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Home • Celebrity

Lance Reddick, Star Of 'The Wire' And 'John Wick' Franchise, Passes Away At 60

The actor, distinguishable by his tall stature and commanding voice, will appear in the upcoming 'John Wick: Chapter 4' and Disney +'s 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians'
Lance Reddick, Star Of 'The Wire' And 'John Wick' Franchise, Passes Away At 60
WESTWOOD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 20: Lance Reddick attends the LA Premiere of Lionsgate’s “Angel Has Fallen” at Regency Village Theatre on August 20, 2019 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
By Rivea Ruff · Updated March 17, 2023
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Actor Lance Reddick, perhaps best known for his impactful roles as Cedric Daniels on HBO’s classic crime series The Wire and Continental Hotel manager Charon in the much-beloved John Wick franchise, has passed away. He was 60 years old.

According to TMZ, Reddick was found unresponsive in his Studio City, CA home around 9:30 am. While no cause of death has yet been determined, law enforcement reportedly says it appears to have been a case of natural causes.

Most easily identified by his tall frame and signature shaved head, as well as his instantly recognizable deep, authoritative voice, Reddick was a staple on many classic and cult television programs, including HBO’s prison drama OZ, Fox’s sci-fi classic Fringe, and ABC’s lost-at-sea mystery Lost.

Lance Reddick, Star Of ‘The Wire’ And ‘John Wick’ Franchise, Passes Away At 60
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 23: Lance Reddick attends American Black Film Festival Honors Awards Ceremony at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 23, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/WireImage)

Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Reddick studied music and the arts from a young age. He studied classical music composition at the University of Rochester, eventually earning his Bachelor of Music before relocating to Boston in the early 1990’s and earning his MFA in acting at the Yale School of Drama.

After getting his start with episodic roles in popular television programs like New York Undercover, The Nanny, and The West Wing and starring in multiple TV movies, his big break came with HBO’s 2000 mini-series The Corner, a precursor of sorts to The Wire that chronicled the plight of an impoverished Baltimore family living on the cusp of America’s raging drug war.

Reddick was in the midst of a press run in support of his upcoming appearance in John Wick: Chapter 4 at the time of his passing. He will also appear posthumously as the Greek god Zeus in Disney +’s upcoming adaptation of  Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

Reddick is survived by his wife Stephanie Day Reddick, who he wed in 2011.

TOPICS:  celebrity deaths in memoriam Lance Reddick