James Ransone, the actor best known for playing Ziggy Sobotka on HBO’s The Wire, has died aged 46. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed that Ransone died by suicide on Friday in Los Angeles.
According to official records, his cause of death was listed as hanging, with the location recorded as a shed.
His body has since been released.
Ransone is survived by his wife, Jamie McPhee, and their two children. In the days following his death, McPhee shared a fundraiser supporting the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) via her social media.
Shortly before his death, Ransone published a lengthy and deeply personal message on his website titled An Apology, A Reckoning, and Hope.
The post read as a direct address to fans and critics alike, in which the actor expressed regret for past online behavior and reflected on trauma, shame, faith, and his desire to heal.
James Ransone pictured at the 'IT: Chapter Two' premiere in 2019. Credit: Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images.
“I want to apologize,” Ransone wrote, explaining that some of his public comments had been confusing, hurtful, or misinterpreted.
He acknowledged using sarcasm and humor as a defense mechanism, saying they had become survival tools during periods of deep pain.
In the message, Ransone revisited his past trauma, including sexual abuse he had previously spoken about publicly, and described how revisiting those experiences while facing public scrutiny took a heavy emotional toll.
He also wrote about becoming a father and how parenthood forced him to confront unresolved shame and fear.
Ransone admitted that his pain sometimes turned into paranoia and anger, leading him to say things he later regretted.
He described being deeply affected by cruel messages he received online, saying that comments wishing harm on his family “broke something” in him.
Still, he made it clear that he was not seeking sympathy, but accountability.
“I’m sorry,” he wrote. “Not just for being misunderstood, but for being careless.”
The post ended on a note of faith and hope, referencing redemption, grace, and his belief that healing, while imperfect and slow, was still possible.
He asked readers for prayers and expressed a desire to live with greater humility and compassion.
Credit: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images.
Ransone rose to prominence in 2003 during the second season of The Wire, appearing in 12 episodes as the troubled dock worker Ziggy Sobotka.
The critically acclaimed series ran from 2002 to 2008 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest television dramas of all time.
Beyond The Wire, Ransone built a wide-ranging career across television and film, with roles in Generation Kill, Treme, Bosch, and Poker Face, as well as films including Sinister, Tangerine, It Chapter Two, and The Black Phone. His final film appearance is set to be released in Black Phone 2 in 2025.
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