Lance Reddick, a character actor who specialized in intense, icy and possibly sinister authority figures on TV and film, including 鈥淭he Wire,鈥� 鈥淔ringe鈥� and the 鈥淛ohn Wick鈥� franchise, has died. He was 60.
Reddick died 鈥渟uddenly鈥� Friday morning, his publicist Mia Hansen said in a statement, attributing his death to natural causes. His death was first reported by celebrity website TMZ.com.
Tributes flashed across social media after news of the death, with filmmaker James Gunn calling Reddick 鈥渁n incredibly nice guy, and an incredibly talented actor鈥� and Wendell Pierce, Reddick鈥檚 co-star on 鈥淭he Wire鈥� paying tribute on Twitter. 鈥淎 man of great strength and grace,鈥� e. 鈥淎s talented a musician as he was an actor. The epitome of class.鈥�
Reddick was often put in a suit or a crisp uniform during his career, playing tall taciturn and elegant men of distinction. He was best known for his role as straight-laced Lt. Cedric Daniels on the hit HBO series 鈥淭he Wire,鈥� where his character was agonizingly trapped in the messy politics of the Baltimore police department.
鈥淚鈥檓 an artist at heart. I feel that I鈥檓 very good at what I do. When I went to drama school, I knew I was at least as talented as other students, but because I was a Black man and I wasn鈥檛 pretty, I knew I would have to work my butt off to be the best that I would be, and to be noticed,鈥� he told the Los Angeles Times in 2009.
Reddick also starred on the Fox series 鈥淔ringe鈥� as a special agent Phillip Broyles, the smartly dressed Matthew Abaddon on 鈥淟ost鈥� and played the multi-skilled Continental Hotel concierge Charon in the 鈥淛ohn Wick鈥� movies, including the fourth in the series that releases later this month.
He earned a SAG Award nomination in 2021 as part of the ensemble for Regina King鈥檚 film 鈥淥ne Night in Miami.鈥� Reddick played recurring roles on 鈥淚ntelligence鈥� and 鈥淎merican Horror Story鈥� and was on the show 鈥淏osch鈥� for its seven-year run.
His upcoming projects include 20th Century鈥檚 remake of 鈥淲hite Men Can鈥檛 Jump鈥� and 鈥淪hirley,鈥� Netflix鈥檚 biopic of former Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. He was also slated to appear in the 鈥淛ohn Wick鈥� spinoff 鈥淏allerina,鈥� as well as 鈥淭he Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.鈥�
The Baltimore-born-and-raised Reddick was a Yale University drama school graduate who enjoyed some success after school by landing guest or recurring roles 鈥淐SI: Miami鈥� and 鈥淟aw & Order: Special Victims Unit.鈥� He also appeared in several movies, including 鈥淚 Dreamed of Africa,鈥� 鈥淭he Siege鈥� and 鈥淕reat Expectations.鈥�
It was on season four of 鈥淥z,鈥� playing a doomed undercover officer sent to prison who becomes an addict, that Reddick had a career breakthrough.
鈥淚 was never interested in television. I always saw it as a means to an end. Like so many actors, I was only interested in doing theater and film. But 鈥極z鈥� changed television. It was the beginning of HBO鈥檚 reign on quality, edgy, artistic stuff. Stuff that harkens back to great cinema of the 鈥�60s and 鈥�70s,鈥� he told The Associated Press in 2011.
鈥淲hen the opportunity for 鈥極z鈥� came up, I jumped. And when I read the pilot for 鈥楾he Wire,鈥� as a guy that never wanted to be on television, I realized I had to be on this show.鈥�
Reddick attended the prestigious Eastman School of Music, where he studied classical composition, and he played piano. His first album, the jazzy 鈥淐ontemplations and Remembrances,鈥� came out in 2011.
Reddick had a recurring role as Jeffrey Tetazoo, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, on CBS鈥� 鈥淚ntelligence.鈥� On 鈥淎merican Horror Story: Coven,鈥� Reddick portrayed Papa Legba, the go-between between humanity and the spirit world.
Reddick is survived by his wife, Stephanie Reddick, and children, Yvonne Nicole Reddick and Christopher Reddick.
鈥擬ark Kennedy, The Associated Press
