James Ransone, It Chapter 2 and The Wire Actor, Dies at 46

Actor James Ransone, known for It Chapter 2 and The Wire, has died at age 46. The actor died from suicide on Friday, according to TMZ. Ransone was a frequent collaborator of horror director Scott Derrickson, who put the actor in films like Sinister, The Black Phone, and a segment of VHS 85. Although Derrickson did not return to direct the sequel to Sinister, Ransone reprised his role as “Deputy So-and-So” in Sinister 2. However, the actor’s most notable roles are for It Chapter 2 and The Wire. Ransone began to stand out when he had a 12-episode arc as Ziggy in HBO’s acclaimed crime drama. Ziggy was a troubled criminal who ends up getting in over his head, resulting in his ultimate downfall.

The actor was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, where The Wire takes place. Ransone had noted that his performance as Ziggy reflects some of the difficulties that people face when trying to get by in Baltimore.

James Ransone would go on to play a variety of supporting roles over the years in notable films like Spike Lee’s Inside Man, the remake of Oldboy, and Sean Baker’s Tangerine. The actor had a fairly steady career in these supporting roles, even getting some screentime in TV shows like Law and Order. He eventually joined the main ensemble in It Chapter 2, playing an aged-up version of Eddie Kaspbrak, played by Jack Dylan Grazer in the first film and flashbacks in the sequel.

In the sequel, Eddie Kaspbrak continued to grapple with the fact that he is a hypochondriac, something that Pennywise frequently exploited to torment Eddie. Ransone’s performance was one of the standouts, as Eddie has a significant role in the sequel, particularly in the final set piece, where he overcomes his fears to save his friends. The film went on to gross $473 million, making it James Ransone’s most successful film.

James Ransone also appeared earlier this year in Poker Face, Rian Johnson’s beloved comedy mystery series on Peacock. The actor’s final film was Black Phone 2, where he briefly appeared as Max, his character from the first film. The character was killed off in the original film, but appears via a flashback in the second movie. James Ransone’s IMDb page does not make any reference of any upcoming projects, either in the process of filming or in post-production. Black Phone 2 may be his final performance as a result.