While best known for his roles in The Wire and the John Wick franchises, Lance Reddick's acting catalog is far wider than this. The actor's filmography includes a wide array of different genre movies and TV shows. In the wake of Reddick's tragic death, the time is right to explore many of his best projects, including the biting comedy series Corporate.
Lance Reddick's casting in Corporate shows how much of a diverse actor he was, and it stands among one of his best roles ever played. Let's look back at the late Lance Reddick's role in Corporate and in other TV shows, Movies and even video games.
What Is Corporate About?
Initially airing in 2018 and lasting just a mere 3 seasons over the course of 2 years, Corporate is a dark comedy Television series. Corporate does exactly what it's named after, being based around what life is like in a corporation but adding a realistic touch combined with comedy elements. Corporate follows two young junior executives, Jake and Matt, as they follow the absurd environment with unrealistic demands in a multinational company called Hampton DeVille with meaningless meetings and an inhumane environment for the workers. Jake maintains a more cynical and nihilistic outlook of his job, while Matt rides the line between being a go-getter and a sad sack.
Corporate does an excellent job highlighting the real-life struggles of workers at the hands of supervisors and CEOs while imbuing it with a wide array of dark humor and goofy moments. The show struck a chord with viewers who work in corporate environments, as they could easily relate to Jake and Matt. Corporate was canceled at one point before being renewed for season 3, which later marked the end of the series.
What Role Did Lance Reddick Play On Corporate?
For once, Lance Reddick played the role of an antagonist in Corporate. Christian DeVille was the name of the CEO of the Hampton DeVille Corporation. Lance Reddick brought the real-life egoistic maniac and over-the-top behavior of a CEO who loves humiliating his workers into his role on Corporate. As a typical CEO, Christian DeVille only cared about the company's profits and even put it above the welfare of his workers. Lance Reddick did a perfect job and stole every part of the show he was in, maintaining his authority over other workers in the corporation. One of the most memorable scenes in the show occurred when Christian DeVille entered a meeting where a few employees were dressed casually as part of a Casual Friday. Seeing that, Christian DeVille mocked Matt due to his despicable outfit and long toe so relentlessly that it ultimately reduced Matt to tears and lowered his self-esteem. These sequences highlighted Christian DeVille's ability to seize the spotlight, evoking genuine laughter from viewers, all while Lance Reddick masterfully maintained his character's composed and severe demeanor.
Building upon his previous role as a manager with the same traits in Toys R Me, Lance Reddick perfected his role in Corporate. To ensure almost perfect acting, Lance Reddick even went to study the psychological behavior of real-world CEOs, including Reginald Johnson, a black billionaire in the 1970s and 1980s.
What Are Lance Reddick's Other Roles?
While Lance Reddick's role in Corporate is among his best, it isn't among his most known. Lance Reddick's acting career took off in the early 2000s when he played Cedric Daniels, a Deputy Police Commissioner in The Wire. The Wire was known for its authentic portrayal of law enforcement and crime in Baltimore. Lance Reddick has also been in other TV shows such as Fringe, Lost, and Bosch. However, in his role in American Horror Story, Lance Reddick demonstrated his remarkable adaptability as an actor by portraying a somewhat eerie and enigmatic character.
Aside from TV Shows, Lance Reddick's most famous roles are in Angel Has Fallenand in the John Wick franchise as Charon. By the time John Wick 4 came out, Lance Reddick had unfortunately passed away, and the film even included a sequence paying a lovely tribute to the late actor.
However, Lance Reddick's career isn't just limited to Movies and TV Shows, as the actor has also voiced different characters in video games. Lance Reddick was also an avid video game enjoyer and has appeared in games like Destiny, Horizon Zero Dawn, Quantum Break, and more.
Some may not even know, but Lance Reddick was a talented musician who could even play a Violin, compose music, and even worked on some soundtracks for a few Video Game. While his music career may not be as widely known as his acting career, Lance Reddick was a man of many talents.