‘The Wire’ Actor James Ransone Gained a Substantial Net Worth From His TV and Film Work

Actor James Ransone became known for his multiple film and TV show roles. Some of them included his breakout role as Chester "Ziggy" Sobotka on The Wire. Sadly, in December 2025, James is being remembered for the life he lived on and off camera, as he passed away on Dec. 19, 2025.

Following the news of James's death, many who were familiar with his work expressed their condolences to his family. Additionally, several fans inquired about the actor's net worth.

Here's a look at James's earnings.

At the time of his death, James was worth $500,000. According to Celebrity Net Worth, much of his net worth came from his acting credits. He found his passion for acting at a young age and attended a magnet school called George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology in his hometown of Towson, Md. The school educates students to specialize in subjects like such as theater, dance, writing, fine arts, and film as well as all the required academic classes.

After he graduated from his magnet school in 1997, he briefly attended the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, studying photography and visual art. James left after one year to pursue acting full-time, relocating to New York and immersing himself in the independent film scene at the start of the 2000s. While in New York, he took on smaller roles in The American Astronaut, Law & Order, The Watch, and Ed. Then, in 2003, The Wire came calling.

Although he only appeared on the show for 12 episodes, his character's arc and James's portrayal of the character has since been widely reassessed as one of the show's most layered and tragic portrayals.

Once his time on The Wire wrapped, his career continued to flourish, as he maintained a prolific film career. He appeared in studio productions such as It: Chapter Two, Inside Man, The Next Three Days, and Broken City while continuing to work extensively in independent cinema. He became a familiar presence in horror and thriller films, including Sinister, Sinister 2, Kristy, Family Blood, and The Black Phone. In October 2025, two months before he died, James reprised his role as Max in The Black Phone 2.

James's untimely death was caused by suicide. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, he hanged himself on Dec. 19.

Two days after his death, the actor's wife, Jamie "Skipper" McPhee, opened up about his death in an Instagram post. In the photo, James is holding his wife's baby bump, and her caption reflected how much he meant to her and their two children, Jack and Violet.

"I told you I have loved you 1000 times before and I know I will love you again. You told me - I need to be more like you and you need to be more like me - and you were so right. Thank you for giving me the greatest gifts - you, Jack and Violet. We are forever."

Jamie also added a link to a GoFundMe page for financial assistance for her and James' children. Her Instagram post also received condolences from actors Joshua Peck, Natasha Lyonne. Natasha and James worked together during his 2025 guest appearance on Poker Face.