Actor Lance Reddick from The Wire, John Wick dead at 60
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Lance Reddick, an actor most known for his roles in the “John Wick” franchise and the HBO series “The Wire,” has died.
He was 60.
The actor’s representatives confirmed to The Post that he passed away suddenly Friday morning from natural causes.
His death comes just days after he skipped the premiere of “John Wick: Chapter 4” — starring Keanu Reeves — that took place Wednesday in New York City.
“We are deeply saddened and heartbroken at the loss of our beloved friend and colleague Lance Reddick,” Reeves and director Chat Stahelski said in a joint statement to Deadline. “He was the consummate professional and a joy to work with. Our love and prayers are with his wife Stephanie, his children, family and friends. We dedicate the film to his loving memory. We will miss him dearly.”
Lionsgate, the studio making the franchise, also released a tribute.
“The world of Wick would not be what it is without Lance Reddick and the unparalleled depth he brought to Charon’s humanity and unflappable charisma. Lance leaves behind an indelible legacy and hugely impressive body of work, but we will remember him as our lovely, joyful friend and Concierge. We’re stunned and heartbroken, and our deepest condolences go to his beloved family and his fans all around the world.,” the company said in a statement.
Law enforcement officials told TMZ that Reddick was found in his home in Studio City around 9:30 a.m.
In his final Instagram post on Thursday, Reddick had just shared a sweet tribute to his dogs, writing, “On screen and off, it’s no surprise I love spoiling my dogs.”
Prior to his “John Wick” fame, in which he played hotel manager Charon, he portrayed Cedrick Daniels, a fictional police officer in Baltimore in five seasons of “The Wire.”
Born in Baltimore, Maryland on June 7, 1962, Reddick received a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Rochester before heading to Boston and earning his master’s degree in fine arts from Yale.
He crafted his album “Contemplations and Remembrances,”which was released in 2007, after soaring to on-screen success, regularly sharing clips of himself singing and playing the piano on social media.
His major break on television was the HBO drama “Oz” in 2000, in which he played an undercover detective, Johnny Basil for 12 episodes.
But his first big claim to fame was the HBO series “The Wire,” in which he played police lieutenant Cedric Daniels for five seasons.
Reddick was especially proud of doing “The Wire,” as it was his first television pilot.
“It wasn’t like I had all these other experiences in television and then, suddenly, this incredible experience. My career at that point had largely been the theater, some guest stuff, and movies,” he told CBR last year regarding his fortunate career turn.
“The grueling and nightmarish stories I heard later about working in television, I just didn’t know. Walking into what arguably became the greatest dramatic series in the history of American television, knowing how good it was from having just read the pilot, I thought, ‘Cool, I’m doing the s–t I want to do. I’m lucky because I’ve been able to do really great work, and I’m getting to do more of it!’ I didn’t know I was spoiled until I left, until it was over.”
He continued to land law enforcement roles, such as his 2008 gig as special agent Phillip Broyles in “Fringe” and a police chief on Amazon Prime’s “Bosch.”
His more recent appearances include Netflix’s “Resident Evil” and Amazon’s “The Legend of Vox Machina.”
His most recent release is “John Wick: Chapter 4,” which premieres next week.
“The character was just the kind of character that I never got to play,” he told IMDb about his “John Wick” character in 2019. “Ever since ‘The Wire,’ I’ve played a lot of intimidating authority figures that talk a lot, so to play this kind of quintessential servant whose very taciturn I found fascinating.”
He was slated to appear in several upcoming projects this year, including a “White Men Can’t Jump” reboot and the Netflix film “Shirley,” as well as reprise his role as Charon in the spin-off “Ballerina” starring Ana de Armas.
Colleagues and fans shared their sorrows online when the news broke of Reddick’s passing.
Reddick’s “The Wire” co-star Wendell Pierce called his friend a “man of great strength and grace,” as well as the “epitome of class.”
“A consummate professional, a devoted collaborator, a lovely soul and a friend,” said “The Wire” creator David Simon in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “This is just gutting and way, way, way too soon for any of us who knew and loved him to contemplate.”
“Suicide Squad” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” director James Gunn also paid tribute, saying Reddick was “an incredibly talented actor.”
Reddick’s representatives asked that the family’s privacy be respected at this time, requesting for donations in his memory to be made to momcares.org.
He is survived by his wife, Stephanie Reddick, and his children, Yvonne Nicole Reddick and Christopher Reddick.
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