James Ransone’s wife, kids, net worth and career explored after ‘The Wire’ star’s death at 46

The Wire actor James Ransone, best known for playing Ziggy Sobotka on HBO’s The Wire, has died at the age of 46. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner said Ransone’s death was a suicide and no foul play was suspected.

His death has sparked a re-examination of his career, personal life and the hardships he had spoken about openly over the past few years.

James Ransone developed a solid reputation as a character actor, known for playing tormented and complicated characters across screen work.

James Finley Ransone III was born on June 2, 1979, in Baltimore Maryland and raised with a passion for the arts.

James Ransone known for playing adult Eddie in IT Chapter 2, as well roles in Sinister and The Black Phone movies and many more, has sadly passed away at the age of 46 by suicidepic.twitter.com/YFW6FjAydK

— Film Tweets (@FilmUpdates77) December 21, 2025

He went to the George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology in Baltimore, Maryland before spending a brief period at the School of Visual Arts in New York City where he played on their NCAA basketball team, but then transferred to study acting full-time.

Ransone was married to Jamie McPhee with whom he shared two children. In the days leading up to his death, McPhee posted a picture with an attached fundraiser benefiting the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a detail that has caught interest following his passing.

The family has not made a public statement other than to confirm that he is now deceased.

In interviews and on social media, James Ransone had been open about his challenges in his younger days.

He also publicly revealed in 2021 that he was an survivor of childhood sexual abuse, and described how the experience led to years of addiction and emotional turmoil.

He later took the allegations to authorities, but no charges were filed.

A look into James Ransone's raise fame with the role of Ziggy Sobotka

His big break came in 2003 when he was cast as Ziggy Sobotka in the second season of the HBO series The Wire, a role that put him on the map for several major acting opportunities.

Though he was in the show for just one season, Ransone’s acting on "The Wire" is often named by fans and critics as among of the most memorable arcs on the program. It helped cement his stature as a credible presence in serious dramatic series.

After The Wire, Ransone's acting career was steady in both film and television. His credits include HBO's Generation Kill and Treme, as well as more recent roles on Bosch, Low Winter Sun, and Mosaic.

In film, he featured in Sinister, its sequel Sinister 2, Tangerine, Prom Night: Director's Cut (2008), It: Chapter Two and The Black Phone.

His most recent screen work came in the form of both The Black Phone 2 (which hit theaters earlier this year) and a guest role on Poker Face.

As of the time of his passing, Ransone had an estimated net worth of around $1.5 million which he earned through a career in motion picture production, acting and theatre spanning over two decades.

James Ransone’s death has also led to conversations about mental health, addiction and the lasting effects of trauma.