James Ransone’s ‘Sinister’ and ‘Black Phone’ Director Says the ‘Oscars In Memoriam Ignored Him but I Cannot’ After Late Actor Excluded: ‘He Is Dearly Missed’

“Sinister” and “The Black Phone” director Scott Derrickson called out the Oscars on X for excluding his frequent collaborator James Ransone from this year’s televised In Memoriam section. Ransone died by suicide in December at 46 years old. The actor starred in both of Derrickson’s aforementioned horror movies and their sequels, plus projects such as “It: Chapter Two,” “Tangerine” and the HBO miniseries “Generation Kill.”

“The Oscars In Memoriam ignored him but I cannot,” wrote Derrickson, who also helmed Marvel’s first “Doctor Strange” movie. “He was my friend. I put him in five films. In early January I buried James ‘PJ’ Ransone after he committed suicide… He was a complex, funny, talented, and undeniably reckless person. He was wildly alive and deeply loved. I know he said some infuriating things online, but the last time I saw him, he cried with regret for all of that. ‘I didn’t mean to hurt anyone’s feelings,’ he said. Please don’t trash him here. He is dearly missed.”

Ransone was also well known for playing dock worker-turned-petty criminal Chester “Ziggy” Sabotka in 12 episodes of “The Wire” Season 2. His other TV credits included “Poker Face,” “Seal Team,” “50 States of Fright” and “The First.”

Ransone was one of several notable omissions in the Oscars’ televised In Memorian section. Other actors excluded from the ceremony included James Van Der Beek, Eric Dane, Brigitte Bardot, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Robert Carradine, “Harold and Maude” star Bud Cort and more.

The Oscars’ In Memoriam section this year was expanded during the live ceremony to include larger tributes to Robert Redford courtesy of Barbra Streisand singing “The Way We Were,” Diane Keaton via a lovely speech from her “The Family Stone” co-star Rachel McAdams and Rob Reiner, who was feted by his friend and collaborator Billy Crystal. Reiner’s tribute resulted in one of the ceremony’s most emotional moments as dozens of actors from the late director’s movies joined Crystal on stage, from Kathy Bates to Meg Ryan, Jerry O’Connell, Annette Bening and more.

If you or anyone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.