According to reports from US media outlets, Lance Reddick, a well-known actor who starred in the HBO series The Wire and the John Wick film franchise, has passed away at the age of 60. The talented musician and actor died suddenly on Friday from natural causes in his Los Angeles home, as confirmed by his publicist.
The police were called to his residence at around 09:30 local time (16:30 GMT). Reddick’s publicist, Mia Hansen, released a statement asking the public to respect his family’s privacy during this difficult time. The actor was in the midst of promoting the upcoming fourth instalment of the John Wick movies, which is set to be released on 24 March. He was also scheduled to appear in the forthcoming John Wick spinoff, Ballerina, alongside Ana de Armas.
Originally from Baltimore, Reddick appeared in more than a dozen films and shows throughout his 25-year acting career. He was best known for his portrayal of Charon, the hotel concierge at The Continental Hotel, a criminal underground hub in New York, in the John Wick movies. He also gained widespread recognition for his breakout role as Baltimore police lieutenant Cedric Daniels in The Wire, a critically acclaimed series that ran from 2002 to 2008. Reddick had expressed his surprise at the immense success of The Wire, which examined the narcotics scene in Baltimore from the perspectives of both law enforcement and drug dealers and users.
In addition to his acting work, Reddick was also a skilled voice actor, having lent his voice to various projects such as the TV series Rick and Morty. He studied classical music at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester in New York and earned a bachelor’s degree before attending the Yale School of Drama.
Reddick received a SAG Award nomination in 2021 for his role in the film One Night in Miami, and he is survived by his wife, Stephanie, as well as his daughter, Yvonne Nicole Reddick, and his son, Christopher Reddick. In a 2009 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Reddick spoke about his passion for acting, stating that he felt like an “artist at heart”.
His passing follows that of his co-star Michael K Williams, who played Omar in The Wire and died two years ago from an overdose. Last year, four people were charged for allegedly selling the drugs that Williams took before his death.
