Lance Reddick’s best movies and TV shows showcase the incredible career left behind by the late actor. Reddick’s profession on-screen career began in the mid-1990s with television roles on the likes ofNew York Undercoverand small roles in movies likeThe Siege. However, it was his supporting role in HBO’s early and acclaimed seriesOzthat helped to kickstart Reddick’s more substantial work, including some of the greatest television shows of all time and some big movie franchises.
Reddick was known for his commanding presence on screen, communicating so much power with a silent stare. However, he was also good at bringing vulnerability to that persona in some unexpected ways. Sadly, while it seemed like Reddick would still be delivering great performances for years to come, the actor tragically passed away in 2023. However, he is still celebrated for the memorable characters he helped create and the best movies and TV shows from his distinguished career.
One Night in Miami
Cast
One Night in Miami revolves around Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown, who all join one another in Miami to talk about the Civil Rights Movement of the ’60s. The film was an Amazon Original Movie and was nominated for a total of three Oscars at the 2021 Academy Awards.
Lance Reddick had a memorable supporting role in the Oscar-nominatedOne Night in Miami. The movie is set in 1964 following Cassius Clay’s (later known as Muhammad Ali) title bout with Sonny Liston as the boxer meets in a New York City hotel room to celebrate with political figure Malcolm X, football star Jim Brown, and singer Sam Cooke. The four men spend the evening discussing their achievements, struggles, and what role they can play in bettering their community.
Reddick plays Brother Kareem, a member of the Nation of Islam who serves as Malcolm X’s bodyguard. Reddick makes for an imposing and threatening presence in the movie.Oscar-winning actor Regina Kingmakes an impressive directorial debut withOne Night in Miami, which takes the simple and isolated story and speaks on these icons and their lasting impact.
The Domestics
Set in a dystopian America where society has collapsed after a chemical weapons attack, The Domestics follows a couple as they journey through a dangerous landscape divided by deadly factions. As they strive to survive and find safety, they encounter ruthless gangs and face harrowing challenges that test their resilience and bond.
Lance Reddick appeared in some beloved movies and shows in his career, but there are also some lesser-known projects he has been a part of that deserve to be seen. One such movie isThe Domestics, an intense and exciting thriller that takes place in a future in which the majority of civilization has been reshaped into tribes that war with one another. The movie centers on a married couple who sets out into the dangerous landscape with the hopes of reaching a safer destination.
Reddick steals the show as Nathan Wood, a family man who is a brilliant survivalist. He becomes an ally to the inexperienced protagonists, helping them learn the skills they will need to make it out of this world alive. The movie feels a bitlikeThe Purge, but it features exceptional world-building with a society that is exciting and terrifying.
The Guest
The Guest follows a soldier who visits the Peterson family, claiming to be a friend of their deceased son. As the family welcomes him into their home, a series of unexplained deaths and events appear to be linked to his arrival and actions.
Lance Reddick had the ability to bring gravitas to any movie with his memorable presence.The Guestis an intense thriller that serves as one of the firsthorror movies with Maika Monroebefore she became a modern icon of the genre. It centers around a family who have lost their son while he was serving in the army only for one of his colleagues (Dan Stevens) to show up to pay respects. As the family invites this stranger to stay with them, the teenage daughter (Monroe) suspects there might be more to him than meets the eye.
Reddick has a strong supporting role in the movie as Major Carver, a military man who knows Stevens’ David and what he is capable of. From director Adam Wingard,The Guestis a wonderful throwback thriller with some great performances, including Stevens’ intense and chilling role. There are some hard-hitting action sequences as well with Reddick stepping into a heroic role in the third act.
Fringe
This sci-fi procedural follows the FBI’s secretive Fringe Division and its agents Olivia Dunham, Walter Bishop, and Peter Bishop. Together, they investigate cases regarding strange events that threaten society, including cases of parallel universes, human experimentation, and other strange phenomena.
Following his success onLost, JJ Abrams’ next show was not quite as big with mainstream audiences yet still managed to develop a passionate fanbase.Fringewas set up as a police procedural, following the team of FBI agents and a new division within the agency. However, there was a supernatural twist as the “Fringe Division” was a special team assigned to the rise in occult crimes.
Lance Reddick was one of the stars of the series as Phillip Broyles, a Homeland Security agent and the head of the Fringe Division. Reddick fits effortlessly into these types of roles and brings a much-needed grounded feeling to the series with his confident and take-charge role. The series offered a lot of sci-fi fun mixed with some great characters without feeling repetitive ofshows likeThe X-Files.
Oz
Oz was a crime-drama series from HBO created by Tom Fontana. The series focuses on the inmates and officers of the fictional experimental Oswald State Correctional Facility. The prison, prioritizing rehabilitation instead of corrective punishment, navigates the fragile social cliques within its halls, where tensions never relent.
BeforeThe Sopranosrevolutionized television,Ozwas the first-ever HBO show that showed the kind of bold and challenging series that could be told on the network.Ozfeatured an incredible and ever-changing ensemble as it looked at the population of a brutal and dangerous prison with convicts who represented the evil in society as well as those who were truly seeking redemption.
