Lance Reddick's Final Instagram Post Is Heartbreaking Now
Actor Lance Reddick, famous for playing Cedric Daniels on "The Wire" and Charon in the "John Wick" series, died on March 17 at age 60. TMZ first reported the news that Reddick was found in the morning in his Los Angeles home. While the cause of death has not yet been revealed, the outlet said that Reddick died of natural causes.
Reddick's unexpected passing has prompted several fellow actors to speak on the longevity and power of his career. Ben Stiller jumped on Twitter to say, "Lance Reddick was an beautiful and compelling actor. And a beautiful person. He worked with my mom Anne Meara in her play 'Afterplay,' playing Raziel, the waiter slash angel of death. He was exquisite in that and all he did. Nothing is lost." Actor Wendell Pierce tweeted, "A man of great strength and grace. As talented a musician as he was an actor. The epitome of class. An sudden unexpected sharp painful grief for our artistic family. An unimaginable suffering for his personal family and loved ones."
Reddick is mourned by his wife, Stephanie Reddick, and his two children, Yvonne Nicole Reddick and Christopher Reddick, whom he shared with his first wife, Suzanne Yvonne Louis. Reddick posted something on Instagram only a day before he died, and it's totally heartbreaking in hindsight.
Lance Reddick's final Instagram post is for an animal shelter
The day before he died, Lance Reddick shared a series of photos on Instagram of himself and his dogs lounging on the couch at home. The post was in support of Animal League, the "world's largest no-kill rescue and adoption organization," and was also linked to the upcoming release of Reddick's film "John Wick: Chapter 4," alongside Keanu Reeves.
Reddick captioned the post, "On screen and off, it's no surprise I love spoiling my dogs. [Official Hard Rock] makes it easy with a full line of [John Wick Movie] dog swag available at [Hard Rock Hotels]." The series of photos show Reddick and his pups, who are climbing all over him and licking his face.
Obviously, he was a very beloved dog dad! Reddick posted other dog content over the past week, and TMZ noted that he had missed the "John Wick" premiere in New York City on March 15, and instead, posted a clip of his dogs napping on the couch. Whether he missed the premiere for medical reasons or not is unclear, but what's obvious is how much he loved his pets.
Celebrity and industry tributes flood in
The tragic death of "The Wire" star Lance Reddick resulted in a flood of tributes from costars and industry players. Reddick's "John Wick: Chapter Four" co-star Keanu Reeves led the charge. "We are deeply saddened and heartbroken at the loss of our beloved friend and colleague Lance Reddick. He was the consummate professional and a joy to work with," he said in a joint statement with the movie's director, Chad Stahelski. "Our love and prayers are with his wife, Stephanie, his children, family, and friends. We dedicate the film to his loving memory. We will miss him dearly."
"The Wire" writer and former Baltimore crime reporter David Simon turned to Twitter to share his grief and disbelief at the actor's untimely death. Simon retweeted HBO's eulogy, which noted how missed Reddick's talents will be and how "proud" the network is "to be part of his legacy." In his tweet, Simon called Reddick a "loyal friend." He confessed that his death was "gutting" and that it happened "way, way, way too soon."
Isiah Whitlock Jr, who played Clay Davis, and Wendell Pierce, who played Bunk Moreland in the iconic crime drama, also shared their sadness at losing their friend and coworker. Whitlock Jr. tweeted that he was "saddened" by the news, concluding, "R.I.P. My friend. You will be missed." Meanwhile, Pierce called him "the epitome of class" and lauded Reddick's musical skills. "You made your mark here," he wrote.
Lance Reddick was so much more than an actor
As noted by Wendell Pierce, Lance Reddick was a celebrity with a singing career that most fans never knew about. He released the jazzy "Contemplations and Remembrances" in 2007, writing, composing, performing, and singing on the album. Music had always been Reddick's first love. According to Empire, he attended the prestigious Walden school summer camp as a teen, where he studied music theory and composition. Reddick then earned a Bachelor of Music from the University of Rochester before attending the Yale School of Drama in Boston.
Reddick admitted to the Associated Press that when he was younger, it had never even crossed his mind that he would later become an actor. He admitted his commitments as a husband — Reddick married straight out of school — had forced him to switch from music to acting.
"I grew up studying music. I went to conservatory," he said. "When I grew up, I thought I was going to be a classical composer, and then I left music school because I was in denial because I wanted to be a rock star. I started acting after a few years of struggling." Reddick was nothing like other actors with embarrassing music careers. He had genuine talent and made music for love, not fame. "I was a musician first," he said. "For me, if people like it, they like it. If they don't, they don't."