Lance Reddick was a widely celebrated character actor who, with every role he inhabited, further established his flexibility and mastery of his craft.
Across all mediums, including film, television, and video games, Lance Reddick had a storied career that brought him incredible acclaim.
More than anything else, as any of his co-stars or colleagues will attest, Lance was a wonderful and kindhearted man that always stayed humble in success.
Lance Reddick was an American actor and musician who passed away at the age of 60 (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)
Today, we’ll be fondly looking back on the life and career of Lance Reddick, one of our favorite actors of the generation. Although we are sad to see this legendary performer go, it’s only fair we pay tribute to his memory by highlighting the roles that will forever cement his legacy.
In memory of this great man and fantastic actor, these are Lance Reddick’s most memorable (listed in no particular order) and final roles.
Lance Reddick’s Life and Legacy
Lance Reddick was born on June 7, 1962, in Baltimore, Maryland, and quickly became enamored in the world of performing arts at a young age.
In his high school years, Lance took an immediate interest in music, furthering his education in music composition classes during summer break.
When it was time to go to college, Lance decided to study classical music at the University of Rochester before attending the Yale School of Drama to finish his education.
Lance Reddick at the Los Angeles premiere of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum in 2019 (Credit: Sara De Boer / startraksphoto)
In the late 1990s, Lance found a bit of success with one-off television roles and even a few small parts in indie films. However, by 2001, he already found himself receiving plenty of work thanks to his versatility within roles.
Over the years, Lance went from a relatively no-named performer to a character actor that popped up everywhere, constantly gracing the screen with poise and power.
Lance Reddick leaves behind his wife, Stephanie, and their two children, Yvonne Nicole and Christopher (Credit: Sara De Boer / startraksphoto)
After decades of dedication to his career and family, Lance Reddick peacefully passed away at 60 years old. He leaves behind his wife, Stephanie, and their two children, Yvonne Nicole Reddick and Christopher Reddick.
This loving father and tremendous star will always remain in our memories as an incredibly classy actor and a great role model for everyone who followed his career.
Lance Reddick’s Most Memorable Roles
Oz (1997) – Detective Johnny Basil/Desmond Mobay
Long before Game of Thrones and The Last of Us, HBO had an enormously controversial drama called Oz.
This often-violent drama follows the daily lives of inmates at the fictional Oswald State Correctional Facility, where things rarely go smoothly.
Lance Reddick joined the cast of the prison drama, Oz, at the beginning of its fourth season in 2000 as undercover cop Johnny Basil (Credit: HBO / Viacom Productions)
Lance Reddick appeared on Oz at 38 years old, entering the series at the beginning of its fourth season. In the show, Lance plays Johnny Basil, a detective who goes undercover at the prison.
Under the alias “Desmond Mobay,” Lance buddies up with some of the most dangerous men behind bars, which doesn’t work out so well for him in the end.
While Lance Reddick earned several smaller parts before this, Oz was the first recurring and supporting television role of his career.
Fringe (2008) – Phillip Broyles
Fringe was a sci-fi thriller that was way ahead of its time, juggling topics of wild “fringe” science and introducing things like the multiverse long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe was going strong.
In Fringe, Lance Reddick appears as Phillip Broyles, the leader of the eponymous “Fringe” division of the FBI.
Lance Reddick portrayed Phillip Broyles, a Homeland Security agent and Senior-Agent-in-Charge (SAC) who runs Fringe Division, in the sci-fi series Fringe (Credit: Fox Broadcasting Company / Warner Bros. Television / Bad Robot Productions)
Portraying a leader who was strict yet fair, Lance Reddick further refined his craft, delivering one of the very best performances of his entire career. He first joined the show at 46 years old during its debut season and stuck with the series until its fifth and final season in 2013.
It’s a shame that Fringe doesn’t get as much love as it deserves, as Lance Reddick absolutely nailed his line delivery and perfectly mixed stoicism with empathy.
The Wire (2002) – Cedric Daniels
When it comes to crime dramas, there are few as revered as The Wire. This intense series details the growing crime and corruption in the rough streets of Baltimore, Maryland.
In the show, Lance Reddick plays Cedric Daniels, a by-the-books man of authority. Although he deals with corruption every day on the job, Daniels refuses to bend his knee to the criminal element.
Lance Reddick plays Cedric Daniels in the crime-drama TV series The Wire from 2002 to 2008 (Credit: HBO / Blown Deadline Productions)
Lance took on the role of Cedric Daniels at 39 years old and started to gain a lot of attention for his flawless acting and unflinching demeanor.
