Goodbye to Lance Reddick, an actor you could always count on

Lance Reddick made it look effortless to carry the entire world’s weight. Reddick, who was found dead in Los Angeles on Friday, was well-known for his portrayal of authority figures. These actors were often cops. Cedric Danions The WirePhillip Broyles FringeIrvin Irving and. Bosch.

A career or life can only be summed up by one type of role. This is true for many artists. Reddick’s resume was an expansive one that spanned all kinds of movies, television procedurals, oddball comedies, animated series of all stripes, and video games. In the breadth of his work, Reddick didn’t just embody authority, but dependability — his assured performances were a strut a writer could rest any kind of scene on, and his generosity allowed his scene partners to shine. Reddick never took up too much space, and you didn’t even notice he was there. It’s an attribute that was made literal in his performance as Charon, the unflappable concierge from the John Wick films that preferred to disarm you with manners but also could work a room with a shotgun if polite finesse couldn’t get the job done.

He was also a good fit for the authoritative roles for which he is well-known. Reddick could be both tough and kind. Because he was able to command a room by knowing how to play the character that had been earned it, Reddick knew exactly what to do. It was hard to imagine what his characters were willing to do to reach their goals, but it wasn’t difficult to see how much they paid. Something. The audience was just as aware as he.

Lance Reddick and other actors are among the most hard-to-appreciate in their lifetime. They rarely take center stage even when they can hold it with magnetic intensity — whether when playing multiple versions of his character on Fringe, or bellowing “I wish I was Levar Burton!” on Eric Andre Show. Reddick wielded that intensity as deftly as a conductor’s baton — going from graceful stoicism in the urban tragedy of The WireChristian DeVille is executive Christian DeVille. Corporation.

Lance Reddick seemed to always know exactly where he needed to be and what he could give. Lance Reddick could be counted on. Reddick made sure that no one had to ever think twice about how important they were.