‘The Wire’ and ‘John Wick’ Star Lance Reddick Dead at 60
Lance Reddick, the actor who brought Baltimore police officer Cedric Daniels to life on “The Wire” before turning into one of Hollywood’s most reliable film stars, has died at the age of 60. The news was first reported by TMZ.
Reddick’s death came as a surprise to many, as he had been actively promoting his role in the upcoming “John Wick: Chapter 4” for the last several weeks. However, he pulled out of attending the film’s premiere in New York City on Wednesday night for unspecified reasons. The cause of his death was not revealed.
Born in Baltimore in 1962, Reddick began studying acting and music from a young age, eventually earning an MFA from the Yale School of Drama. He began making guest appearances on television shows in the mid-1990s, but his big break came when he was cast as John Basil on HBO’s boundary-pushing prison drama “Oz.”
He stayed in the HBO family and was soon cast in what would become his career-defining role on “The Wire.” His performance as a principled police officer who was determined to do his job with integrity in a city that was overflowing with institutional corruption was an essential part of David Simon’s sprawling exploration of Baltimore’s systemic issues. He appeared in all 60 episodes of the series, whose legacy has only improved in the 15 years since its finale aired.
After “The Wire” ended, Reddick began collaborating with J.J. Abrams, appearing in a key arc in four late episodes of “Lost” before playing Phillip Broyles on “Fringe” throughout its five season run. He eventually transitioned to film acting and played key roles in several blockbusters throughout the 2010s. He famously played the assassin hotel manager Charon in “John Wick,” a role that he reprised in all three of the film’s sequels. He also notably appeared in “Godzilla vs. King Kong,” “Corporate,” and “Resident Evil” in recent years.
Reddick is survived by his wife, Stephanie Reddick, and his daughter from a previous marriage. Following the actor’s death, a variety of Hollywood figures took to their social media accounts to pay tribute to his life and legacy.
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