Last updated on: August 11, 2025
James Ransone (b. June 2, 1979, Baltimore, MD) is an American character actor renowned for his psychologically layered portrayals of volatile outsiders and morally complex figures. A graduate of Baltimore School for the Arts, he first seized critical attention as self-destructive dockworker Ziggy Sobotka in Season 2 of HBO’s The Wire (2003)—a role that established his gift for blending vulnerability with explosive intensity. His career-defining turn as sarcastic Cpl. Josh Ray Person in HBO’s Generation Kill (2008) cemented his status as a scene-stealer, with creator David Simon praising his “uncanny ability to make darkness magnetic.
As of December 2025, James Ransone is 46 years and 6 months old. His estimated net worth is $2 million, and he is 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm or 1.75 m) tall.
Bio/Wiki
Full Name
James Finley Ransone III
Nickname
PJ
Profession
Actor, Musician
Career
Debut
Film – The American Astronaut (2001)
TV Show – Law & Order (2001)
Best Known for
James Ransone is best known for his roles as Ziggy Sobotka in HBO’s The Wire and Cpl. Josh Ray Person in Generation Kill, plus his parts in horror films Sinister and It Chapter Two.
Awards
Personal Profile and Background Details
Date of Birth
June 2, 1979
Age
As of today, James Ransone is 46 years, 6 months, and 3 days old.
Zodiac sign
Gemini
Nationality
American
Birth Place
Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
Residence
New York City, New York, United States of America
School / College / University
George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology
School of Visual Arts
Religion
Christianity
Race / Ethnicity
Irish, English, German, Italian (1/8th), distant Swedish ancestry
Food Habits
Non-vegan
Hobbies
Travelling, Shopping
Physical Attributes and Measurements
Height
- In feet: 5′ 9″
- In Centimeters: 175 cm
- In meters: 1.75 m
Weight
- In kilograms: 73 kg
- In Pounds: 161 lbs
Body Measurements
- Chest Size: 40 inches
- Biceps Size: 15 inches
- Waist Size: 30 inches
Shoe size
10 (US)
Eye color
Dark Brown
Hair color
Dark Brown
Family
Wife
Jamie McPhee
Father
James Finley Ransone II
Mother
Joyce Ransone
Siblings
N/A
Children
1
Relationship & More
Marital Status
Married to Jamie McPhee
Marriage Date
N/A
Affairs or dating history
Chloë Sevigny (2008)
Jamie McPhee
Favorite Things
Favorite TV Show In High School – Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995-1998)
Net worth 2025
$2 million
As of December 2025, it’s estimated that James Ransone has a net worth of about $2 million. Let’s break down his income streams:
1. Acting Fees: The Upfront Paycheck
James Ransone’s foundational earnings come from his acting fees—the daily or weekly rates he’s paid on film and television sets. As a member of SAG-AFTRA (the actors’ union), he’s guaranteed at least the union minimum per the contracts active when a project films.
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Television: For series like The Wire (2002–2008) and Generation Kill (2008), the rates are set under the SAG-AFTRA TV agreement, typically several thousand dollars per week. While we don’t see his exact paycheck, veteran character actors often earn above these minimums—ranging from modestly above scale to significantly more, depending on the role’s prominence.
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Film: Horror features such as Sinister (2012), Sinister 2 (2015), and It Chapter Two (2019) would pay a theatrical rate—again, starting with union scale. Big studio pictures—especially one like It Chapter Two, a major franchise—often pay supporting actors above scale, though the exact figures are private. Lower-budget indie films would lean closer to the minimum, sometimes in the “modified/ultra-low” bracket—still a professional wage, but leaner.
In essence, Ransone’s initial income for each role would be composed of the base rate for that production’s union bracket, with a likely “premium” for higher-profile projects reflecting his growing resume.
2. Residuals: Earning Over Time
Acting doesn’t end when the cameras stop rolling—thanks to residual payments, performers continue to earn from their past work each time it’s reused:
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Television residuals: Each rerun, streaming availability, or syndication of The Wire or Generation Kill yields repeated payments under established formulas (varying by platform, territory, and performance length).
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Film residuals: It Chapter Two, Sinister, and their sequel generate recurring revenue every time they appear on streaming platforms, DVD/Blu-ray sales, TV broadcasts, or international markets. While the first-run earnings tend to be the biggest, residuals can add meaningful income over years—especially for popular titles with ongoing visibility.
So, even if his initial paycheck was modest, the lifecycle earnings for beloved or widely streamed works can be very lucrative—and become a reliable, long-term income source.
3. Live Appearances: Conventions & Fan Events
Beyond screens, Ransone also taps into the thriving fan-event circuit:
At comic-cons and horror conventions, actors often offer autographs and photo-ops, each priced differently depending on the guest’s draw. For instance, a 2020 appearance listed him at $40 for an autograph, and $40 for a photo-op—fees set per attendee. Multiply that by the number of fans attending in a day, and it’s easy to see how a convention weekend can generate thousands of dollars gross—minus agent fees and travel. It’s also a way to engage directly with fans and reinforce his visibility.
4. Modeling Lifetime Earnings (Hypothetical Bands)
Since exact numbers aren’t public, one way to clarify is by illustrating earnings bands:
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Lower-range estimate: Union-scale pay for each film/episode + modest convention income + modest streaming residuals—a conservative baseline.
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Mid-range: Union pay plus above-scale modest markups for bigger projects, plus growing residuals from popular titles, plus selective convention income.
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Upper-range: Significantly above-scale acting fees (especially for It Chapter Two), robust residuals from long-running streaming popularity, multiple paid convention appearances annually.
Even without specific figures, this structure gives a realistic and transparent sense of how his income likely compounds—from up-front acting fees to ongoing, long-tail earnings, all complemented by fan engagement.
Source of Income – Acting
Car collection
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Website
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