James Ransone obit

James Ransone Dies: ‘IT Chapter Two’ & ‘The Wire’ Actor Was 46

 He was not on the list.

James Ransone, the actor known for his roles in IT Chapter Two and The Wire, has died. He was 46.

The Film Independent Spirit Award winner was found dead by hanging on Friday in Los Angeles, having apparently died by suicide, according to the county medical examiner’s report.

His wife Jamie McPhee wrote on Instagram, “I told you I have loved you 1000 times before and I know I will love you again. You told me – I need to be more like you and you need to be more like me – and you were so right. Thank you for giving me the greatest gifts – you, Jack and Violet. We are forever.”

A GoFundMe has been established to support the family.

Born June 2, 1979, in Baltimore, Ransone attended the nearby George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology before studying at Manhattan’s School of Visual Arts. Some of his early roles include films like Larry Clark’s Ken Park (2002), John Waters’ A Dirty Shame (2004) and Spike Lee’s Inside Man (2006).

Ransone was known for his horror roles as the grown Eddie Kaspbrak in IT Chapter Two (2019) and the unnamed deputy in Sinister (2012) and Sinister 2 (2015), most recently reprising his The Black Phone (2021) role as Max in Black Phone 2. His other movie credits include Prom Night (2008), Starlet (2012), Spike Lee’s Red Hook Summer (2012), Sean Baker’s Starlet (2012), Oldboy (2013), Cymbeline (2014), Baker’s Tangerine (2015), Mr. Right (2015), Ti West’s In A Valley of Violence (2016) Gemini (2017) and V/H/S/85 (2023).

On TV, Ransone was known for playing Ziggy Sobotka on Season 2 of HBO’s The Wire, also appeared in episodes of CSI, Law & Order, Burn Notice, Hawaii Five-0, Treme, Bosch and Poker Face.

Having been open about his mental health struggles in the past, Ransone accused a former tutor of sexually assaulting him in 1992, and he overcame a five-year heroin addiction.

Ransone is survived by wife Jamie McPhee and their two children, Jack and Violet.

Actor

Ethan Hawke, Scott Derrickson, and C. Robert Cargill in Black Phone 2 (2025)

Black Phone 2

6.1

Max

2025

 

Natasha Lyonne in Poker Face (2023)

Poker Face

7.8

TV Series

Juice

2025

1 episode

 

V/H/S/85 (2023)

V/H/S/85

5.6

Bobby (segment "Dreamkill")

2023

 

Ethan Hawke in The Black Phone (2021)

The Black Phone

6.9

Max

2021

 

Small Engine Repair (2021)

Small Engine Repair

6.5

PJ

2021

 

SEAL Team (2017)

SEAL Team

7.9

TV Series

Reiss Julian

2020

5 episodes

 

Elizabeth Mitchell, James Ransone, Allie McCulloch, Yetide Badaki, Brandon Larracuente, Oona Laurence, Casey Hartnett, Antino Crowley-Kamenwati, and Giorgia Whigham in What We Found (2020)

What We Found

5.5

Sgt. Steven Mohler

2020

 

50 States of Fright (2020)

50 States of Fright

6.5

TV Series

Sebastian Klepner

2020

2 episodes

 

Bill Skarsgård in It: Chapter Two (2019)

It: Chapter Two

6.5

Eddie Kaspbrak

2019

 

Captive State (2019)

Captive State

6.0

Patrick Ellison

2019

 

Hannah Gross in Deadwax (2018)

Deadwax

6.6

TV Series

Scotty

2018

1 episode

 

The First (2018)

The First

6.6

TV Series

Nick Fletcher

2018

8 episodes

 

Fish in the Sea

Short

Jack

2018

 

Piper Perabo in Tough Love (2018)

Tough Love

4.7

Short

Man

2018

 

Doulo (2018)

Doulo

7.1

Short

Edwin

2018

 

Vinessa Shaw in Family Blood (2018)

Family Blood

4.2

Christopher

2018

 

Emily Mortimer, Finn Wittrock, and Rachel Keller in Write When You Get Work (2018)

Write When You Get Work

5.2

Steven Noble

2018

 

Sharon Stone in Mosaic (2018)

Mosaic

6.4

TV Series

Michael O'Connor

2018

6 episodes

 

Fred Armisen, James Ransone, Maya Rudolph, and Greta Lee in Cabiria, Charity, Chastity (2017)

Cabiria, Charity, Chastity

6.4

Video

Anthony the Strongman

2017

 

Amanda Seyfried and Ed Helms in The Clapper (2017)

The Clapper

5.2

Darth Guy

2017

 

Zoë Kravitz and Lola Kirke in Gemini (2017)

Gemini

5.4

Stan

2017

 

It Happened In L.A. (2017)

It Happened In L.A.

