Lance Reddick’s legacy will live on. As previously reported by REVOLT, the John Wick: Chapter 4 actor passed away suddenly before the film’s March 24, 2023, release date. His death came as a complete surprise as the 60-year-old was currently on a press run promoting the upcoming project at the time of the heartbreaking news.
An autopsy report listed his cause of death as Ischemic Heart Disease and Atherosclerotic Coronary Artery Disease. He was found in his Studio City, California, home on March 17. Aside from starring in the Keanu Reeves-led action franchise, Reddick was working on several flicks — including the 2023 remake of the 1992 cult-classic motion picture White Men Can’t Jump. The original saw Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson as neighborhood basketball players who formed an unlikely friendship.
The reimagined piece places Reddick as Benji Allen, a legendary basketball coach who dreamed of seeing his son play in the NBA. Sinqua Walls portrays his son, Kamal, a former high school basketball star with a temper that cost him his scholarship. Earlier this week, the film’s director, Charles “Calmatic” Kidd II, spoke with The Los Angeles Times about what it was like working with the late actor. “As [a] director, it was weird because I’m so used to giving actors notes. But for him, I was like, ‘Man, I don’t have any notes. That was damn near perfect,’” he recalled.
Spoiler alert — in an eerie yet unforeseen twist, Reddick’s character Allen succumbs to a battle with multiple sclerosis in the film. Before passing, in a scene that is sure to be emotional, he delivers a compassionate speech to his son from a hospital bed. As the credits roll, “In Memory of Lance Reddick” appears on the screen. White Men Can’t Jump, the remake, also stars “First Class” rapper Jack Harlow and debuts on Hulu today (May 19).