Actor known for his taciturn, elegant roles
NEW YORK — 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.
Wendell Pierce, Reddick’s costar 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.”
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 straitlaced Lt. Cedric Daniels on the hit HBO series The Wire, where his character was agonizingly trapped in the messy politics of the Baltimore police department.
The Wire creator David Simon praised Reddick on Twitter: “Consummate professional, devoted collaborator, lovely and gentle man, loyal friend. Could go on, but no, I can’t go on. This is gutting. And way, way, way too soon.”
“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 as special agent Phillip Broyles on the Fox series Fringe and as the smartly dressed 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.
Reddick earned a SAG Award nomination in 2021 as part of the ensemble for Regina King’s film One Night in Miami.
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 Court-martial.
Baltimore-born-and-raised Reddick was a Yale University drama school graduate who enjoyed some success after school by landing guest or recurring roles on CSI: Miami and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Reddick is survived by his wife, Stephanie Reddick, and children, Yvonne Nicole Reddick and Christopher Reddick.