James Ransone, The Wire Actor, Dead at 46

James Ransone, who appeared in the HBO series The Wire before taking on big screen roles in horror projects including The Black Phone and It Chapter Two, has died. He was 46.

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A Hollywood star has gone too soon.

James Ransone, who earned recognition for his performance as Ziggy Sobotka on The Wire, died Dec. 19, according to online records from the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s office viewed by E! News. He was 46.

E! News has reached out to Ransone’s manager for comment but has not heard back.

Following his stint on the HBO series, Ransone scored further TV roles in series like Law and Order, Generation Kill and How to Make It in America. He most recently appeared in an episode of Poker Face earlier this year.

Ransone also found success on the big screen with horror movies including Sinister, The Black Phone and It Chapter Two. But back in 2019, he revealed that he was ready to walk away from his career after becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the entertainment industry.

“I really thought I was going to leave and not do this anymore in 2017, for real,” he told IndieWire at the time. “I was not very happy about certain things that were happening in the business. I was really considering going back to school for theology.”

Ransone explained that he had written “something that was very important to me” which ultimately “didn’t get any traction,” adding, “I just felt a little jaded.”

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But after pushing through his difficult period, Ransone landed the part of Eddie Kaspbrakin in the It sequel alongside James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain and Bill Hader, commenting that being part of the blockbuster franchise offered him a new experience in his professional life.

“I’ve never had a moment like this,” he continued. “It feels like some hand of God, pure luck, lightning in a bottle. I got really lucky to be part of this.”

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

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