James Ransone, the actor best known for his role as Ziggy Sobotka in HBO’s acclaimed series «The Wire,» has died at the age of 46.
Ransone died by suicide in Los Angeles on Friday. He was a married father of two, and his wife Jamie McPhee shared a fundraiser for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on social media in his memory.
Records list the cause of death as hanging and the location as a shed. The body is ready for release, the LA County Medical Examiner stated. Ransone played the troubled son of Baltimore dock worker Frank Sobotka, appearing in 12 episodes of «The Wire» during its second season in 2003.
He also appeared in HBO’s «Generation Kill,» «Treme» and «Bosch.» His most recent television role was in a June episode of «Poker Face» Season 2.
In film, Ransone starred in «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).
Ransone was part of a critically acclaimed ensemble cast on «The Wire,» which aired from 2002 to 2008 and featured Dominic West, Michael Kenneth Williams, John Doman, Idris Elba, Wood Harris, Lance Reddick, Wendell Pierce, Frankie Faison and Lawrence Gilliard Jr.
