Keanu Reeves has paid tribute to his John Wick co-star Lance Reddick, commenting on the late actor’s “remarkable” artistry and crediting Reddick’s commitment to his role of Charon as a main reason why fans gravitated toward the franchise.

“We worked together on four films over 10 years,” Reeves told PEOPLE at the premiere of John Wick: Chapter 4. “He was a remarkable artist and a special person with grace and dignity. I guess what comes to mind right now is the first time that I met him and we worked together on John Wick, he had this idea for the way that he wanted the character to speak.”

Reeves also praised Reddick’s “enthusiasm and passion,” and said they developed a relationship in which they could “speak the unspoken.” The titular star of the series added, “I always thought that the connection between John Wick and Charon was special. I always said to him that people liked John Wick because he liked John Wick.”

In the original John Wick movie, released in 2014, Charon was introduced as the no-nonsense, yet cordial concierge at The Continental in New York City, which serves as a safe haven for assassins. Though the titular hitman and Charon don’t immediately form a close bond on screen, Wick knows exactly who to trust with his new dog in the sequel. And by John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Wick and Charon are fighting alongside each other to protect the hotel.

Reddick died from natural causes at the age of 60 last Friday, March 17th. He was also known for his roles in The Wire, Lost, Fringe, Bosch, and the Destiny video games. John Wick: Chapter 4 hits theaters on March 24th. Read our review and revisit the final trailer.