for his role as Lieutenant Lieutenant Cedric Daniels on HBO’s hit series “The Wire,” in which his character was excruciatingly trapped in the messy politics of the Baltimore Police Department.
‘The Wire’ creator David Simon praised Reddick on Twitter: “Consummate professional, devoted collaborator, amiable and kind man, loyal friend. I could go on, but no, I can’t go on. This is gutting. And much, much, too soon.
“I am an artist at heart. I feel that I am very good at what I do. When I went to drama school, I knew I was at least as talented as the other students, but because I was a black man and I wasn’t pretty, I knew I had to work hard to be the best I could be. be, and be noticed,” Reddick told the Los Angeles Times in 2009.
Reddick also starred in the Fox series “Fringe” as Special Agent Phillip Broyles, the dapper Matthew Abaddon in “Lost” and played the multifaceted doorman of the Continental Hotel Charon in the Lionsgate films “John Wick,” including the fourth in the series due out later this month.
“The world of Wick wouldn’t be what it is without Lance Reddick and the unparalleled depth he’s brought to humanity and Charon’s unabashed charisma. Lance leaves an indelible legacy and extremely impressive work, but we will remember him as our lovely, joyful friend and Concierge,” Lionsgate said in a statement.
Reddick earned a 2021 SAG Award nomination as part of the ensemble for Regina King’s film ‘One Night in Miami’. He played recurring roles on ‘Intelligence’ and ‘American Horror Story’ and was on the show ‘Bosch’ for his seven year anniversary.
His upcoming projects include the 20th Century remake of “White Men Can’t Jump” and “Shirley,” the Netflix biopic of former Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. She was also slated to appear in the “John Wick” spin-off “Ballerina,” as well as “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.”
The Baltimore born and raised Reddick was a graduate of the Yale University Drama School who had some success after school landing guest or recurring roles on ‘CSI: Miami’ and ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ . He has also appeared in several films, including ˜I Dreamed of Africa’, ˜The Siege’ and ˜Great Expectations’.
It was in Season 4 of ‘Oz’, playing a convicted undercover officer sent to prison who becomes a drug addict, that Reddick had his career breakthrough.
“I’ve never been interested in television. I’ve always seen it as a means to an end. Like so many actors, I was only interested in doing theater and film. But ‘Oz’ changed television. It was the beginning of HBO’s reign over quality, edgy, arty stuff. Stuff that harkens back to great cinema from the 60s and 70s,” he told the Associated Press in 2011.
“When the opportunity for ‘Oz’ presented itself, I jumped at it. And when I read the pilot for “The Wire,” as a guy who never wanted to be on television, I knew I had to be on this show.
Reddick attended the prestigious Eastman School of Music, where he studied classical composition and played the piano. His first album, the jazz “Contemplations and Remembrances”, was released in 2011.
He had a recurring role as Jeffrey Tetazoo, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, on the CBS series ‘Intelligence’. In “American Horror Story: Coven,” he played Papa Legba, the intermediary between humanity and the spirit world.
Reddick is survived by his wife, Stephanie Reddick, and children, Yvonne Nicole Reddick and Christopher Reddick.
His death was first reported by celebrity website TMZ.com.
