Lance Reddick, ‘The Wire’ And ‘John Wick’ Star, Dies At 60

NEW YORK (AP) — Lance Reddick, a character actor who specialized in intense, icy and possibly sinister authority figures on TV and film, including “The Wire,” “Fringe” and the “John Wick” franchise, has died. He was 60.

Reddick died “suddenly” Friday morning, his publicist Mia Hansen said in a statement, attributing his death to natural causes. No further details were provided.

Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne were among the “John Wick: Chapter 4” stars honoring Lance Reddick, their co-star who died unexpectedly last week, at the film’s Los Angeles premiere.

“We lost our brother, and in a really sort of very shocking way. I think we’re all still in shock. Life is,” the visibly shaken Fishburne said, pausing briefly before continuing, “hard sometimes.”

Many of those who worked on the film wore blue ribbons to honor Reddick, who was a prolific character actor with prominent roles in “The Wire,” “Oz” and the “John Wick” film franchise.

“Just to be in his light and to get a chance to work with him, I’ll cherish for the rest of my life,” Reeves said. “He had such a passion for his work and his craft. He was gracious. He had a dignity to him and a presence.”

“He’s the goodness of this film. He was kind of, in many ways, the heart of the film because his character loved John Wick,” Fishburne said.

“You know, it’s always hard when you lose someone that you love dearly ... but you’re also incredibly grateful for the time you had together. We were fortunate enough to work with Lance since the very beginning of the ‘John Wick’ franchise. I mean it’s been almost 10 years,” director Chad Stahelski said. “I really wish he could be with us tonight, but, you know, life. But we’re very fortunate to have known him. And he’s a great man, a great artist, a great human, a dear friend.”

Shamier Anderson, a newcomer to “Wick” franchise, recalled how Reddick took time to say a kind word on set.

“I grew up watching Lance Reddick. It is a bittersweet moment because he was definitely one of my heroes growing up as an actor, as a Black actor,” Anderson said. “And even though we didn’t share screen time together in this film, we shared some time off camera and he was salt of the Earth when he first met me.

“He said, ‘Shamier, you’re incredible. I love your work man,’ and like, it melted me like a puddle.”

Wendell Pierce, Reddick’s co-star on “The Wire” paid tribute on Twitter. “A man of great strength and grace,” he wrote. “As talented a musician as he was an actor. The epitome of class.” “John Wick — Chapter Four” director Chad Stahelski and star Keanu Reeves said they were dedicating the upcoming film to Reddick and were “deeply saddened and heartbroken at the loss.”

“I’m an artist at heart. I feel that I’m 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’t pretty, I knew I would have to work my butt off to be the best that I would be, and to be noticed,” Reddick told the Los Angeles Times in 2009.

Reddick also starred on the Fox series “Fringe” as a special agent Phillip Broyles, the smartlydressed Matthew Abaddon on “Lost” and played the multiskilled Continental Hotel concierge Charon in Lionsgate’s “John Wick” movies, including the fourth in the series that releases later this month.

“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,” Lionsgate said in a statement.

Reddick earned a SAG Award nomination in 2021 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 its seven-year run.

His upcoming projects include 20th Century’s remake of “White Men Can’t Jump” and “Shirley,” Netflix’s biopic of former Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. He was also slated to appear in the “John Wick” spinoff “Ballerina,” as well as “The Caine Mutiny CourtMartial.”

The Baltimoreborn-and-raised Reddick was a Yale University drama school graduate who enjoyed some success after school by landing guest or recurring roles “CSI: Miami” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” He also appeared in several movies, including “I Dreamed of Africa,” “The Siege” and “Great Expectations.”

It was on season four of “Oz,” playing a doomed undercover officer sent to prison who becomes an addict, that Reddick had a career breakthrough.

“I 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 ‘Oz’ changed television. It was the beginning of HBO’s reign on quality, edgy, artistic stuff. Stuff that harkens back to great cinema of the ’60s and ’70s,” he told The Associated Press in 2011.

“When the opportunity for ‘Oz’ came up, I jumped. And when I read the pilot for ‘The Wire,’ as a guy that never wanted to be on television, I realized I had to be on this show.”

Reddick attended the prestigious Eastman School of Music, where he studied classical composition, and he played piano. His first album, the jazzy “Contemplations and Remembrances,” came out in 2011.

He had a recurring role as Jeffrey Tetazoo, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, on the CBS series “Intelligence.” On “American Horror Story: Coven,” he 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.

His death was first reported by celebrity website TMZ.com.