James Ransone, an actor who starred on “The Wire” and “Poker Face” and also appeared in films such as “It: Chapter Two” and “Black Phone,” has died. He was 46.
Ransone was found dead on Friday, Dec. 19, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office. The investigation found the suspected manner of death was suicide; the medical examiner’s case remains open.
TMZ was first to report the news. USA TODAY has reached out to Ransone’s representative and the Los Angeles Police Department for comment.
The Baltimore-born actor appeared in nearly 80 films and TV shows, according to IMDb. He played Chester “Ziggy” Sobotka throughout Season 2 of “The Wire,” which aired in 2003.
He also appeared on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “Law & Order,” “Hawaii Five-0,” HBO’s “Generation Kill” and, more recently, the Paramount+ show “SEAL Team” and Season 2 of “Poker Face.”
His film credits included horror movies “It: Chapter Two,” “Black Phone,” “Black Phone 2” and “Sinister” and its 2015 sequel. In the 2019 “It” sequel – which also starred Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, James McAvoy, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan and Andy Bean – he portrayed the older version of Jack Dylan Grazer’s character Eddie Kaspbrak.
Spike Lee – with whom Ransone collaborated on 2006’s “Inside Man, 2012’s “Red Hook Summer” and 2013’s “Oldboy” – paid tribute to the actor in a Dec. 21 Instagram post.
“Rest In Peace To My Dear Brother, MR. JAMES RANSONE,” Lee captioned a photo of the two men. “We Rocked Together On RED HOOK SUMMER And INSIDE MAN.”
James Ransone previously opened up about 5-year heroin addiction
Speaking on the radio program the “Jim and Sam Show” in 2016 about attacking a man who was sexually assaulting his neighbor in New York City a decade prior, Ransone opened up about being “an ex-heroin addict.”
“[Police] picked him up, I think, a couple hours later, and I had to pick him out of a lineup and then testify against him in court. I don’t know what ended up happening, but that’s the story,” he told the hosts after explaining he’d hit the alleged assailant with a metal pipe. “What is a 115-pound junkie with a pipe actually going to do to you?”
In a 2016 Q&A for Interview magazine, Ransone explained how he’d transitioned from photography to music and initially took acting jobs to “eat and pay my rent.”
“I woke up at 27 after being on heroin for five years. It was like I sobered up and I realized, ‘My job is being an actor. This is crazy!” he told the outlet.
He also admitted that he’d wrestled “with the catharsis of acting,” especially while portraying antagonists on the screen.
“I don’t end up playing a lot of likable characters, so I find myself living in a lot of unlikable skin. As a result of that I don’t always feel good,” he said. “I get a lot more catharsis from taking pictures or painting or making short films. You have some control. I think all art — if it’s good — is a result of really trying to create something that you can’t put into words. Where language ends is where good art begins.”
Ransone is survived by wife Jamie McPhee and their children.
If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call 988 any time day or night, or chat online. Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741.
If you or someone you know needs help battling a substance abuse addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
(This story was updated to include new information.)