Bustle - Rest Easy, Lance Reddick

Lance Reddick first graced my screen early last year, during my first-ever watch of Fringe. The campy sci-fi procedural was an absolute ride and added a sense of structure as I coasted through my funemployment era. I was so enamored with the way he commanded every scene as Agent Phillip Broyles and his parallel universe counterpart, even when I couldn’t stand his characters and their motivations. Once I finished the show, I made a note to look up and queue up everything else he’s been in but as I eased back into being a working girl and eventually landed this role, I put my deep dive on the back burner.

Frankly, it sucks that his passing has been the impetus for my finally circling back. But as I watch longtime fans and those who knew, and loved, and worked with him mourn this loss and celebrate his craft and prolific career, it feels the most accessible. He was central to seemingly all of the biggest TV shows and movies I’ve never seen: John Wick, The Wire, and even Lost. Here, director Chad Stahelski gets into how Reddick helped bring John Wick to life. His belief in the now mega-franchise from jump makes me believe in it too. Rest in peace.

The Snowfall and Swarm star sure looks like Hollywood’s next leading man —

“I think people are just really encouraged by strong Black male leads. And it’s almost a compliment and a rite of passage really to be held to the esteem of some of these characters. ‘Oh, man, you are tall, Black, handsome, and people gravitate to you, you should play James Bond, you should play Black Panther, you should play this, you should play that.’”