Character actor James Ransone, widely recognized for his memorable performances in HBO's "The Wire," the horror film "Sinister," and "It: Chapter Two," tragically passed away at the age of 46. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner reported that Ransone died by hanging on Friday, indicating suicide as the cause of death. His sudden passing has left a significant void in the acting community, prompting an outpouring of condolences to his family and friends.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, on June 2, 1979, Ransone's early life included attending the Carver Center for Arts and Technology in Towson, Maryland, from 1993 to 1997. He made his initial mark in the film industry with his big-screen debut in Larry Clark's 2002 teen drama "Ken Park," where he portrayed a troubled teenager. This role set the stage for a career defined by complex and often intense character portrayals.

Ransone's breakout role came just a year later when he was cast as Ziggy Sobotka in the second season of David Simon's critically acclaimed Baltimore-set crime series, "The Wire." As the son of respected dockworkers' union leader Frank Sobotka, Ziggy's character initially provided comic relief but quickly descended into tragedy. Easily pushed around by low-level criminals and fellow cargo checkers, Ziggy's story became a heartbreaking journey into self-destruction. After facing one too many indignities, Ziggy snapped, taking out his partner in a fit of rage, leading to a life sentence. His powerful and nuanced performance as Ziggy earned him widespread Hollywood attention and solidified his reputation as a busy character actor.

Following "The Wire," Ransone continued to build an impressive resume across both film and television. He worked with another Baltimore legend, John Waters, in "A Dirty Shame," and had a prominent role in Spike Lee's 2006 heist thriller "Inside Man." Five years later, he starred alongside Alexander Skarsgård in HBO's harrowing Iraq War miniseries "Generation Kill," portraying real-life Marine Cpl. Josh Ray Person across all seven episodes, chronicling a Rolling Stone reporter embedded with the 1st Recon Marines.

Ransone was also a frequent and notable collaborator with horror director Scott Derrickson. He appeared in a supporting role as a sheriff's deputy in Derrickson's 2012 film "Sinister," which Derrickson also co-wrote. He was then promoted to a leading role in the 2015 sequel, "Sinister 2," starring as a private investigator investigating the supernatural events of the first film. Their partnership continued with the 2021 horror hit "The Black Phone," where Ransone played the eccentric brother of the film's villain. Despite his character's fate in the first film, Ransone returned for its sequel, "Black Phone 2," earlier this year. He also took the lead in "Dreamkill," a Derrickson-directed segment of the anthology film "V/H/S/85."

His diverse film credits also include appearances in Paul Haggis' "The Next Three Days," Sean Baker's "Tangerine," Spike Lee's "Oldboy" and "Red Hook Summer," and Ti West's "In a Valley of Violence." In 2019, he made a memorable appearance as the older version of the hapless Losers Club member Eddie Kaspbrak in "It: Chapter Two," a role for which he received significant acclaim. Other recent film appearances included "Small Engine Repair" and "What We Found."

On television, Ransone held major roles in series such as "Treme," "Bosch," "Low Winter Sun," and "Mosaic." More recently, he guest-starred on an episode of Peacock's "Poker Face" earlier this year, and also appeared in "Seal Team," "50 States of Fright," and "The First."

In his personal life, James Ransone had openly struggled with addiction in the past but had successfully overcome it in recent years. He was married and a father to one child. The acting world mourns the loss of a talented and dedicated performer. We extend our deepest condolences to James Ransone's friends and family during this incredibly difficult time. If you or anyone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.