Chapter Two’ actor James Ransone dies from apparent suicide at 46
Actor James Ransone died Friday of an apparent suicide, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner. He was 46 years old.
The American actor was best known for playing Ziggy Sobotka in the television series “The Wire” and for his role as Eddie Kaspbrak in the horror film “It: Chapter Two”.
He has had roles in shows such as “Generation Kill” and “Bosch,” with his last television appearance in a Season 2 episode of “Poker Face” airing in June, according to TMDB.
Ransone’s other film credits included roles in the “Sinister” horror franchise, “Tangerine,” “Mr. Right” and the “Black Phone” film series.
Ransone opened up about the social challenges he faced growing up during a conversation with Interview Magazine in 2016.
“I didn’t fit in well with all the kids,” he said. “Adolescence was a very difficult time for me, as I think it is for most children.”
Ransone said he struggled with “normal public schools,” so his mother found an art school he could audition for, and he jumped at the chance.
“I think it saved me as a kid,” Ransone said. “Going to art school saved me.”
Ransone later attended film school in New York, but said he failed because he “didn’t show up to class.”
Ransone “worked for a few years” and pursued some small acting opportunities while playing a lot of music, at one point considering a career as a musician.
After a few years, Ransone realized that acting was his calling.
“I woke up at 27 after using heroin for five years,” Ransone said. “It was like I came to my senses and realized, ‘My job is to be an actor. It’s crazy!”
Ransone said he got sober six or seven months before working on “Generation Kill,” a job that ended up being a transformative experience for the actor.
Given that his father was a Vietnam War veteran, Ransone said being surrounded by Marines who had fought in the war as young people allowed him to see a “version of [his] Dad when he was young.”
“A lot of things started to make sense to me in a different way,” Ransone said. “It hasn’t done much for my career, but it has shaped me and shaped the way I think about my life,” he added.
Ransone is survived by his wife, Jamie McPhee, and their two children.
NBC News reached out to Ransone’s representatives but did not immediately receive a response.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 or go to 988lifeline.org to reach the Suicide & Crisis lifeline. You can also call the network, formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.
