Wendell Pierce is mourning the death of his “The Wire” co-star, James Ransone.
Pierce, 62, posted an emotional tribute to Ransone, who died by suicide at age 46 on Friday.
“Sorry I couldn’t be there for you, brother,” Pierce wrote on X on Sunday.
“Rest in Peace James Ransone,” he added.
The tribute featured a photo of Ransone staring at the camera wearing a white shirt.
Pierce had his breakout role playing Detective Bunk Moreland in “The Wire” from 2002 to 2008.
Ransone played Frank Sobotka’s (Chris Bauer) son, Baltimore dock worker Ziggy, in the second season of the critically acclaimed HBO series.
The late actor appeared in 12 episodes total.
Created by David Simon, “The Wire” follows the institutions that revolve around Baltimore’s crime scene, from the police officers to the criminals themselves.
Dominic West, Michael Kenneth Williams, John Doman, Idris Elba, Wood Harris, Lance Reddick, Frankie Faison and Lawrence Gilliard Jr. also starred in the show.
In addition to Pierce, other Hollywood stars have shared tributes to Ransone in the wake of his death.
Spike Lee shared a photo of the pair on Instagram, writing, “Rest In Peace To My Dear Brother,MR. JAMES RANSONE. We Rocked Together On RED HOOK SUMMER And INSIDE MAN.”
Mya Taylor, who worked with Ransone on the 2015 film “Tangerine,” said in a post, “RIP James Ransone. This hurt me so bad. Such a sweet and funny guy. He helped me deal with fame. He could light up a room with his smile and dimples. So funny and sweet and he will be missed. Love this man so much.”
Ransone’s “Black Phone” and “Black Phone 2” co-star Madeleine McGraw also shared an emotional tribute on her Instagram Story, writing, “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.”
“James, you truly changed me. You inspired me in ways I’ll carry forever,” McGraw, 17, continued. “And I promise, with everything in me, to live by the wisdom you shared with me that night at the premiere. I already miss you so deeply. Rest in peace, my friend. You were one of a kind.”
Ransone’s cause of death was listed as “hanging,” while his place of death was listed as “shed,” according to the LA County Medical Examiner’s records.
The “Generation Kill” actor struggled with addiction before his death.
He is survived by his wife, Jamie McPhee, and their two children.
“I told you I have loved you 1000 times before and I know I will love you again,” McPhee wrote in a heart-wrenching social media post after her husband’s passing.
“You told me – I need to be more like you and you need to be more like me – and you were so right,” she added.
McPhee also shared a GoFundMe link that was created to help the mother of two and her children “navigate life after an unimaginable loss.”
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