5.5

Heath

2017

 

True Fiction

TV Movie

Tom Wilson

2016

 

Light Up the Night (2016)

Light Up the Night

8.3

Short

Joe

2016

 

Ethan Hawke and John Travolta in In a Valley of Violence (2016)

In a Valley of Violence

6.1

Gilly

2016

 

Titus Welliver in Bosch (2014)

Bosch

8.5

TV Series

Eddie Arceneaux

2016

8 episodes

 

Karen Gillan in Conventional (2015)

Conventional

6.6

Short

Stu Mac 3

2015

 

Fun Size Horror: Volume Two (2015)

Fun Size Horror: Volume Two

4.8

Stu Mac 3 (segment "Conventional")

2015

 

Sam Rockwell and Anna Kendrick in Mr. Right (2015)

Mr. Right

6.3

Von Cartigan

2015

 

Robert Daniel Sloan and Dartanian Sloan in Sinister 2 (2015)

Sinister 2

5.3

Ex-Deputy So & So

2015

 

Bloomin Mud Shuffle (2015)

Bloomin Mud Shuffle

6.0

Lonnie

2015

 

The Timber (2015)

The Timber

4.4

Wyatt

2015

 

Mya Taylor and Kitana Kiki Rodriguez in Tangerine (2015)

Tangerine

7.1

Chester

2015

 

Fruits De Mer (2014)

Fruits De Mer

5.8

Short

George

2014

 

Ethan Hawke, Milla Jovovich, Ed Harris, John Leguizamo, and Dakota Johnson in Cymbeline (2014)

Cymbeline

3.7

Philario

2014

 

Ashley Greene and Haley Bennett in Kristy (2014)

Kristy

5.9

Scott

2014

 

This American Life: One Night Only at BAM

6.8

Video

David

2014

 

James Ransone, David Andalman, Matt Sweeney, Naomi Munro, Drew Innis, Mariko Munro, Emily Sundblad, and Jeff Schroeder in False True Love (2014)

False True Love

Short

2014

 

Electric Slide (2014)

Electric Slide

4.6

Jan Phillips

2014

 

Josh Brolin in Oldboy (2013)

Oldboy

5.8

Dr. Tom Melby

2013

 

The Man Who Came Out Only at Night (2013)

The Man Who Came Out Only at Night

5.9

Short

2013

 

Mark Strong in Low Winter Sun (2013)

Low Winter Sun

7.0

TV Series

Damon Callis

2013

10 episodes

 

Year of the Rat (2013)

Year of the Rat

Short

Guy

2013

 

Dwayne Johnson, Emma Roberts, and Liam Hemsworth in Empire State (2013)

Empire State

5.2

Agent Nugent

2013

 

Russell Crowe and Mark Wahlberg in Broken City (2013)

Broken City

6.1

Todd Lancaster

2013

 

Treme (2010)

Treme

8.3

TV Series

Nick

2011–2012

10 episodes

 

Clare Foley in Sinister (2012)

Sinister

6.8

Deputy

2012

 

Dree Hemingway and Boonee in Starlet (2012)

Starlet

7.0

Mikey

2012

 

Red Hook Summer (2012)

Red Hook Summer

5.3

Kevin

2012

 

Luis Guzmán, Victor Rasuk, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Bryan Greenberg, Lake Bell, and Kid Cudi in How to Make It in America (2010)

How to Make It in America

7.9

TV Series

Tim

2010–2011

7 episodes

 

Scott Caan, Chi McBride, Meaghan Rath, Ian Anthony Dale, Alex O'Loughlin, and Beulah Koale in Hawaii Five-0 (2010)

Hawaii Five-0

7.4

TV Series

Johnny D.Perry Hutchinson

2011

1 episode

 

Al Pacino, Juliette Binoche, Ray Liotta, Katie Holmes, Tracy Morgan, and Channing Tatum in The Son of No One (2011)

The Son of No One

5.1

Officer Thomas Prudenti

2011

 

The Lie (2011)

The Lie

5.1

Weasel

2011

 

Gabrielle Anwar, Bruce Campbell, and Jeffrey Donovan in Burn Notice (2007)

Burn Notice

8.0

TV Series

Dennis Wayne Barfield

2010

1 episode

 

Russell Crowe in The Next Three Days (2010)

