James Ransone
James Ransone's life reads like a more adult Lifetime movie-of-the-week, or a slightly older version of Jim Carroll's "The Basketball Diaries." A sensitive, creative kid from Baltimore, Ransone (who goes by the nickname PJ) played in several Fugazi-inspired punk bands and started acting with early roles in indie films such as the sci-fi musical "The American Astronaut" (2001) and Harmony Korine's controversial "Ken Park" (2002). Ransone's intense demeanor, wiry energy and native Bawl'more accent led to his casting as the hot-headed Ziggy Sobotka in the second season of "The Wire" (HBO, 2002-08). After leaving the critically-acclaimed but low-rated series, he landed supporting roles as a dirt-obsessed sex addict in John Waters' "A Dirty Shame" (2004) and a desperate criminal in Spike Lee's "Inside Man" (2006). Although Ransone's professional career was on an upward trajectory, personally his life was going down the drain; he developed a sizable heroin addiction after moving to New York City, and eventually realized the only way to quit would be to do something even crazier. So he teamed up with David Simon and Ed Burns, creator and head writer of "The Wire," respectively, and moved to Namibia for eight months to make "Generation Kill" (HBO, 2008), a mini-series based on a Rolling Stone reporter's firsthand account of the 2003 American invasion of Iraq. His next few roles were considerably less dangerous, but no less compelling; among them were a tattooed farmer/fashion designer in HBO's "How To Make It in America" (2010-2011), and a stoner NYC transplant in Simon's "Treme" (HBO, 2010-13). With back-to-back roles in the semi-autobiographical "Red Hook Summer" (2012) and "Oldboy" (2013), the no-B.S. actor officially became a member of the Spike Lee Players. Ransone is all cleaned up, dressed up, and ready to go.
Photos
James Ransone
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
73% |
|
V/H/S/85 | Bobby (Character) | - | 2023 |
81% |
|
The Black Phone | Max (Character) | $89.9M | 2021 |
63% |
|
What We Found | Steven (Character) | $6.8K | 2020 |
62% |
|
It: Chapter Two | Eddie Kaspbrak (Character) | $211.6M | 2019 |
42% |
|
Captive State | Patrick Ellison (Character) | $5.9M | 2019 |
35% | No Score Yet | Write When You Get Work | Steven Noble (Character) | - | 2018 |
No Score Yet |
|
Family Blood | Christopher (Character) | - | 2018 |
70% |
|
Gemini | Stan (Character) | $123.5K | 2017 |
65% |
|
It Happened in L.A. | Heath (Character) | - | 2017 |
78% |
|
In a Valley of Violence | Gilly (Character) | $50.4K | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bloomin Mud Shuffle | Lonnie (Character) | - | 2015 |
45% |
|
Mr. Right | Von Cartigan (Character) | - | 2015 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Timber | Wyatt (Character) | - | 2015 |
14% |
|
Sinister 2 | Ex-Deputy So & So (Character) | $27.7M | 2015 |
96% |
|
Tangerine | Chester (Character) | $701.8K | 2015 |
No Score Yet |
|
Kristy | Scott (Character) | - | 2014 |
39% |
|
Oldboy | Dr. Tom Melby (Character) | $2.2M | 2013 |
No Score Yet |
|
Empire State | Agent Nugent (Character) | - | 2013 |
26% |
|
Broken City | Todd Lancaster (Character) | $19.7M | 2013 |
87% |
|
Starlet | Mikey (Character) | $86.2K | 2012 |
63% |
|
Sinister | Deputy (Character) | $48.1M | 2012 |
57% |
|
Red Hook Summer | Kevin (Character) | $334.7K | 2012 |
66% |
|
Freakonomics | Unknown (Character) | $100.7K | 2010 |
0% |
|
The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll | Chip Genson (Character) | - | 2009 |
9% |
|
Prom Night | Det. Nash (Character) | $43.8M | 2008 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Good Humor Man | Junebug (Character) | - | 2004 |
46% |
|
Ken Park | Tate (Character) | - | 2002 |
63% |
|
The American Astronaut | Bodysuit (Character) | $37.5K | 2001 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Tangerine - Independent | Chester (Character) | - |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | 85% | SEAL Team | Reiss Julian (Guest Star) | 2020 |
86% | 57% | 50 States of Fright | Sebastian (Character) | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Conan | Guest | 2019 |
66% | 75% | The First | Nick Fletcher (Character) | 2018 |
79% | 53% | Mosaic | Michael O'Connor (Character) | 2018 |
41% | 62% | Low Winter Sun | Damon Callis (Character) | 2013 |
97% | 87% | Treme | Nick (Guest Star) | 2011-2012 |
No Score Yet | 69% | Hawaii Five-0 | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2011 |
88% | 95% | Burn Notice | Dennis Wayne Barfield (Guest Star) | 2010 |
86% | 93% | Generation Kill | Unknown (Character) | 2008 |
54% | 85% | Jericho | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2007 |
No Score Yet | 83% | Law & Order | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2006 |
85% | No Score Yet | Love Monkey | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2006 |
No Score Yet | 81% | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Zack Capola (Guest Star) | 2005 |
94% | 96% | The Wire | Chester "Ziggy" Sobotka (Character) | 2003 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Ed | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2002 |