Reddick joined the series in season 4 as Johnny Basil for one of his first major television roles. He excelled with the opportunity, playing an undercover cop infiltrating the prison drug trade only to become addicted himself. The movie is a brutal and dark series but filled with characters the audience was thrilled to explore more. Though it might not get the same attention as other early premium cable shows, it was a boundary-pushing television experience.
Bosch
Bosch is a crime drama series created by Eric Ellis Overmyer that ran for seven seasons on Prime Video between 2014 and 2021. The series centers on Harry Bosch, an LAPD homicide detective that is juggling the case of a 13-year-old murder victim while standing trial after murdering a serial killer. After season 7 Bosch was followed by Bosch: Legacy in 2022.
Lance Reddick excels at authoritative roles andBoschis a perfect example of this. The crime series is based on the character created by author Michael Connelly, Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver), a Los Angeles police detective who is exceptional at his job despite having a problem with authority and a tendency to do things his own way. He uses this controversial approach to take on some of the biggest murder cases in the city.
Reddick was a major part of the series as Irvin Irving, Deputy Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. Irving is often conflicted between hating Bosch’s loose-cannon antics and respecting his ability to get the job done.Boschis an entertaining hard-boiled detective series with some exciting crimes and a solid protagonist. It has become a big enough hit to launch its own television universe.
John Wick
John Wick is a 2014 action thriller featuring Keanu Reeves as a retired hitman. The film follows John Wick as he emerges from retirement to avenge the loss inflicted by a group of gangsters, setting the stage for a relentless pursuit and exploration of a shadowy underworld.
While Lance Reddick is likely best known for his television roles,theJohn Wickmovie franchisegave him a character that has become one of his most beloved.John Wickstars Keanu Reeves as the titular character, a man dealing with the death of his wife when a group of Russian gangsters steal his car and kill his puppy in the process – not knowing he is a legendary assassin of the underworld. Driven by vengeance, John returns to his old ways with no mercy.
Along with the incredible action sequences, theJohn Wickmovies have been so entertaining because of the expansive mythology of this unseen world of assassins.Reddick is an essential figure in this regard as Charon, the concierge at the assassin hotel The Continental. Reddick infuses the role with stoicism and grace, while he also gets to join the action in some of the franchise’s later entries.
John Wick: Chapter 4
Following the events of Chapter 3 - Parabellum, John Wick Chapter 4 will see the titular character battle against some of his most dangerous foes yet. With a bounty on his head that continues to skyrocket, John decides to take the fight to the High Table on a global scale and battles across areas like Osaka and Paris to wipe out some of the strongest players in the underworld.
While a list of Lance Reddick’s best movie roles could easily include all of theJohn Wickfilms, the fourth and possibly final chapter in the action franchise deserves special mention. After being targeted by the High Table at the end of the last movie,John Wick: Chapter 4finds the hitman on the warpath once again while seeking a way to finally free himself from this society of assassins.
The movie doesn’t feature a lot of Charon, but it is a notable appearance from Reddick.The actor sadly passed away just before the premiere of the movie, but by chance,John Wick 4ends up feeling like a touching tribute to the actorwho had been a part of this world from the beginning. Along with that,John Wick 4is also the best of the franchise with its amazing action sequences and surprisingly powerful story.
Lost
Lost is a mystery drama series created for TV that follows a group of survivors of a plane crash and tells its story between the past, present, and future via flashbacks. When Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 crashes and lands on a mysterious island in the pacific ocean, the castaways discover their new temporary home may have a mind of its own, as strange supernatural events keep them locked to the island. From an unknown black smoke creature to dangerous islanders, the passengers must work together to survive the island’s seemingly deadly intentions.
Lance Reddick played one of the most mysterious characters in a series filled with mystery.Lostwas the thrilling series that followed a group of passengers on an airplane that crashed on a deserted island in the middle of the ocean. As the survivors attempt to find rescue and build the means of survival, they gradually discover that this island is not what it seems and there are far more dangers here than they could imagine.
Reddick joined the show in season 4, becoming part ofLost’s flash-forward section of the timeline.He plays Matthew Abaddon, an agent for Charles Widmore.Lostwas another groundbreaking television show, expanding the kind of scale and stories that could be told on the small screen. ThoughLostfaces many criticisms in retrospect, it was a must-watch series that delivered some unforgettable television moments.
The Wire
The Wire, debuting in 2002, is a series that explores the complex world of Baltimore’s narcotics scene, presenting perspectives from both law enforcement and their targets. It delves into how the war on drugs has evolved into a self-perpetuating institution, blurring moral boundaries between right and wrong.
WithThe Wirebeing considered one of thegreatest TV shows of all time, it is not surprising that it also ranks as Lance Reddick’s best project. The series was a profound and riveting look at the war on drugs on the streets of Baltimore and how it affected various corners of the city. However, unlike most crime shows,The Wiresought to show the complexities of this world and its figures with flawed law enforcement officers and nuanced criminals.
Throughout all five seasons of the show,Reddick starred as Cedric Daniels, a truly decent and just police officer. Though he started the show with a career full of potential, Daniels proved that he was more concerned with doing the job well than career advancement.The Wirewas a brilliant deconstruction of the genre and also a gripping crime drama.
