The late Lance Reddick turned in an electric performance as Zeus on the season 1 finale of Disney+’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
According to coshowrunners and executive producers Jon Steinberg and Dan Shotz, Reddick filmed his one-episode guest appearance weeks before his March 2023 death. “It was pretty crushing. I really connected with him personally,” Shotz, 47, told Variety in an interview published on Tuesday, January 30. “We continued to talk for — I think it was only four to six weeks after we wrapped [that he died]. We were talking regularly.”
Shotz noted that both he and Steinberg are “super grateful” to have worked with Reddick and seen him portray the most powerful of the Greek gods. “I’ve spoken to his wife, and she’s so happy about this role, and him being a part of this. She reached out directly with a beautiful note about how excited she is to see him in this role,” he said. “So I’m hurting, we’re all hurting. But at the same time, I cannot wait for people to see his performance.”
Steinberg, for his part, called Reddick the “perfect fit in a very hard-to-fit role,” adding, “He went way too soon.”
Percy Jackson season 1 featured Walker Scobell as the titular demigod who sets off on a quest to clear his name after being accused of stealing Zeus’ Master Bolt. He ultimately fulfills his mission — albeit past his summer solstice deadline — in the finale by traveling to Olympus and presenting Zeus with his weapon of choice.
Things get heated when Percy tries to warn Zeus that the Titan Kronos had the bolt stolen in an attempt to return to power and start a war between the gods. Zeus nearly blasts Percy into oblivion before Poseidon (Toby Stephens) steps in, bringing him face-to-face with his son Percy for the first time.
The finale episode honored Reddick with a title card during the credits which read, “In loving memory of Lance Reddick.”
The show, based on author Rick Riordan’s best-selling book series of the same name, has not yet been renewed for a second season. If given the green light, the role of Zeus will likely be recast, but Shotz and Steinberg said they aren’t focused on finding Reddick’s replacement.
“I don’t think anybody’s looking forward to that, to be honest, but we’ll do the best we can to make sure that you feel him in whatever that character is moving forward,” Steinberg told Variety.
Us Weekly confirmed in March 2023 that Reddick died at age 60 amid the John Wick: Chapter 4 press tour. His cause of death was later revealed as Ischemic Heart Disease and Atherosclerotic Coronary Artery Disease.
“Lance was taken from us far too soon,” the actor’s wife, Stephanie Reddick, wrote via her husband’s social media accounts one day after his death. “Thank you all for your overwhelming love, support and beautiful stories shared on these platforms over the last day. I see your messages and can’t begin to express how grateful I am to have them.” (The couple shared kids Yvonne Nicole Reddick and Christopher Reddick.)
Among many celebrities who paid tribute to Reddick were his John Wick costar Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski. “We are deeply saddened and heartbroken at the loss of our beloved friend and colleague Lance Reddick. He was the consummate professional and a joy to work with,” the duo wrote in a joint statement to Variety at the time.
They continued: “Our love and prayers are with his wife, Stephanie, his children, family and friends. We dedicate the film to his loving memory. We will miss him dearly.”
Along with his Percy Jackson appearance, Reddick’s upcoming posthumous roles include projects such as St. Sebastian, Shirley and the John Wick spinoff film Ballerina.
