James Ransone, known for his role as Ziggy Sobotka in the second season of the hit series The Wire, has died at 46, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. Ransone’s death was reported as a suicide, and records show he died on Friday. The Daily Beast has reached out to the LA Medical Examiner for comment. The Baltimore-born actor also starred in the miniseries Generation Kill and the horror film It Chapter Two. In 2021, Ransone decided to speak publicly about sexual abuse he experienced from his math tutor when he was a teenager. “This isn’t really about me as a victim anymore,” he said in an interview with The Baltimore Sun, stating that he came forward to ensure other children would not be around the alleged abuser. Ransone also opened up about his five-year addiction to heroin, from which he became sober at the age of 27. “It was like I sobered up and I realized, ‘My job is being an actor. This is crazy!’” the actor told Interview Magazine in 2016. According to the New York Post, he is survived by his wife, Jamie McPhee, and their two children.
If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing or texting 988.
