John Wick 4 director calls Lance Reddick ‘part of the heart of the Wick’

His fans and close friends felt shock at the sudden passing away of Lance Reddick, 60. This was even more shocking for the cast and crew. John Wick Chapter 4., who got the news while still gearing up for the film’s imminent release. Chad Stahelski (who directed Reddick throughout all four John Wick films) spoke to Polygon about the effects of learning the news on a tour to promote the movie.

“We’re all on the red carpet to get in [at the L.A. premiere],” Stahelski said. “You want to high-five everyone, going ‘Thank you so much for giving up a year in your life!” And then we find out that Lance had passed. It just crushes you.”

Stahelski chuckled when asked about a memorable moment from the set that Reddick shared with him. “How do you pick one moment after 10 years with a guy that has his DNA all over the franchise you built from the ground up?” he asked. “He’s part of the heart of the Wick. You walk into that hotel and see Lance at that front desk — what’s more iconic for John Wick?”

Lionsgate Photo

Reddick was a positive presence at the event, Stahelski recalls. John Wick sets. “Lance had this persona that was literally infectious,” he said. “Like, you could hear Lance laugh across a sound stage. Lance was a positive, optimistic guy. I don’t know everything about Lance’s career, but I do know he always had to fight, he always had to really work it from every end to get to where he was. I think that’s most of the John Wick cast — they all come from really humble upbringings of ‘We work for a living.’ And to be so positive about it, and to be so ultimately happy to be doing what you love — that’s Lance in a nutshell. That guy comes on set and he’s here to work, and he’s awesome. He couldn’t be happier. Like, he’s one of the happiest guys, and that’s infectious.”

As Charon, the unbudgeably chill concierge at the assassins’ hotel The Continental in the John Wick movies, Reddick represented the luxury, competence, and coldness of Stahelski’s world. Reddick was an authority role, and he often played the part of powerful characters, such as Cedric Daniels, a principled police lieutenant. The WireIn Commander Zavala Destiny 2 Thordak, the scary dragon in Critical Role’s animated series Legend of Vox Machina. Charon was Charon’s most iconic and prominent role, and Stahelski states that it was an honor to have worked with him in John Wick.

“I wish you could turn the camera around for half the scenes on John Wick and see Lance and Ian McShane talking before the takes,” Stahelski said. “It’s magic. It’s addictive. You can’t help but want to go over there and hang out. It was my first directorship. [on John Wick], no matter how many second units I’d done. It’s a big deal to do your first movie, and you think you know everything. This confidence is a sign of arrogance. But then you realize you don’t know what you’re doing, and you’re like ‘I need a little help.’”

Photo: Rob Latour/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images

Stahelski says part of that help came from Reddick’s confident choices about Charon — Reddick chose the character’s accent, persona, and body language, telling Stahelski he wanted to play him as “very Zen,” with a posture “like the Oscar statue.”

“I was in a unique position where I got to be mentored by the people I was working with,” Stahelski said. “If you can imagine your head going from a scene with Keanu Reeves to going into a scene with Lance Reddick to going into a scene with Ian McShane to going into a scene with Willem Dafoe — I mean, come on. That’s like going to film school as I’m directing, at the same time.”