The entertainment world is mourning the sudden and tragic loss of James Ransone, the versatile character actor who brought an unforgettable intensity to every frame he occupied. Ransone, aged 46, was found dead on Friday, December 19, 2025.
According to official records from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, the cause of death has been ruled a suicide. The news has sparked a massive outpouring of grief from fans and colleagues who recognized him not just as a Wire alum, but as a fearless performer who never shied away from difficult and challenging roles.
A career defined by fearless authenticity
James Ransone’s career was a masterclass in transformative acting. He first seared himself into the public consciousness as Ziggy Sobotka in the second season of HBO’s The Wire. Playing the impulsive, desperate-to-be-seen son of a dockworker, Ransone managed to find the humanity in a character that could have easily been a mere caricature. According to show creator David Simon, who spoke to the Baltimore Banner, Ransone’s passing was “grievous and awful,” noting that the actor was deeply committed not just to his craft, but to the “camaraderie” of the sets he worked on.
“He committed not only to the work but to the camaraderie that turns every good film production into something familial and caring,” Simon expressed. Tributes for the late actor poured in from across the entertainment industry, with filmmakers, co-stars, and fans alike speaking about the depth and vulnerability he brought to his roles.
Leading the tributes was director Spike Lee, who worked with Ransone on Inside Man and Red Hook Summer. He posted a heartfelt message on Instagram, writing: “Rest In Peace To My Dear Brother, MR. JAMES RANSONE. We Rocked Together On RED HOOK SUMMER And INSIDE MAN.” Similarly, his Tangerine co-star Mya Taylor expressed her heartbreak, describing him as a “sweet and funny guy” who helped her deal with fame and could “light up a room with his smile.”
Wendell Pierce, his former The Wire costar, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his grief. “Sorry I couldn’t be there for you, brother. Rest in Peace James Ransone,” he posted.
Beyond Baltimore, Ransone became a staple of high-caliber television and film. He reunited with Simon for the Iraq War miniseries Generation Kill and delivered a pitch-perfect performance as the adult Eddie Kaspbrak in It Chapter Two. In recent years, he remained a force in the horror genre with The Black Phone and its 2025 sequel. His final television appearance was in a second-season episode of the hit series Poker Face, which aired earlier this year.
James Ransone’s battles behind the spotlight
While his professional life was marked by success, Ransone was remarkably transparent about the personal demons he faced. In 2021, he bravely opened up about being a survivor of childhood sexual abuse – detailing how the trauma fueled years of addiction to heroin and alcohol before he achieved sobriety in 2006. He often spoke about how he “wrestled with the catharsis of acting,” admitting that playing troubled characters sometimes left him in a dark mental space.
“…I still wrestle with the catharsis of acting. 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. I get a lot more catharsis from taking pictures or painting or making short films,” the late actor said in an interview with Interview Magazine in 2016.
Only days before his passing, his wife, Jamie McPhee, had reportedly shared a fundraiser for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a move that now reveals that all was not well behind the scenes. Ransone is survived by his wife and two children. His legacy remains that of an actor who gave everything to his roles – leaving behind a body of work that will be studied for its raw, unfiltered honesty for years to come.