Grim, and bearing it

Lance Reddick doesn’t get to smile a lot on the job.

As federal agent Phillip Broyles in Fox’s hit drama “Fringe,� he is icy -- and possibly sinister -- as the head of an interagency team investigating a pattern of bizarre, deadly incidents. Flip the channel and you might also catch the Baltimore-born-and-raised actor in his recurring role as the stern and smartly dressed Matthew Abaddon, whose last name may be a fearful omen for the survivors of the plane crash of ABC’s “Lost.�

And he was rarely happy in his best-known role as the ambitious Lt. Cedric Daniels in HBO’s “The Wire,� where his character was trapped between the political miasma of the Baltimore Police Department and the never-ending wave of drug dealers wreaking havoc in the inner city.

Given his strait-laced gallery of characters, it’s almost surprising to see Reddick flash a real smile away from the cameras. In fact, he’s almost unrecognizable from his on-screen personas, appearing younger, less worldly and a bit self-conscious.

During a recent interview at his manager’s office, he apologized to a photographer who was directing him: “I’m sorry, I’m not terribly visual,� he said quietly. But Reddick’s modesty cannot stop him from acknowledging that he’s on a hot streak. In addition to bouncing between two hot dramas, he’s also doing voice-overs for Cadillac commercials and is planning to revive a music career.

“It’s true; things are pretty good right now,� said Reddick, whose character is a key figure in tonight’s “Lost� episode. “I went from being on one of the most critically acclaimed shows on television to one of the hottest shows on television.�

“Lost� executive producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof said they felt very fortunate to have brought the fearsome-looking actor into the fold of their spooky serialized hit.

“One of the things we really gravitated toward was that Lance is very scary-looking, and he’s a very intensive actor who also has this incredible charisma,� said Lindelof.

Added Cuse: “What he does incredibly well is deliver exposition, and the audience isn’t aware of it. That’s an incredibly rare skill to find in an actor.�

But even with his career flourishing, Reddick remains wary of the fickle nature of the business.

“As I watch the industry and see what it took me to get where I am,� said Reddick, “I am more aware how precarious my position is. There’s no such thing as a holding pattern.�

But Reddick does concede there’s an upside to being in demand and recognized by fans. “Sometimes it’s fun. I do get caught up in it.�

He approaches his work with a dedication honed at Yale University’s drama school: “I’m an artist at heart. I feel that I’m very good at what I do. When I went to drama school, I knew I was at least as talented as other students, but because I was a black man and I wasn’t pretty, I knew I would have to work my butt off to be the best that I would be, and to be noticed.�

After graduation, he enjoyed some success landing guest or recurring roles on “Oz,� “CSI: Miami� and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.� He also appeared in several movies, including “I Dreamed of Africa,� “The Siege� and “Great Expectations,� but it was his searing portrayal as Daniels in “The Wire� that was his breakthrough.

“Nothing will ever top ‘The Wire,’ � he said. “It was historical. It was black cinema.�

He added that playing Daniels was no easy gig.

“He was a real challenge,� he said. “I kept him tight -- he was very self-contained and analytical, but he also had a lot of rage.�

And the role was no less demanding physically. To prepare, Reddick would work out by punching a body bag -- “I wanted to show a guy who looked like he could go off at any moment.�

While critically acclaimed and with a devoted fan base, “The Wire� never managed to draw a large audience.

“I don’t want to be impolitic here, but I felt it could have connected with a wider audience,� said Reddick. “In the industry, there seemed to be this perception that it was a black show. It wasn’t funny or melodramatic. It didn’t fit the mold.�

But the show and his performance attracted attention.

“He’s just a spectacular actor,� said Jeff Pinkner, an executive producer of “Fringe.� “We needed someone in that part who had strength, who looked like they were holding their cards close to the vest. But he also has a deep emotional wellspring. He’s generous.�

Reddick, who calls Los Angeles home but lives for now in New York, where “Fringe� is shot, is eager for more doors to open. He’s in “Tennessee,� an upcoming movie with Mariah Carey. A classically trained musician, he’s also developing a jazz album.

“I really don’t take any of this for granted,� he said. “It makes me evaluate more what’s really important in life, and it makes me work harder. You either get better, or you don’t progress.�

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