Known to many as the frantic Ziggy Sobotka or the heroic Deputy “So-and-So,” James Ransone was never just one thing. He was a musician, a photographer, a survivor, and a performer who sought truth in every “unlikable” skin he inhabited.
50 James Ransone Facts
- Full Name: He was born James Finley Ransone III.
- Birthplace: Ransone was a proud native of Baltimore, Maryland.
- Birth Date: He was born on June 2, 1979.
- Education: He attended the George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology, a prestigious arts magnet school in Maryland.
- Early Focus: While at Carver, he initially focused on theater before switching his major to fine arts.
- New York Dreams: After high school, he moved to Manhattan to attend the School of Visual Arts (SVA).
- The Dropout: He didn’t finish film school; he failed out after one year because he stopped attending classes.
- Nightlife Photography: In his early 20s, he worked for the famous nightlife photographer Patrick McMullan.
- Music Roots: Before acting took over, he was heavily involved in the New York punk and metal scenes.
- The Bassist: He was once the bass player for the NYC metal band “Early Man.”
Breakout Roles and Early Success
- Film Debut: His first film role was as “Bodysuit” in the 2001 space Western musical The American Astronaut.
- TV Debut: That same year, he appeared in two episodes of Law & Order as different characters.
- Controversial Start: He gained major underground attention for his role as Tate in Larry Clark’s 2002 film Ken Park.
- The Breakout: In 2003, he landed the role of Ziggy Sobotka in Season 2 of HBO’s The Wire.
- The Sobotka Legacy: Ziggy remains one of the most divisive and discussed characters in the history of The Wire.
- Working with Spike Lee: He became a frequent collaborator with Spike Lee, appearing in Inside Man, Red Hook Summer, and the Oldboy remake.
- War Drama: He starred as Cpl. Josh Ray Person in the 2008 HBO miniseries Generation Kill.
- The Real Josh Ray: To prepare for the role, he spent significant time with the actual Marines the series was based on.
- Family History: His father was a Vietnam War veteran and a Green Beret, which made his role in Generation Kill deeply personal.
Horror and Mainstream Fame
- The Deputy: He played the nameless “Deputy So-and-So” in the 2012 horror hit Sinister.
- Leading Horror: He reprised and expanded his role as the lead in Sinister 2 (2015).
- The Losers Club: He played the adult version of Eddie Kaspbrak in the 2019 blockbuster It Chapter Two.
- Physical Resemblance: Fans and critics praised his performance for perfectly matching the mannerisms of Jack Dylan Grazer, who played young Eddie.
- The Black Phone: He played Max in the 2021 horror film The Black Phone, reuniting with director Scott Derrickson.
- Final Roles: His final screen appearances included a role in Black Phone 2 and a guest spot on the series Poker Face.
Personal Struggles and Triumphs
- Substance Abuse: By the age of 27, Ransone struggled with a severe heroin addiction.
- Getting Clean: He became sober in 2006, just months before he began filming Generation Kill.
- Financial Recovery: At the height of his addiction, he was $30,000 in debt before turning his life around.
- The “Sobering” Realization: He famously stated that he only realized acting was his actual career once he got sober.
- Survival: In 2021, he publicly shared that he was a survivor of childhood sexual abuse.
- Advocacy: He used his platform on Instagram to confront his past trauma and name his abuser.
- Nickname: Among close friends, he was often known as “P.J.”
Artistic Philosophy and Views
- The “Character Actor” Label: He described himself as an “under-the-radar character actor” and a “scrappy punk rocker.”
- Views on Acting: Ransone often said he didn’t like “actors” and found more catharsis in painting or taking pictures.
- The Middle Class: He viewed himself as a “middle-class actor,” often commenting on the financial realities of the industry.
- On “The Wire”: He was surprised by the show’s massive cult following, noting it only became a phenomenon after it ended.
- Art Beyond Words: He believed that good art begins where language ends.
- Unlikable Characters: He often chose roles that were difficult or abrasive, believing they taught him things about himself.
- Animal Inspiration: He once joked that he would love to play a dog because animals were a source of constant wonder to him.
- Space and Science: He once expressed that the human species should focus its collective effort on Mars.
Miscellaneous Trivia
- Height: He stood at approximately 5 feet 9 inches.
- Awards: He won a Robert Altman Award at the Independent Spirit Awards in 2013 for the film Starlet.
- Bravery: He once rescued a neighbor from an attacker after hearing her cries for help.
- Collaborations: He worked with indie filmmaker Sean Baker on the acclaimed films Starlet and Tangerine.
- Stage Work: He performed off-Broadway in the play Small Engine Repair.
- The “Baltimore Edge”: He believed people from Baltimore had a specific “weirdness” and “hard edge.”
- Idris Elba: He credited Idris Elba with helping him land one of his first major studio roles.
- Fatherhood: He was a father of two and often wrote about how fatherhood forced him to be more honest with himself.
- Visual Art: In 2020, he had a solo gallery show featuring his paintings and drawings.
- A Tragic End: James Ransone passed away on December 19, 2025, in Los Angeles at the age of 46.
James Ransone’s career was defined by an uncompromising search for authenticity. Whether he was playing a frantic dock worker or a brave deputy, he brought a level of raw humanity that is rare in Hollywood. This list of 50 James Ransone facts only scratches the surface of a man who lived many lives in a short amount of time.