James Ransone Dead at 46: All the Tributes from IT, Black Phone and Sinister Costars
After The Wire actor James Ransone was found dead, the cast and filmmakers behind IT: Chapter Two, The Black Phone and Sinister are paying tribute to the late actor. Directors Andy Muschietti and Scott Derrickson are among those mourning Ransone’s death on social media.
James Ransone’s costars and collaborators are remembering their special moments.
While Ransone—who was found dead Dec. 19—was recognizable to many as Ziggy Sobotka on David Simon’s HBO series The Wire, he became best-known in recent years as the older version of Eddie Kaspbrak in IT: Chapter Two.
“I’m so lucky to have met you and to be your friend,” the movie’s director Andy Muschietti, who directed both cinematic installments of the Stephen King adaptation, wrote on Instagram. “Will miss you, hermano.”
The loss of an on-screen member of the movie’s “Losers Club” extended to its younger generation.
“I’ll be thinking about you,” Jaeden Martell, who played the teenage version of Bill Denbrough, shared on his Instagram Story.
Ransone had already found himself dipping into the horror genre years before he landed in Derry, Maine.
“An inexpressible loss,” The Black Phone and Sinister director Scott Derrickson wrote on Instagram. “Five films together, and he gave unforgettable performances in all of them. Grateful to have known him. He is already sorely missed.”
One of Ransone’s costars in the adaptation of Joe Hill’s horror tale will always remember the words of wisdom he shared off the set.
“I’m struggling to put into words the profound emptiness I’m feeling since learning of James Ransone’s passing. My heart is absolutely shattered,” Madeleine McGraw shared on her Instagram Story. “At the premiere of the first the Black Phone, James pulled me and my parents aside and spent nearly 45 minutes talking with us. He was so genuinely supportive and he took the time to share heartfelt advice with my parents about how to guide and protect me in this industry.”
“When he returned for his cameo in Black Phone 2, he was just as humble and grateful, lighting up with pure excitement to be on the Black Phone set,” she continued. “We got to catch up, laugh and connect again, and he was exactly the same: that radiant, passionate man overflowing with love for me, for his craft and for his family.”
Ransone is survived by his wife Jamie McPhee and their two children Jack and Violet.
