James Ransone, Known For His Role In The Wire, Dies At 46

Actor James Ransone, best known for his roles in HBO’s The Wire and It: Chapter Two, died at the age of 46. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, he passed away on Friday, December 19.

His death was ruled a suicide. The medical examiner listed James’ cause of death as “hanging” at a shed. As per official records, his body has been released.

The Los Angeles Police Department has also reported no foul play, according to a report by TMZ. He is survived by his wife, Jamie McPhee, and their two children.

Who Was James Ransone?

Born in Baltimore in 1979, James Ransone attended the Carver Centre for Arts and Technology in Towson, Maryland, from 1993 to 1997. He began his career in acting in the early 2000s. He garnered attention with his supporting role in the 2002 teen drama Ken Park. A year later, he was roped in for The Wire. This role defined his career.

James rose to fame for his portrayal of Chester “Ziggy” Sobotka in Season 2 of the crime drama. He appeared in 12 episodes, playing a troubled dock worker whose impulsive behaviour and growing frustration led to a tragic downfall. The HBO drama, which aired between 2002 and 2008, featured Dominic West, Michael Kenneth Williams, Idris Elba, Wood Harris, Lance Reddick, Wendell Pierce, and others.

After The Wire, James reunited with HBO in the 2008 miniseries, Generation Kill, starring alongside Alexander Skarsgard. In the show, he played the real-life Marine Corporal Josh Ray Person in all seven episodes. Besides these shows, James is also recognised for his role in It: Chapter Two, where he portrayed the adult version of Eddie Kaspbrak, a member of the Losers’ Club.

His other notable works include Black Phone 2, V/H/S/85, Small Engine Repair, What We Found, Seal Team, 50 States of Fright, and The First. His final on-screen appearance came earlier this year in the second season of Poker Face.

When James Ransone Spoke About Sexual Abuse

In 2021, James publicly revealed that he was a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. He had accused his former tutor, Timothy Rualo, of sexually abusing him repeatedly in 1992 at his family’s home in Phoenix, Maryland. Through an Instagram post, he had opened up about the alleged abuse and shared how it led him to alcoholism and heroin use. He got sober in 2006 and reported the allegations to Baltimore County police in March 2020, but prosecutors ultimately declined to pursue charges.