Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
James Ransone has tragically died at 46 years old.
Officials in Los Angeles, California, have confirmed that Ransone died by suicide on Friday (December 19). Police were summoned to a residence in the Fairfax district of the city around 2 pm following reports of an unresponsive individual.
The authorities have stated there were no indications of foul play, and the case is now being overseen by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Ransone was born in Maryland and pursued theater studies at the Carver Center for Arts and Technology in Towson before launching his acting career.
He had previously expressed how he felt acting ‘saved’ his life.
“I did not fit in well with all of the kids,” he shared. “Adolescence was a really hard time for me – as I think it is for most kids.”
The actor faced challenges in ‘normal public schools’ and found direction after his mother enrolled him in an arts school.
“I think it saved me as a kid,” Ransone remarked. “Going to arts school saved me.”
He became a recognizable figure on both television and in horror films, notably portraying Ziggy Sobotka in The Wire.
Beyond the HBO series, Ransone acted alongside Ethan Hawke in Sinister and later appeared as Max in The Black Phone – a supernatural thriller based on a story by Joe Hill, the son of Stephen King. He was set to reprise his role in the anticipated sequel, Black Phone II.
Ransone also featured in It: Chapter Two, portraying Eddie Kaspbrak alongside Bill Hader, Jessica Chastain, and Bill Skarsgård.
He often voiced his enthusiasm for horror films, countering claims that the genre wasn’t taken seriously. While promoting It: Chapter Two, he once remarked that critics should ‘tell that to William Friedkin or Stanley Kubrick’.
David Simon, creator of The Wire, paid his respects to Ransone after his passing, calling it ‘grievous and awful’.
Simon stated: “He committed not only to the work but to the camaraderie that turns every good film production into something familial and caring.”
In recent times, Ransone openly discussed his personal life, including his battle with addiction. He previously revealed that he became sober at 27 after years of heroin use. Additionally, he was a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and spoke publicly about his experiences to support others.
Ransone is survived by his wife, Jamie McPhee, and their two children. McPhee has since initiated a fundraiser supporting the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
If you or someone you know needs mental health assistance, contact the National Suicide Prevention Helpline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a confidential crisis hotline available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.