Lance Reddick's wife breaks silence after stars 'unexpected' death

2023-03-19

Lance Reddick’s wife breaks her silence after The Wire star’s ‘unexpected’ death at 60 – as says thank you for ‘overwhelming love and support’ in heartwarming post

Lance Reddick, a character actor who specialized in intense, icy and possibly sinister authority figures on TV and film died ‘unexpectedly’ aged 60
His wife, Stephanie, broke her silence for the first time thanking fans for their ‘overwhelming support’ in a heartwarming post to the late Wire stars Instagram
The Reddick’s tied the knot in 2011, more than a decade after they first met

Lance Reddick’s wife, Stephanie, has broken her silence for the first time since the ‘unexpected’ death of her beloved husband thanking fans for their ‘overwhelming support’ in a post to Instagram.

Reddick died aged 60 of ‘natural causes’ on Friday morning – leaving Stephanie heartbroken – after their more than a decade long marriage.

Stephanie posted four photos of the late 60-year-old expressing her gratitude in the online tribute to her husband who she said was ‘taken from us far too soon.’

She wrote: ‘Lance was taken from us far too soon. Thank you for all your overwhelming love, support and beautiful stories shared on these platforms over the last day.

Stephanie posted four photos of the late 60-year-old expressing her gratitude in the online tribute to her husband who she said was ‘taken from us far too soon’

‘I see your messages and can’t begin to express how grateful I am to have them. And to the thousands of Destiny players who played in special tribute to Lance, thank you. Lance loved you as much as he loved the game.’

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 died aged 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.

He and Stephanie enjoyed a quiet life for almost 25 years before his tragic death.

Their low-key 2011 wedding in Minnesota typified their modest lifestyle, which came over 12 years after they met when he acted in a theater where she worked.

Despite starring in numerous blockbusters, most recently John Wick 4, Reddick seemingly enjoyed an unpretentious relationship with his spouse.

While his co-stars splashed out on lavish ceremonies, Stephanie insisted on only two rules.

‘One was that everyone had to have fun,’ she said, according to MspMag.

‘And the other was that Lance couldn’t see my dress before I walked down the aisle. That was it.’

Stephanie, who was Lance’s second wife, shared two children with the late actor, Yvonne and Christopher.

She has made several red carpet appearances through the years as her husband starred in hits including White House Down, The Blacklist and Godzilla vs Kong.

While they spent most of their days in their lavish $2.5 million mansion in Los Angeles, the couple decided to tie the knot in Minnesota in homage of their roots.

They opted for the Midwest state because it was where they had their first encounter in 1999 while Stephanie was working on the set of the Gurthrie Theater.

Stephanie’s low-key approach was on full display throughout the procession.

Classic role: Reddick played Cedric Daniels in HBO’s hit drama The Wire

This is the $ 2.5 million home of Wire star Lance Reddick where the 60-year-old was reportedly found dead on Friday

‘I told (the florist) I didn’t care what the flowers were as long as they were pretty,’ Stephanie said.

‘She suggested peonies, because they were in season at the time. I didn’t even know what color the flowers were going to be until the day of the wedding, and they turned out just gorgeous.’

After insisting that Reddick couldn’t see her dress before the big day, his Hollywood fortune was put aside as she later admitted: ‘I found it online for $250, including shipping.’

‘Lance picked it up at the post office, and it fit perfectly. My favorite moment of the wedding day was when my mom saw me in my dress and she started crying.’

Lance landed a role in her theater five years after receiving a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Yale School of Drama.

His breakout performance came in 2001 after he was cast in The Wire, and he would go on to appear in all 60 episodes alongside stars including Dominic West and Idris Elba.

But throughout his time as a Hollywood star, Lance managed to keep his family life private.

Tributes have poured in for the actor following the news of his tragic passing.

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.’

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 ‘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 uploaded a shot of himself relaxing at home with his three dogs just one day before his death. He and Stephanie enjoyed a private and down to earth lifestyle

He wrote underneath the photos: ‘On screen and off it’s no surprise I love spoiling my dogs’

Reddick also starred on the Fox series ‘Fringe’ as a special agent Phillip Broyles, the smartly-dressed Matthew Abaddon on ‘Lost’ and played the multi-skilled 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 Court-Martial.’

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 ‘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.’

The couple first met at Gurthrie Theater in Minnesota in 1999, where Stephanie worked while Reddick was acting in a play

Tributes have poured in for the actor following the news of his tragic passing

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.

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

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