Lance Reddick, ‘The Wire’ and ‘John Wick’ Star, Dies at 60

Lance Reddick, the actor who broke out with a fancy, highly effective efficiency as Lt. Cedric Daniels within the seminal HBO present The Wire, has died. He was 60.

The actor’s physique was found in his Studio Metropolis dwelling on Friday, TMZ reported. Reddick’s publicist Mia Hansen advised The Hollywood Reporter that he died “abruptly … from pure causes” Friday morning.

Reddick had just lately been selling John Wick: Chapter 4, the most recent installment of the Keanu Reeves franchise through which he performed Charon, the lodge concierge at New York’s felony underground hub, The Continental Resort.

The actor was additionally recognized for his TV work on Fringe, Bosch and Misplaced. With a sonorous and memorable voice, Reddick additionally labored ceaselessly as a voice actor on initiatives together with The Vindicators, DuckTales, Rick and Morty and Castlevania.

“We’re deeply saddened and heartbroken on the lack of our beloved good friend and colleague Lance Reddick,” John Wick director Chad Stahelski and star Keanu Reeves mentioned in a joint assertion. “He was the consummate skilled and a pleasure to work with. Our love and prayers are along with his spouse Stephanie, his youngsters, household and buddies. We dedicate the movie to his loving reminiscence. We are going to miss him dearly.”

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, on June 7, 1962, Reddick initially studied on the Eastman College of Music on the College of Rochester in New York, the place he acquired his bachelor’s diploma (Reddick performed piano, sang and was a songwriter). “I used to be a musician first. Rising up I by no means dreamed I might be appearing on tv,” he advised The Philadelphia Solar in 2010. He added that he started appearing on a “lark” as a result of he had carried out in school and thought it’d enhance his musical profession; to his shock, he obtained into the Yale College of Drama (the place he turned buddies with fellow classmate Paul Giamatti), which kickstarted his profession.

Reddick had a few dozen credit beneath his belt when he went in to audition for The Wire, most notably the HBO collection Oz. “I bear in mind studying the script and considering that I’d by no means learn a pilot like this earlier than. To this present day, it’s the one pilot I’ve ever learn that I believed, ‘I’ve to be on this present,’” he advised The Hollywood Reporter in 2019.

He initially auditioned for Bunk Moreland, the character that in the end went to Wendell Pierce, and was the runner-up to play Bubbles, who was portrayed by Andre Royo. Recalled the actor: “I didn’t even know what character I wished to play as a result of within the pilot script, the one character that’s clearly outstanding is McNulty (Dominic West), and I knew that Bunk was his companion.”

After lacking out on these two roles, he obtained one other audition to learn for Daniels, however the Wire crew initially handed on him. Reddick moved on along with his life, questioning the place his subsequent job can be, when he obtained a shock web page from his agent. Plans had modified, and he had been forged as Daniels. Stated the actor: “It was the primary time the place one thing occurred in my life the place I hoped I wasn’t dreaming.”

Reddick was 39 when The Wire premiered in June 2002. The drama from David Simon explored crime and corruption in Baltimore and although it was not a runaway hit whereas it aired, it’s now thought-about one of many best tv exhibits of all time.

Simon recalled Reddick fondly in an announcement to THR: “A consummate skilled, a faithful collaborator, a stunning soul and a good friend. That is simply gutting and approach, approach, approach too quickly for any of us who knew and cherished him to ponder.”

Reddick’s The Wire co-star Pierce wrote on Twitter: “A person of nice energy and charm. As gifted a musician as he was an actor. The epitome of sophistication.”

HBO added in an announcement, “Lance has been a part of the HBO household for over 20 years, starring in a number of initiatives together with iconic roles in Oz and The Wire. He’s held within the highest regard by all who knew and labored with him and we’re proud to be a part of his legacy. He shall be missed dearly.”

Throughout his busy profession, Reddick was among the many SAG-nominated ensemble of Regina King’s One Evening in Miami and labored on Netflix’s Resident Evil collection, Comedy Central’s Company and FX’s American Horror Story.

The actor’s dying comes forward of the discharge of the fourth John Wick, which arrives March 24. Like others concerned within the 2014 first movie, Reddick had no thought it could be a runaway hit that might spawn a number of films and spinoffs, together with The Continental, that includes a youthful model of his character performed by Ayomide Adegun.

On Reddick’s first day on the franchise, star Reeves confirmed as much as set though he wasn’t working in that scene. It additionally occurred to be Reeves’ birthday. Reddick recalled to Vulture in 2021 that Reeves particularly wished to see the actor on his birthday. “He’d by no means carried out this earlier than however he wrote me a be aware thanking me for what I delivered to the character in these films. And he wished to provide the be aware to me. I’ll always remember it,” mentioned the actor.

Lionsgate, the studio behind the Wick movies, remembered him with an announcement: “The world of Wick wouldn’t be what it’s with out Lance Reddick and the unparalleled depth he delivered to Charon’s humanity and unflappable charisma. Lance leaves behind an indelible legacy and massively spectacular physique of labor, however we’ll bear in mind him as our pretty, joyful good friend and Concierge. We’re surprised and heartbroken, and our deepest condolences go to his beloved household and his followers all all over the world.”

Reddick had a number of different initiatives already accomplished, together with the John Wick spinoff The Ballerina, and twentieth Century’s remake of White Males Can’t Bounce, which arrives Could 19. He had additionally accomplished work on the Disney+ collection Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

Based on a latest profile in New York Strikes journal, Reddick was particularly enthusiastic about his forthcoming position in Shirley, a John Ridley-directed biopic in regards to the U.S.’ first Black congresswoman, Shirley Chisholm. Reddick advised the journal, “Proper now I simply wish to do the sorts of tales that I wish to see,” including, “and numerous these tales are about folks of colour, notably folks of colour and ladies, notably historic.”

Reddick is survived by his spouse, Stephanie Reddick, and kids, Yvonne Nicole Reddick and Christopher Reddick.

Chris Gardner, Etan Vlessing and Julian Sancton contributed to this report.