By Comfort Asemota
James Ransone, the actor best known for his role as Ziggy Sobotka on HBO’s acclaimed series The Wire, has died at the age of 46.
According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, Ransone died by suicide on Friday, December 19, in Los Angeles. He was a married father of two. His wife, Jamie McPhee, has set up a fundraiser for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in his memory.
Ransone portrayed the troubled Baltimore dock worker Ziggy Sobotka in the second season of The Wire, appearing in 12 episodes in 2003. He also had roles in TV series including Generation Kill, Treme, Bosch, and most recently, Poker Face in 2025.
In film, Ransone starred in titles such as Prom Night (2008), Sinister (2012), Sinister 2 (2015), Tangerine (2015), Mr. Right (2015), It Chapter Two (2019), The Black Phone (2021), and Black Phone 2 (2025).
In 2021, Ransone publicly shared that he had survived sexual abuse as a child. He revealed that a former tutor allegedly abused him in 1992, which he said contributed to struggles with alcoholism and heroin addiction. After achieving sobriety in 2006, Ransone confronted his past and reported the allegations to Baltimore County police in 2020. The investigation did not result in charges.
Ransone’s family and fans have expressed shock and grief over his passing, remembering him for his talent and courage in sharing his personal struggles.
