Lance Reddick, who died on Friday at age 60, had an arresting screen presence, and never simply because he had an inclination to play formidable law enforcement figures.
His commanding bearing and gruff baritone voice imbued his characters with gravitas and authority, but he also looked as if it would enjoy playing against the ultraserious types for which he was known. He specialized in men of mystery, adding ambiguity to his characters’ motives in roles each temporary, like a creepy guest appearance on “Lost,” and more expansive, like his morally gray police chiefs in “The Wire,” “Bosch” and “Resident Evil.”
Listed here are a few of Reddick’s profession highlights and easy methods to watch them.
‘The Wire’
Reddick’s breakthrough role got here in 2002 with the role of Cedric Daniels, who began the critically acclaimed HBO series as a principled but ambitious lieutenant within the narcotics unit of the Baltimore Police Department.
In line with “All of the Pieces Matter: The Inside Story of The Wire,” by Jonathan Abrams, Reddick was almost solid because the addict-turned-informant Bubbles because he resembled the person whom the character was based on — more so than Andre Royo, who ultimately won the part. Reddick had previously played addicts in “The Corner” and “Oz,” and Bubbles might need set him on a completely different typecasting trajectory — away from the law enforcement and authority figure roles he began accumulating.
He worked hard to flesh out Daniels, shadowing a real-life narcotics lieutenant to learn the ropes and using boxing workouts to make Daniels as physically imposing as possible. Reddick’s portrayal evolved over the show’s five seasons, nevertheless it was all the time calm yet intense and utterly distinctive.
‘Fringe’
Most stars of the fascinatingly loopy Fox sci-fi drama “Fringe” played multiple parts in multiple universes, creating several versions of primary and alternate characters. Reddick starred as Special Agent Phillip Broyles in a single universe and Colonel Broyles in the opposite. (Within the third season, the actor had the surreal task of playing Agent Broyles meeting the dead body of Colonel Broyles.)
This was one other five-season run for Reddick, who had appeared in J.J. Abrams’s earlier series, “Lost.” This time, Reddick got to point out off his musical ability (the episode “Brown Betty”), get slightly silly while his character tripped acid (“Lysergic Acid Diethylamide”) and contemplate the meaning of Twizzlers across multiple episodes. And also you thought Reddick was all the time so serious?
‘Corporate’
Reddick spoofed his own stoic severity in several comedic roles — highlights include an inappropriate toy store manager in a Funny or Die sketch; a guest spot in “It’s At all times Sunny in Philadelphia” through which he struggles to manage his temper; and an appearance on Eric André’s Adult Swim talk show that began strange and just got stranger. Andre seemed just as befuddled because the audience when Reddick punched the desk and left, before returning later to dramatically declare that he wished he were LeVar Burton.
These were one-offs, though. To see Reddick really set free, watch him lend his intimidating rep to full effect within the Comedy Central satire “Corporate” as a hilariously psychopathic boss with a spiritually absurd name: Christian DeVille. The character doesn’t imagine God exists, but he sure believes in creating wealth in his name.
‘Bosch’
After doing “The Wire” and “Fringe” back to back, Reddick was hesitant to play one other top cop role. But Irvin Irving within the Amazon crime drama “Bosch” isn’t just one other cop — the Los Angeles chief of police is more of a political animal who loves power games.
Michael Connelly, whose novels are the idea of series, tweeted that Reddick was in a position to deepen a personality who was, by the creator’s own admission, “paper-thin within the books,” making him “Machiavellian, intriguing and even sympathetic.” Irving is continually disgruntled and fuming about Bosch (Titus Welliver), a detective who refuses to play by the principles — the chief’s disdain is obvious in his posture, in his voice, in all the things he does. But because of Reddick, he all the time commands your attention.
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
‘John Wick’
Reddick’s hottest film role got here late in his profession: Charon, the sleek concierge on the Continental Hotel within the “John Wick” movie franchise.
As an worker of a Manhattan establishment that catered to traveling assassins, Charon — named after the ferryman of Hades in Greek mythology — was the soul of discretion. But he was especially sympathetic to the needs of 1 guest specifically: the very dangerous John Wick (Keanu Reeves).
Over the course of the three movies, Charon moves from behind the concierge desk to get in on the motion. (If you happen to need someone to assist load a shotgun, he’s your guy.) The fourth, “John Wick: Chapter 4,” arrives in theaters next week.