The Next Three Days

7.3

Harv

2010

 

The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll (2009)

The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll

5.7

Chip Genson

2009

 

James Ransone and Lee Tergesen in Generation Kill (2008)

Generation Kill

8.4

TV Mini Series

Cpl. Josh Ray Person

2008

7 episodes

 

Prom Night (2008)

Prom Night

4.0

Detective Nash

2008

 

Skeet Ulrich in Jericho (2006)

Jericho

7.9

TV Series

Daryl

2007

1 episode

 

Law & Order (1990)

Law & Order

7.8

TV Series

Michael WaylandMark Dale

2001–2006

2 episodes

 

Gretchen Mol, Justin Kirk, and Elizabeth Reaser in Puccini for Beginners (2006)

Puccini for Beginners

6.0

Lone Guy at Bistro (as PJ Ransome)

2006

 

Tom Cavanagh in Love Monkey (2006)

Love Monkey

7.8

TV Series

Glenn

2006

1 episode

 

Directions

8.4

Video

(segment "What Sarah Said")

2006

 

Jodie Foster, Denzel Washington, and Clive Owen in Inside Man (2006)

Inside Man

7.6

Steve-O

2006

 

Granted! (2005)

Granted!

Short

Larry

2005

 

Marg Helgenberger, George Eads, and William Petersen in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000)

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

7.7

TV Series

Zack Capola

2005

1 episode

 

Jorge Garcia and Nathan Stevens in The Good Humor Man (2005)

The Good Humor Man

5.8

Junebug

2005

 

Malachance (2004)

Malachance

7.1

Mika

2004

 

Downtown: A Street Tale (2004)

Downtown: A Street Tale

4.9

Billy

2004

 

Chris Isaak, Tracey Ullman, Selma Blair, Johnny Knoxville, and Suzanne Shepherd in A Dirty Shame (2004)

A Dirty Shame

5.1

Dingy Dave

2004

 

Fan Mail

Short

Ricky

2003

 

The Wire (2002)

The Wire

9.3

TV Series

Chester 'Ziggy' Sobotka

2003

12 episodes

 

Emmy Rossum and James Badge Dale in Nola (2003)

Nola

5.5

Neo-Gothboy

2003

 

Ken Park (2002)

Ken Park

5.8

Tate

2002

 

Michael Beach, Eddie Cibrian, Kim Raver, Jason Wiles, Coby Bell, Amy Carlson, Molly Price, Anthony Ruivivar, and Skipp Sudduth in Third Watch (1999)

Third Watch

8.0

TV Series

Frankie

2002

2 episodes

 

Tom Cavanagh in Ed (2000)

Ed

7.7

TV Series

Gary Morton

2002

1 episode

 

The American Astronaut (2001)

The American Astronaut

6.9

Bodysuit

2001

 

Soundtrack

The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll (2009)

The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll

5.7

performer: "I Want Candy"

2009

 

Thanks

Brooklynn Prince in The Florida Project (2017)

The Florida Project

7.6

special thanks

2017

 

Terri (2011)

Terri

6.5

the filmmakers wish to thank

2011

 

All the Dirt on 'A Dirty Shame' (2005)

All the Dirt on 'A Dirty Shame'

6.9

Video

thank you

2005

 

Self

Conan O'Brien in Conan (2010)

Conan

8.2

TV Series

Self - Guest

2019

1 episode

 

Shannon Coffey in Camp Confessions (2018)

Camp Confessions

6.7

TV Series

Self - Guest

2018

1 episode

 

Let's Go, DFW! (2015)

Let's Go, DFW!

TV Series

Self - Guest

2015

1 episode

 

Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Wahlberg, and Kylie Erica Mar in Made in Hollywood (2005)

Made in Hollywood

4.7

TV Series

Self

2015

1 episode

 

Variety Studio (2010)

Variety Studio

7.0

TV Series

Self - Guest

2015

1 episode

 

Stay Away

Short

Self

2014

 

The 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards (2013)

The 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards

6.4

TV Special

Self - Winner

2013

 

Freakonomics (2010)

Freakonomics

6.3

Self

2010

 

Making 'Generation Kill' (2008)

Making 'Generation Kill'

7.9

TV Movie

Self

2008

 

All the Dirt on 'A Dirty Shame' (2005)

All the Dirt on 'A Dirty Shame'

6.9

Video

Self

2005

 

Archive Footage

FRO Thizzle Reviews (2022)

FRO Thizzle Reviews

7.5

TV Series

Self (archive footage)

2022

2 episodes