Cat Power Pays Emotional Tribute to James 'PJ' Ransone: "The Young Man Who Taught Me How to Say I Love You"
Ransone, who publicly linked past sexual abuse to addiction struggles, died by hanging at age 46, prompting tributes from colleagues and major studios HBO and Blumhouse.
- On Friday , the Los Angeles Medical Examiner said James 'PJ' Ransone, actor, died by suicide, and police found him at his home.
- Ransone had previously written that he was sexually abused by a former tutor who worked in Maryland public schools and linked it to his addictions, reporting the abuse to Baltimore County police in March 2020 but was told prosecutors showed no interest.
- Colleagues including Spike Lee, Wendell Pierce, and filmmaker Sean Baker paid tribute, while HBO tweeted, and Blumhouse posted condolences on December 21, 2025.
- Ransone's wife, Jamie McPhee, wrote on social media thanking him for their children, Jack and Violet, while a GoFundMe page described him as an extraordinary father and friend.
- Ransone's career spanned TV and film, including his breakout Ziggy Sobotka role on HBO's The Wire , Generation Kill, and horror films Sinister, Sinister 2, and The Black Phone; Black Phone 2 was his final project.
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The sudden death at the age of 46 of James Ransone, who appeared this weekend hanged at his home in Los Angeles, adds to the saddest farewells this year in the world of cinema, and also thickens a list of tragic deaths that have shaken the cast of The Wire since the series became one of the most acclaimed titles of this quarter century.The Wire developed over five seasons between 2002 and 2008; 17 years after its end it is still praised and reco…
The actor ended his life at the age of 46
James Ransone, an American actor best known for his work on 12 episodes of the series The Wire, has committed suicide in Los Angeles, media reports said.
Cat Power pays emotional tribute to James 'PJ' Ransone: "The young man who taught me how to say I love you"
Cat Power has paid tribute to James ‘PJ’ Ransone, who died last week aged 46. Ransone, who starred in The Wire, Generation Kill, and It Chapter Two, died Friday (December 19) by suicide, according to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office. He was found by police at his home. Power took to Instagram yesterday (December 23) to share a tribute to the late actor, known as PJ to friends, referring to him as “The young man who taught me how to say,…
Tributes Pour In For 'The Wire' Star James Ransone After His Death By Suicide At Age 46
Content warning: mental illness, suicideActor James Ransone has passed away at the age of 46. After getting clean from drug abuse in 2006, he continued to struggle with his mental health and history of childhood sexual abuse before taking his own life on December 19.Ransone quickly grew in popularity in Hollywood due to his nuanced role as Ziggy Sobotka in The Wire. He made an impressive break into horror as the beloved Eddie in It: Chapter Two …
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