Lance Solomon Reddick, a multi-talented American actor, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to Solomon Reddick and public schoolteacher Dorothy Gee, as the younger of two sons. Initially, he pursued a career in music, attending the Peabody Preparatory Institute and the Walden School before studying classical composition at the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music, where he earned a Bachelor's Degree.
However, a severe back injury suffered while working multiple jobs, including waiting tables and delivering newspapers, forced Reddick to reassess his career plans. He subsequently enrolled at the Yale School of Drama, graduating in 1994 with a Master of Fine Arts Degree. During his time at Yale, he found inspiration in his classmate Paul Giamatti and considered Daniel Day-Lewis his ideal acting role model.
Reddick's distinctive features included his athletic build and deep, resonant voice, which he often used to adopt various accents. He prepared himself for roles by fully immersing himself in his characters, often rehearsing lines in front of a mirror. His television debut was in an episode of New York Undercover in 1994, and he soon became known for playing powerful authority figures, such as police detectives, FBI agents, and senior police officers.
One of his most notable roles was as Mr. Charon, the enigmatic concierge at the Continental Hotel, in the John Wick franchise. He also played Phillip Broyles, a tough but loyal special agent-in-charge, in the science fiction drama series Fringe, and Chief Irving, a morally ambiguous character, in Bosch.
Before his untimely passing in March 2023 at the age of 60, Reddick was in high demand as a voice actor for animations and video games. He also maintained his passion for music, releasing an album of his compositions, "Contemplations & Remembrances," in 2007. In his personal life, Reddick was a devoted husband and father to his three dogs.
