The premiere of the movie “John Wick: Chapter 4” (“John Wick 4”) in Los Angeles was an opportunity for Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne to honor Lance Reddick, their co-star who passed away unexpectedly last week.
“We lost our brother, and in a really shocking way. I think we are still in shock. Life is…” a visibly shaken Fishburne said, pausing briefly before continuing, “difficult sometimes”.
Blue ribbons were worn by many who worked on the film to honor Reddick, who was a prolific character actor with notable roles in “The Wire,” “Oz” and the “John Wick” film franchise.
“Just to be in his light and have the opportunity to work with him, I will cherish him for the rest of my life,” Reeves said. “She had such a passion for her job and his craft. He was kind. He had dignity and presence.”
Reddick, 60, died Friday in Los Angeles of natural causes, his publicist Mia Hansen said. No further details were provided.
Many have paid tribute to the actor, whose roles made him a beloved and recognizable star of television and film. He played Charon, the concierge at the Continental Hotel who has a fondness for Wick, an assassin played by Reeves. The latest installment in the saga opens on Friday.
“He is the goodness of this movie. He was like, in a lot of ways, the heart of the movie because his character loved John Wick,” Fishburne said.
“It’s always hard when you lose someone you love very much… but you’re also incredibly grateful for the time you had together. We were lucky to work with Lance from the very beginning of the ‘John Wick’ franchise. It’s been almost 10 years,” said director Chad Stahelski. “I really wish he could be with us tonight, but, you know, life. We are very lucky to have known him. And he is a great man, a great artist, a great human being, a great friend.
Shamier Anderson, who joins the story of “Wick,” recalled how Reddick took the time to give him kind words on set.
“I grew up watching Lance Reddick. It’s a bittersweet moment because he was definitely one of my heroes growing up as an actor, as a black actor,” Anderson said. “And while we didn’t have screen time together in this movie, we did share time off camera and he was a very kind and honest person when he first met me.”
“He told me, ‘Shamier, you’re amazing, I love your work,’ and that kind of melted me.”
