Lance Reddick’s Passing is the Death of Black Gravitas in Media
Reddick only chose roles where his Black character’s wisdom was backed up by power.
Lance Reddick, beloved TV and movie star, passed away alone in his apartment on March 17, 2023. He was recently promoting the most recent John Wick movie. TMZ reported he died from heart disease, a reaper that especially targets Black men.
The world mourns his sudden and tragic passing. Celebrities took to Elon Musk’s latest acquisition to unite in mourning. Before the white capitalist finishes burning it to the ground, his coworkers across a wide array of dramatic genres sung praises. Reddick’s resume is extensive. He also acted in genres as diverse as action movies, cop dramas, science fiction, and voice work for animated fare and video games.
His wife, Stephanie Reddick, took to Twitter to thank his costars for their remembrances. She also asked his fans to donate to MOMCares, a doula program that provides “trained advocates caring for moms and saving Black and brown lives.” In a nation with high infant mortality rates for Black children, his family first evokes the power of his ancestorhood to help melaninated newborns come into the world. This lays at his longstanding appeal. His first action of ancestorhood is to reach out to the infants who…
