Lance Reddick Has Died At 60
In news that is both shocking and heartbreaking, TMZ was the first to report the news of sadness that veteran actor Lance Reddick, who starred in The Wire, Lost, the John Wick movies, and much more, died at his home in Studio City, CA. Variety and Deadline both confirmed the news with Lance’s rep, who said that he died of natural causes but didn’t give any more details. Lance was only 60 years old.
Lance was born on June 7, 1962, in Baltimore, Maryland. After graduating high school, Lance studied music at the Peabody Preparatory Institute in Baltimore and the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music, where he got his Bachelor of Music degree. In the 90s, Lance switched things up and studied acting at the Yale School of Drama, and he earned a Master of Fine Arts degree. Lance Reddick was the kind of actor who immediately made every movie and TV show he was in a billion times better and more interesting, even if he had a small role in it. And Lance’s gift for elevating everything he was in started in the 90s with roles in New York Undercover, The Nanny, Great Expectations, Godzilla, and The West Wing. And in the early aughts, he was in Law & Order, Oz, and the movie I Dreamed of Africa before he was cast in the role that made him a STAH.
Lance originally auditioned for the roles of Bubbles and Bunk Moreland on HBO’s The Wire, set in his hometown, but was cast as Baltimore police lieutenant Cedric Daniels. Lance played Cedric for all five seasons of the show, which ended in 2008. I probably know Lance Reddick best as the mysterious Matthew, Widmore’s right-hand man, on Lost. And Lance’s other memorable roles include Homeland Security Special Agent Phillip Broyles on Fringe, Deputy Chief Irvin Irving on Bosch, and Charon in the John Wick movies. Recently, Lance had been doing press for John Wick: Chapter 4 but pulled out of the movie’s NYC premiere on Wednesday night.
And Lance was also in Jonah Hex, White House Down, the American remake of Oldboy, Little Woods, Angel Has Fallen, Sylvie’s Love, One Night in Miami…, and the upcoming films White Men Can’t Jump and Ballerina. And he was in episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Castle, American Horror Story: Coven(as Papa Legba), and Disney+’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, out next year. Gamers know Lance as Commander Zavala from the Destiny series of video games.
Lance also returned to his love of music in 2007 by releasing his first album, Contemplations & Rememberances.
While Lance was known for playing mega-serious characters who don’t fuck around, he showed that he had what it takes to make Eric Andre break when he was on The Eric Andre Show:
Just yesterday, Lance put up a sponsored Instagram post showing his love for his dog friends:
Lance is survived by his wife, Stephanie Reddick, and their children, Yvonne Nicole Reddick and Christopher Reddick.
Rest in peace, Lance Reddick.
Pic: Faye’s Vision/Cover Images