Lance Reddick, of ‘The Wire,’ ‘John Wick,’ Dies in Los Angeles Area at 60

Actor Lance Reddick, best known for his role as a no-nonsense police chief on the acclaimed television series “The Wire” and for the “John Wick” films, died on Friday at age 60.

Reddick died “suddenly” on Friday morning of natural causes, according to a statement issued by his publicist, Mia Hansen.

No other details about the circumstances of his death were disclosed, but the Los Angeles police and fire departments – without identifying Reddick – confirmed that both agencies responded Friday morning to a medical emergency at a home in the 12000 block of Sarah Street in Studio City.

Brian Humphrey of the fire department said one person was pronounced dead at the scene.

Reddick scored his first major screen role as police chief Cedric Daniels on the HBO series “The Wire,” set in his hometown of Baltimore and widely hailed as one of television’s greatest dramas for its gritty portrayal of urban struggle as told from the perspective of police, narcotics dealers and the people caught between them.

A colleague from “The Wire,” actor Wendell Pierce, shared his thoughts on Reddick’s death on Twitter, calling it a “sudden unexpected sharp painful grief for our artistic family.”

Reddick continued to make a name for himself in the ABC series “Lost,” in which he played Matthew Abaddon, an employee of Charles Widmore, and was cast in the popular Fox network show “Fringe,” in which he played the key role of Phillip Broyles, head of an FBI unit investigating the paranormal. He also played a police chief on the Los Angeles-based cop drama “Bosch.”

In the “John Wick” series, he played Charon, John Wick’s ally, who is the concierge at the New York City branch of the Continental Hotel.

A classically trained pianist, Reddick attended the Peabody Preparatory Institute to study music, worked in the Walden School’s summer music theory and composition program, and eventually obtained a bachelor’s degree in classical composition from the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music.

He released a jazz album, “Contemplations and Remembrances” in 2007.

Most recently, Reddick lent his voice to several animated series, including “Paradise PD” and “The Vindicators.”

Reddick is survived by his wife, Stephanie Reddick, and his children Yvonne Nicole and Christopher. Donations in his memory can be made to momcares.org, based in Baltimore, his publicist said.

– Staff and wire reports