James Ransone Quick Info | |
---|---|
Height | 5 ft 9 in |
Weight | 73 kg |
Date of Birth | June 2, 1979 |
Zodiac Sign | Gemini |
Eye Color | Dark Brown |
James Ransone is an American actor and musician who is best known for his important portrayal of Ziggy Sobotka in season 2 on The Wire (2003) and as U.S. Marine Corporal Cpl. Josh Ray Person in Generation Kill (2008). Besides that, the incredibly talented actor is also known for starring in more than 2 dozen films including the Inside Man (2006), Prom Night (2008), Sinister (2012), Broken City (2013), Empire State (2013), Sinister (2015), and It Chapter Two (2019). He has also made many appearances in various hit TV shows such as Law & Order (2001), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2005), Hawaii Five-0 (2011), and The First (2018). With time, he has also amassed a huge fan base with more than 150k followers on Instagram.
Born Name
James Finley Ransone III
Nick Name
PJ
Sun Sign
Gemini
Born Place
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Residence
New York City, New York, United States
Nationality
Education
He attended the George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology in Baltimore from 1993 to 1997. Later, he studied for a year at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. However, he did not complete his studies and left after 1 year.
Occupation
Actor, Musician
Family
- Father – James Finley Ransone II (Veteran)
- Mother – Joyce Peterson
- Siblings – Dave Ransone (Brother)
- Others – James Finley Ransone (Paternal Grandfather), John Edward Bromwell Ransone (Paternal Great Grandfather), Mary Latisha Price (Paternal Great Grandmother), Alexander L. Ransone (Paternal Great Great Grandfather), Mary (Paternal Great Great Grandmother), Mary Patricia Daniels (Paternal Grandmother), Edward Patrick Daniels (Paternal Great Grandfather), Lillian Louise Born (Paternal Great Grandmother), Walter Preston Peterson (Maternal Grandfather), Walter Eli Peterson (Maternal Great Grandfather), Estella Kinzer (Maternal Great Grandmother), Doctor Radford Peterson (Maternal Great Great Grandfather), Annie Fisher (Maternal Great Great Grandmother), Jasper N. Kinzer (Maternal Great Great Grandfather), Emma V. Hicks (Maternal Great Great Grandmother), Evelyn Vitocolonna (Maternal Grandmother)
Manager
James Ransone is represented by –
- Underground
- Paradigm Talent Agency
- Management 360
- United Talent Agency
- Alex Kohner (Attorney)
Genre
Heavy Metal, Rock
Instruments
Bass
Labels
Unsigned
Build
Athletic
Height
5 ft 9 in or 175 cm
Weight
73 kg or 161 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
James Ransone has dated –
- Chloë Sevigny (2008) – James and director, actress, and model Chloë Sevigny had a short fling with one another in 2008. They were seen together on more than one occasion including the premiere of Generation Kill, where they walked side by side holding one another’s hand tightly.
Race / Ethnicity
White
He has Italian ancestry on his mother’s side. Other than that, he also has Irish, English, and German ancestry.
Hair Color
Dark Brown
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Has various tattoos on his chest and arms
- Square face shape
- Droopy nose shape
Brand Endorsements
Through his social media, he has either endorsed or promoted various brands such as –
- Harmless Harvest
- Hunk
Best Known For
- Being cast as Ziggy Sobotka in The Wire (2003), Darius Peltz in Inside Man (2006), U.S. Marine Corporal Cpl. Josh Ray Person in Generation Kill (2008), Deputy Gilly Martin in In a Valley of Violence (2016), Deputy So-and-So in the Sinister series, Eddie Kaspbrak in It Chapter Two (2019)
- Starring in various shows including hits like Law & Order (2001, 2006), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2005), Jericho (2008), Hawaii Five-0 (2011), and Low Winter Sun (2013)
- Working alongside various well-known actors such as Sam Rockwell, Denzel Washington, Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy Anna Kendrick, John Travolta, Ethan Hawke, Scott Caan, and Bill Skarsgård
- Receiving the “Independent Spirit Award”
As a Musician
Ransone played for a heavy metal band called Early Man. However, his addiction to heroin did not allow him to continue with his career as the band’s lead bassist.
First Film
James made his debut theatrical film appearance as a bodysuit in The American Astronaut in 2001. He was cast alongside various actors including Cory McAbee, Rocco Sisto, Greg Russell Cook, and Annie Golden.
First TV Show
He made his first TV show appearance as Mark Dale in Law & Order 2001. He worked along with the likes of actor Jerry Orbach, Jesse L. Martin, and Dennis Farina
Personal Trainer
Though not much is known about Ransone’s workout routine, it is safe to say that James does seem to work out as he has a lean physique which can be achieved through regular cardio exercises such as running, skipping, swimming, and various other indoor and outdoor activities.
James Ransone Favorite Things
- TV Show In High School – Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995-1998)
Source – Entertainment Weekly
James Ransone Facts
- He was raised in Baltimore.
- James is close friends with actor and skating legend Jason Dill.
- His last name Ransone is of English origin.
- He and American-Brazilian actress Morena Baccarin were born on the same date.
- In the year 2006, James was offered the opportunity to work with New York police after having stopped an ongoing rape attack on his neighbor. He also beat up the rapist with a metal rod before making the assailant run for his life.
- It was Ransone’s mother who got him into acting school.
- He has attended a theater where he learned the Stanislavski style of acting.
- The reason behind him studying at the School For Visual Arts was because he was failed out as a result of not attending classes.
- He was featured on the back cover of the album Through Being Cool (1999) by the rock band Saves the Day. He is pictured as a party-goer who is passed out on a sofa.
- James had accumulated a debt of $30 000 by the age of 27 as a result of heroin addiction at the age of 27. However, he emerged from it clean after he moved to Namibia in Southern Africa, where he focused on developing into the character of Cpl. Josh Ray Person for the miniseries Generation Kill (2008).
- In 2010, James was one of the people who were interviewed by Freakonomics for their documentary on the segment of names.
- In the past, James played the bass for the New York heavy metal band Early Man. However, his drug addiction turned his career as a musician upside down.
- While studying at the Carver Center for Arts and Technology, he had started off with theatre studies but switched to fine arts before graduating in 1997.
- He has appeared in many hit horror films including Sinister (2012), Sinister 2 (2015), Family Blood (2018), and It Chapter Two (2019).
- His father James Finley Ransone II, fought in the Vietnam war. James once stated in an interview that his father was with the “United States Army Special Forces” and that he had been shot during an encounter with enemy troops. However, he survived the ordeal and returned home.
- He once stated that he was not one of those actors who made a lot of money.
- His inspiration is mostly derived from animals. He also once quoted that he would love to play the character of a dog. He also claims that musician Brian Eno was his influence on his creative thinking, whereas singer, songwriter, musician Iggy Pop was his childhood influence as an exhibitionist.
- James claims to be a hater.
- He once stated that he would never inject himself with dope. Instead, he would either snort it or smoke it. He would always do this as he lived with the idea that only “junkies” would inject themselves and he never considered himself to be one. He would have 10 small bags of heroin.
- His heroin addiction began as a result of him getting hooked on to various painkillers such as Vicodin, oxycodone, Xanax, and benzodiazepines. However, in order to not get arrested just as a few of his friends did, he switched to heroin.
- James stated in an interview that, he had died and then came back to life. He was also arrested more than once. He also considered killing himself but chose to go to rehab first and in 2006 that is what he did and he claims to be clean ever since.
Featured Image By James Ransone / Instagram