Friends, colleagues and fans are paying tribute to Lance Reddick following today’s news that the actor has died at the age of 60. Reddick was known for his work on hits like John Wick, The Wire, Destiny, and more.
Reddick stars in the John Wick franchise alongside Keanu Reeves, including the upcoming John Wick: Chapter 4. Today, Reeves and franchise director Chad Stahelski shared a statement with Diversity on Redick’s passing.
“We are deeply saddened and heartbroken at the loss of our beloved friend and colleague Lance Reddick,” Reeves and Stahelski wrote. “He was the consummate professional and a pleasure to work with. Our love and prayers are with his wife Stephanie, children, family and friends. We dedicate the film to his tender memory. We will miss him very much.”
Before John Wick, Reddick was best known for his role as Cedric Daniels on The Wire. Today, Reddick’s The Wire co-star Wendell Pierce paid tribute to the late actor, saying: “A man of great strength and grace. As talented a musician as he is an actor. The epitome of class. [A] a sudden unexpected acute painful grief for our artistic family. Unimaginable suffering for his personal family and loved ones. God, my friend. You left your mark here. REST IN PEACE”
A man of great power and grace. As talented a musician as an actor. The epitome of class. A sudden unexpected acute painful grief for our artistic family. Unimaginable suffering for his personal family and loved ones. God, my friend. You left your mark here. REST IN PEACE pic.twitter.com/Xy0pl5c4NR
— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) March 17, 2023
DC James Gunn said: “Lance Reddick was an incredibly kind person and an incredibly talented actor. This is heartbreaking. I love all his family, friends and associates.’
Lance Reddick was an incredibly kind person and an incredibly talented actor. This is heartbreaking. My love goes out to all his family, friends and associates.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) March 17, 2023
Ben Stiller recalls a time when Reddick worked with his mother, saying, “Lance Reddick was a beautiful and fascinating actor. And a handsome man. He worked with my mother Anne Meara in her play Afterplay, playing Raziel, the Angel of the Waiter of Death. He was exquisite in it and in everything he did.”
Lance Reddick was a handsome and fascinating actor. And a handsome man. He worked with my mother Ann Meara in her play Afterplay, playing Raziel, the waiter who cuts the angel of death. He was exquisite in this and in everything he did.
Nothing is lost. 💙
— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) March 17, 2023
Redick’s Fringe co-star Jared Harris called the late actor “gracious, thoughtful and wickedly funny” and shared a story about trying to start an indie project with Redick.
No! I loved working on the Fringe with him. Sweet, thoughtful and wickedly funny. Later we tried to create an indie Othello. Every actor has a graveyard of regrets, populated by projects you can’t let go of. This is 1 of me. He would have been magnificent. Ad Astra my friend. https://t.co/N6qLPpVEtj
— Jared Harris (@JaredHarris) March 17, 2023
The video game industry honors Lance Reddick
Beyond Hollywood, Reddick made his mark in the video game industry with notable roles in Destiny, Horizon, and Quantum Break.
Reddick has been the voice of Destiny’s Commander Zavala since the franchise began in 2014, making him the longest-running role. Commander Zavala was easily one of Destiny’s most recognizable and adored characters, and fittingly, the Guardians honor him today.
On Twitter, Destiny 2 players posted videos and photos of Guardians gathering at The Tower to honor Reddick. Groups of heroes can be found paying their respects by bowing to Reddick’s Commander Zavala.
Destiny players gather at The Tower to honor the tragic death of actor Lance Reddick, who played Commander Zavala in the franchise pic.twitter.com/ocl4Qvse8Q
— Benji-Sales (@BenjiSales) March 17, 2023
The folks working on Bungie’s Destiny also shared their love for Reddick today, with Bungie CEO Pete Parsons taking to Twitter to say, “We just lost a beautiful man.”
We just lost a beautiful man.
— pete parsons (@ppparsons) March 17, 2023
Ashley Burch, who plays Aloy alongside Reddick’s Silence in Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West, said“I am so shocked and heartbroken for Lance. He was such an amazing performer.”
Sean Ashmore stars opposite Reddick in Quantum Break. Ashmore wrote: “Just saw Lance Reddick passed away. I was lucky enough to get to work and know him while I was making a quantum breakthrough. Talented, kind, funny and very cool. Rest in peace”
Oh no! I just saw that Lance Reddick passed away. I was lucky enough to go to work and know him while quantum breaking. Talented, kind, funny and very cool. rest in peace
— Shawn R Ashmore (@ShawnRAshmore) March 17, 2023
Voice actor Nolan North called Reddick “a sweet boy and a talented performer.”
Gutted. Such a sweet person and talented performer. https://t.co/j05VUZiBgJ
— Nolan North (@nolan_north) March 17, 2023
In addition to mourning Reddick’s passing, the internet has been sharing their favorite moments from the actor’s career, including stunning scenes from The Wire, monologues from Fateand the weather Redick scared Eric Andre.
RIP Lance Reddick. One of my favorite actors and the only person to ever scare Eric Andre. He always gave the performance of his life in everything he did, from John Wick to The Wire and Fringe. He will be greatly missed pic.twitter.com/k5bg33zyHT
— Sofia Coppium (@indianloonie) March 17, 2023
Image credit: Rich Polk / Stringer
Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over six years of experience in the gaming industry with names in IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.