American actor James Ransone, known for his role as Ziggy Sobotka in the series The Wire and for his role in the movie It, died at the age of 46 in the city of Los Angeles, county authorities confirmed. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, the cause of death was suicide by hanging.
Official records indicate that the actor’s body was found in a shed, and that after forensic procedures were completed, his remains were ready to be released to the family. Authorities have not released further details about the circumstances leading up to the death.
A career marked by It and The Wire
James Ransone, the actor best known for roles in ‘It: Chapter Two’ and ‘The Wire,’ has died. He was 46.
He is survived by his wife, Jamie McPhee, and their two children. pic.twitter.com/5jmi8OZHI3– Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) December 21, 2025
James Ransone was married to Jamie McPhee and was the father of two children, according to media outlets such as People en Español.
After learning the news, McPhee shared on social networks a link to raise funds for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), an organization dedicated to the care, education and prevention of mental health disorders in the United States, a gesture that was interpreted as a call to raise awareness of this problem.
James Ransone achieved international recognition in 2003 when he joined the second season of The Wire, an HBO production considered one of the most influential series in television history.
In 12 episodes, he played Ziggy Sobotka, son of port union leader Frank Sobotka, a character played by Chris Bauer.
The Wire aired from 2002 to 2008 and starkly portrayed Baltimore’s urban system, with a cast led by Dominic West, Michael Kenneth Williams, Idris Elba, Lance Reddick and Wendell Pierce.
In addition to this series, Ransone participated in other prestigious television productions such as Generation Kill and Treme, also from HBO, and later was part of the cast of Bosch.
His most recent television work was an appearance on the second season of Poker Face, premiered in June 2025.
Cinema, personal confessions and mental health
In film, his career included such titles as Prom Night (2008), Sinister (2012), Sinister 2 (2015), Tangerine (2015), Mr. Right (2015), It Chapter Two (2019) and The Black Phone (2021).
The Black Phone 2, scheduled for release in 2025, was pending release.
In 2021, James Ransone went public that he was a victim of child sexual abuse, accusing his former guardian, Timothy Rualo, of assaulting him in 1992, when he was 12 years old.
In a letter posted on Instagram, he recounted the lasting impact of that abuse and how it influenced addiction problems, including alcoholism and heroin use.
The actor said he has been sober since 2006.
Although he filed a formal complaint with Baltimore authorities in 2020, the County Attorney’s Office decided not to press charges following the investigation.
For the U.S. Hispanic community, this case underscores the importance of talking openly about mental health and seeking professional support.
Those experiencing a crisis can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in Spanish at 1-888-628-9454 or 1-800-273-8255, a free, confidential service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
