James Ransone was the secret weapon in some of the best horror films of the 2010s

Hollywood recently suffered a major blow when beloved actor James Ransone, known for his work in “The Wire” and “Generation Kill,” died at the age of 46. Many people knew him for his work on the small screen. However, I knew him best as the host of some of my favorite horror films of the last 15 years.

Ransone was one of those actors who had the “Oh, hey! That guy!” postman. That’s a compliment to any character actor who never quite reaches that A-list level but does great work over and over again. It was Ransone. Above all, he delivered the goods when called to participate in a horror offering. My first memory of him will always be as the so-called Deputy So-and-so in director Scott Derrickson’s modern genre classic. “Sinister”, rightly considered one of the scariest films of all time.

It’s a low-budget miracle film with a brilliant premise, anchored by Ethan Hawke as tortured author Ellison Oswalt seeking success in dangerous places. Hawke is as good as it gets and elevates “Sinister” above the average low-budget spookfest. Ransone is a nice foil for Oswalt, as a small-town law officer who loves his job. A fanboy. It provides comic relief, but also offers a more than welcome seriousness. Not only does he hold his own against an actor like Hawke, but he also elevates what was on the page into something greater.

That’s what the best character actors do. That’s why he’s also the best thing in “Sinister 2.” It’s a sequel that can’t live up to its predecessor, but Ransone also gets more screen time and helps make it interesting to watch. It’s worth it.

The mark of almost any great actor is to elevate their content. Can they turn something good into something great? More importantly, can they turn something not so great into something good? Ransone was one of those guys, with “Sinister 2” being a fine example of his likability and charm on full display in something that would undoubtedly have been lesser without him.

But “Sinister” is just the tip of the iceberg. He collaborated with Derrickson and writer C. Robert Cargill on several occasions over the years, even helping to build a little secret horror cinematic universe. Ransone again played a counterpart to Hawke’s deadly killer, The Grabber, in 2022’s “The Black Phone,” another of the best mainstream horror offerings in recent memory.

Once again, Hawke delivered a memorable and flawless performance as The Grabber. Once again, Ransone had to play his opposite, taking on the role of Max, his drug-addicted and distraught brother who meets a dark and memorable demise with an ax embedded in his skull. Max would return to the afterlife, albeit briefly, in “Black Phone 2”. In both cases, once again he elevated something great and made it even better.

The same can absolutely be said for Ransone’s work as Eddie in 2019’s “It Chapter Two.” Not only was it a great film, but it was also the sequel to the greatest horror film of all time. No pressure. He picked up where Jack Dylan Grazer left off and wonderfully complemented a stellar cast. Holding your own against Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy is no easy feat, not to mention Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise. Ransone did that and more, delivering heart, humor, and downright terror.

Not for nothing, but “It Chapter Two” is also one of the greatest horror films of all time. While one cannot rightly say that these films would not have been successful without Ransone, they are undoubtedly better with his presence. It’s very hard to imagine anyone else snorting cocaine on that couch like Max, unaware of his brother’s activities as a serial killer. It’s very difficult to imagine another actor as the adult version of Eddie, a lover of his mother, a role that was undoubtedly highly sought after by other actors, given his notoriety. Ransone won the role and made his mark.

Even going back to things like the not-so-great remake of “Prom Night,” Ransone made the most of his role as Detective Nash. Find me an example of that actor making a genre film or TV show worse, I challenge you, dear reader. The fact that he helped direct Derrickson’s segment in “V/H/S/85” also says a lot. We will miss the lack of collaboration between them in the future.

If “Black Phone 3” happensRansone will not be part of it. It’s rubbish. If “Sinister 3” happens, Ransone won’t be a part of it. It’s rubbish. If another big director has a role that would be great for Ransone in the next big A24 or Blumhouse movie, he won’t be in it. It’s rubbish. Ransone leaves behind a legacy as an unsung hero of modern horror. The genre was better with him.

Rest in peace, James Ransone. We will miss you very much.