Lance Reddick, who died Friday at the age of 60, had a compelling screen presence, and not just because he tended to play impressive law enforcement characters.
His commanding demeanor and gruff baritone voice lent dignity and authority to his characters, but he also seemed to enjoy playing against the tough guys he was known for. Specializing in mysterious men, he brought ambiguity to his characters’ motives in roles ranging from brief, like a chilling cameo on Lost, to more expansive, like his morally gray police chiefs in The Wire, Bosch, and Resident Evil.”
Here are some of Reddick’s career highlights and how to watch them.
According to Jonathan Abrams’ All the Pieces Matter: The Inside Story of The Wire, Reddick was almost cast as whistleblower-turned-addict Bubbles because he resembled the person the character was based on more than Andre Royo. who ultimately won the role. Reddick had previously played addicts on “The Corner” and “Oz,” and Bubbles might have cast him in a whole different way of typing — away from the law enforcement and authority figure roles he amassed.
He worked hard to build Daniels, shadowing a real life drug lieutenant to learn the basics and using boxing workouts to make Daniels as physically imposing as possible. Reddick’s performance evolved over the show’s five seasons, but she was always quiet, yet intense, and utterly distinctive.
Watch on HBO Max
‘edge area’
Most of the stars of the mesmerizingly wacky Fox sci-fi drama Fringe played multiple roles in multiple universes and created multiple versions of main and alternate characters. Reddick starred as Special Agent Phillip Broyles in one universe and as Colonel Broyles in the other. (In season three, the actor was given the surreal assignment of playing Agent Broyles, who meets the body of Colonel Broyles.)
This was another five-year run for Reddick, having appeared on JJ Abrams’ previous series Lost. This time around, Reddick got to show off his musical skills (the episode “Brown Betty”), get pretty goofy while his character tripped over acid (“Lysergic Acid Diethylamide”), and ponder the importance of twizzlers in several episodes. And you thought Reddick was always so serious?
‘Company’
Reddick faked his own stoic austerity in several comedic roles – highlights include an inappropriate toy store manager in a Funny or Die skit; a guest appearance on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, in which he struggles to control his temper; and an appearance on Eric André’s talk show Adult Swim, which started out weird and got weirder. Andre appeared just as confused as the audience as Reddick slammed the podium and left, before later returning to dramatically explain how he wished he was LeVar Burton.
However, these were isolated cases. To see Reddick really let loose, watch as he shows off his intimidating rep to the full in the Comedy Central satire “Corporate,” as a hilarious psychopathic boss with a spiritually absurd name: Christian DeVille. The character does not believe that God exists, but he strongly believes in making money in his name.
Stream on Paramount+
‘Bosch’
After doing back-to-back “The Wire” and “Fringe,” Reddick was reluctant to play another top cop role. But Irvin Irving in the Amazon crime drama Bosch isn’t just any cop – the Los Angeles police chief is more of a political beast who loves power games.
Michael Connelly, whose novels form the basis for series, tweeted that Reddick was able to deepen a character who, by the author’s own admission, was “razor thin in the books”, making him “Machiavellian, intriguing and even sympathetic”. Irving is constantly upset and angry with Bosch (Titus Welliver), a detective who refuses to play by the rules. – the chief’s contempt shows in his demeanor, in his voice, in everything he does. But thanks to Reddick, he always catches your attention.
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
‘John Wick’
Reddick’s most popular film role came late in his career: Charon, the sleek concierge at the Continental Hotel in the first four installments of the John Wick film series.
An employee at a Manhattan facility that cared for traveling assassins, Charon – named after the ferryman of Hades in Greek mythology – was the soul of discretion. But he was particularly sympathetic to the needs of one guest: the very dangerous John Wick (Keanu Reeves).
Throughout the three films, Charon steps out from behind the concierge desk to intervene. (If you need someone to help you load a shotgun, he’s your man.) The fourth, John Wick: Chapter 4, hits theaters next week.
Check it out on Peacock
