Lance Reddick’s wife Stephanie has broken her silence for the first time since the “unexpected” death of her beloved husband and thanked fans for their “overwhelming support” in a post on Instagram.
Reddick died of “natural causes” on Friday morning at the age of 60, leaving Stephanie heartbroken – after their marriage of more than ten years.
Stephanie posted four photos of the late 60-year-old and expressed her gratitude in the online tribute to her husband, who she said was “taken from us far too soon”.
She wrote: “Lance was taken from us way too soon. Thank you for all of your overwhelming love, support and beautiful stories shared on these platforms over the last day.
Lance Reddick’s wife Stephanie has broken her silence for the first time since the “unexpected” death of her beloved husband and thanked fans for their “overwhelming support” in a post on Instagram
Stephanie posted four photos of the late 60-year-old expressing her gratitude in the online tribute to her husband, who she said was “taken from us far too soon”.
“I see your messages and I can’t express how grateful I am to have you. And thank you to the thousands of Destiny players who played in honor of Lance. Lance loved you as much as he loved the game.’
Reddick, a character actor specializing in intense, icy, and potentially sinister authority figures in television and film, including The Wire, Fringe, and the John Wick franchise, has died at the age of 60.
Reddick died “suddenly” on Friday morning, his publicist Mia Hansen said in a statement, attributing his death to natural causes. No further information was given.
He and Stephanie enjoyed a quiet life for nearly 25 years prior to his tragic death.
Their low-key 2011 wedding in Minnesota typified their modest lifestyle, which took place over 12 years after they met while he was acting at a theater where she worked.
Despite starring in numerous blockbusters, most recently John Wick 4, Reddick apparently enjoyed an unpretentious relationship with his spouse.
While his co-stars indulged in lavish ceremonies, Stephanie insisted on just two rules.
“One was that everyone had to have fun,” she said, according to MspMag.
“And the other thing was that Lance couldn’t see my dress before I walked down the aisle. That was it.’
Stephanie, Lance’s second wife, shared two children with the late actor, Yvonne and Christopher.
She’s made several red carpet appearances over the years as her husband starred in hits like “White House Down,” “The Blacklist,” and “Godzilla vs. Kong.”
While spending most of their days in their lavish $2.5 million Los Angeles mansion, the couple decided to tie the knot in Minnesota to pay homage to their roots.
They chose the state of Midwest because that’s where they first met in 1999, when Stephanie was working on the Gurthrie Theater set.
Stephanie’s reserved approach was evident throughout the procession.
Classic role: Reddick played Cedric Daniels on HBO’s hit drama The Wire.
This is the $2.5million home of Wire star Lance Reddick, where the 60-year-old was reportedly found dead on Friday
“I told (the florist) that I don’t care what the flowers are as long as they’re beautiful,” Stephanie said.
“She suggested peonies because they were in season then. I didn’t even know what color the flowers were going to be until the day of the wedding and they turned out just beautiful.”
After insisting Reddick couldn’t see her dress ahead of the big day, his Hollywood fortune was put to one side when she later admitted, “I found it online for $250 including shipping.”
“Lance picked it up at the post office and it was a perfect fit. My favorite moment on the wedding day was when my mom saw me in my dress and started crying.
Lance landed a role in her theater five years after receiving a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Yale School of Drama.
His breakthrough came in 2001 after being cast on The Wire and he appeared in all 60 episodes alongside the likes of Dominic West and Idris Elba.
But during his time as a Hollywood star, Lance managed to keep his family life private.
Tributes have poured out for the actor following the news of his tragic death.
Wendell Pierce, Reddick’s co-star on The Wire, paid tribute on Twitter. “A man of great strength and grace,” he wrote. “As talented a musician as he was an actor. The epitome of class.’
John Wick: Chapter 4 director Chad Stahelski and star Keanu Reeves said they are dedicating the upcoming film to Reddick and are “deeply saddened and heartbroken at the loss.”
Often donned in a suit or crisp uniform throughout his career, Reddick played tall, taciturn, and elegant men of rank.
He was best known for his role as the straight forward Lt. Cedric Daniels on the hit HBO series The Wire, in which his character was torturously caught up in the chaotic politics of the Baltimore Police Department.
The Wire creator David Simon tweeted his praise of Reddick: “Consummate professional, devoted collaborator, kind and gentle man, loyal friend. Could go on, but no, I can’t go on. That sucks. And way, way, way too soon.’
“I am an artist at heart. I feel like I’m very good at what I do. When I went to drama school, I knew I was at least as talented as other students, but because I was a black man and not pretty, I knew I had to work my ass off to be the best I could be might be and be noticed,” Reddick told the Los Angeles Times in 2009.
Reddick uploaded a recording of himself relaxing at home with his three dogs just a day before his death. He and Stephanie enjoyed a private and down-to-earth lifestyle
He captioned the photos, “On and off screen it’s no surprise I love pampering my dogs.”
Reddick has also starred as special agent Phillip Broyles on Fox’s Fringe, the smartly dressed Matthew Abaddon in Lost, and played the multi-talented Continental hotel concierge Charon in Lionsgate’s John Wick films, including the fourth in the series , which will be released later this month.
“The world of Wick would not be what it is without Lance Reddick and the unprecedented depth he brought to Charon’s humanity and unwavering charisma. Lance leaves an indelible legacy and a most impressive body of work, but we will remember him as our lovable, cheerful friend and concierge,” Lionsgate said in a statement.
Reddick was nominated for a 2021 SAG Award as part of the cast for Regina King’s film One Night in Miami. He played recurring roles on “Intelligence” and “American Horror Story” and was on the series “Bosch” for seven years.
His upcoming projects include the 20th Century remake of White Men Can’t Jump and Shirley, Netflix’s biopic about former Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. He was also set to appear in the ‘John Wick’ spinoff ‘Ballerina’ and ‘The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial’.
Born and raised in Baltimore, Reddick was a Yale University drama school graduate who found some success after school, landing guest or recurring roles on CSI: Miami and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He also appeared in several films including I Dreamed of Africa, The Siege and Great Expectations.
It was in the fourth season of “Oz,” where Reddick played a doomed undercover officer who was sent to prison and becomes an addict, that Reddick had a career breakthrough.
“I’ve never been interested in television. I’ve always seen it as a means to an end. Like so many actors, I was only interested in theater and film. But Oz changed television. It was the beginning of HBO’s reign of high-end, offbeat, artistic stuff. Stuff that goes back to the great cinema of the ’60s and ’70s,” he told The Associated Press in 2011.
“When the opportunity came up for ‘Oz’ I jumped. And when I read the pilot for ‘The Wire’, as a guy who never wanted to be on TV, I realized I had to be on this show.”
The couple first met in 1999 at the Gurthrie Theater in Minnesota, where Stephanie was working while Reddick was in a play
Tributes have poured out for the actor following the news of his tragic death
Reddick attended the prestigious Eastman School of Music, where he studied classical composition and played the piano.
His first album, the jazzy Contemplations and Remembrances, was released in 2011.
He had a recurring role as Jeffrey Tetazoo, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, on the CBS series Intelligence. In American Horror Story: Coven, he portrayed Papa Legba, the intermediary between humanity and the spirit world.
His death was first reported by celebrity website TMZ.com.