Anyone who saw Lance Reddick’s career blossom during his time on The Wire knew that he was destined for great things. At the very least, The Wire is where Lance Reddick found his ideal character, one of great resolve and authority.
Destiny 2 (2017) – Commander Zavala
Lance Reddick made a huge splash in Hollywood, but arguably, he’s made an even bigger impact in the world of video games.
As he was no stranger to voice work, Reddick earned a whole slew of new fans when he voiced Commander Zavala, one of the main characters in the video game Destiny 2.
The game was first released in 2017, but even six years later, the game still sees approximately 1 million active players per day.
Seeing as how Commander Zavala is one of the first characters you meet during your Destiny 2 adventure, it’s no surprise that fans clung to this powerful character.
Lance Reddick lent his voice to the video game Destiny 2 as Commander Zavala (Credit: Destiny 2 / YouTube)
Following Lance Reddick’s passing, members of the game community even put on a memorial service to pay their respects. Lance’s wife, Stephanie, commented on the gesture, stating that “Lance loved you as much as he loved the game.”
That seems incredibly true, as Lance Reddick reportedly played Destiny 2 every night possible and even loaded up the game the night before his death.
John Wick Franchise – Charon
The John Wick franchise needs little introduction, as it seems like each new sequel is more successful than the last.
This series also holds one of Lance Reddick’s most memorable roles, that of Charon, the concierge at the Continental Hotel in New York City.
Charon always offers a helpful hand to ensure John Wick’s safety and survival whenever possible.
Lance Reddick plays concierge Charon in the action thriller media franchise John Wick (Credit: Summit Entertainment / Lionsgate)
Charon has popped up in every single John Wick film to date, including the recently released John Wick: Chapter 4. Without fail, the character acts as a constant beacon of kindness, gentlemanly stature, and loyalty.
Based on the immense success of John Wick: Chapter 4, it’s likely that Lance Reddick’s latest outing will be yet another shining gem in his filmography. That said, there are still a few more performances to see, as Lance Reddick’s last movies are yet to come.
Lance Reddick’s Last Movies and Shows
Ballerina (2024)
Speaking of John Wick, Lance Reddick’s time with the franchise will not cease with John Wick: Chapter 4.
There’s a new spin-off film in the works dubbed Ballerina, which will focus on an assassin named Rooney (played by Ana de Armas) as she hunts down the criminals who killed her family.
Lance Reddick will reprise his role as Charon in the John Wick spin-off Ballerina, set to premiere in 2024 (Credit: Rotten Tomatoes Trailers / YouTube)
Lance Reddick will once again appear as Charon, the hotel concierge who also has a habit of laying down the law when needed. With any luck, Charon will play a significant role in the spin-off, as this will be one of Lance Reddick’s final movie roles.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (2024)
Lance Reddick will also be appearing in the upcoming television adaptation of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, a new series based on the young adult novel series by Rick Riordan.
The story follows Percy Jackson, a young teen who discovers he is a demigod and must embark on an adventure through the fantastical world of Greek mythology.
Lance Reddick will portray Zeus, leader of the Olympians, in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians scheduled to premiere in 2024 (Credit: Disney Branded Television / 20th Television / Gotham Group)
In the series, Lance Reddick will play the role of Zeus, the almighty and infallible leader of the Olympians.
Reddick has always exuded a sort of otherworldly mystique, and while we’ve seen that mysterious nature come through in some of his other roles, this should be a perfect chance to see him as a larger-than-life legend.
White Men Can’t Jump
In case it flew under your radar, there’s an upcoming remake of the 1992 sports comedy White Men Can’t Jump.
While the original film was hardly hailed as a cinematic masterpiece, this cult classic has garnered more than enough fans over the past few decades. We’re not sure how this remake will turn out in the long run, but it’s got us excited for one very special reason.
Lance Reddick was set to play Benji Allen, father of Kamal Allen, in one of his final films, which is a remake of the 1992 sports comedy of the same name, White Men Can’t Jump (Credit: Roger Wong / INFevents)
This will be one of Lance Reddick’s final onscreen appearances, playing Benji Allen, the father of Kamal Allen (played by Sinqua Walls).
As a former coach who now suffers from multiple sclerosis, Reddick will undoubtedly tap into his serious side. However, considering this movie is labeled as a comedy, we hope we’ll get to see Lance joking around and smiling.i
After all, Lance Reddick brought a smile to our faces more times than we can count, and for that, we are eternally thankful.