The First - An Interview with James Ransone

James Ransone is no stranger to the big and small screen having played some pretty memorable charaters in shows like, The Wire, Mosaic and Treme. Now he gets to be a part of a mission to Mars as a crew member in the new series, The First.

In his new role in The First, Ransome plays Nick Fletcher, an astronaut on the Providence Mission led my Tom Hagerty, played by non other than OScar winner Sean Penn.

Sean Penn leads the ensemble cast in this near-future drama about a crew of astronauts attempting to become the first humans on Mars. Under the direction of visionary aerospace magnate Laz Ingram (Natascha McElhone), the crew contends with peril and personal sacrifice as they undertake the greatest pioneering feat in human history.

James Ransone has created indelible performances on the big and small screens as well as the stage,performing in a wide variety of projects that span from intimate indies to blockbuster genre films.He most recently starred in Ti West’s In A Valley of Violence, opposite Ethan Hawke and John Travolta.

He also starred in the latest installment of the Sinister franchise in which he returned as the lead, reprising his role from the original film. He co-starred also in the critically lauded, award winning Tangerine, directed by Sean Baker, which debuted at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. His previous film with Baker, Starlet, earned Ransone and the team the John Cassavetes Award at the 2013 Independent Spirits.In his film work, Ransone has proven to be a loyal favourite with director Spike Lee, having roles in his films Inside Man, Red Hook Summer, and Oldboy.

Ransone also starred such films as John Waters ’A Dirty Shame, and Frank V. Ross’ Bloomin Mud Shuffle.

James Ransone is perhaps best known for his work with David Simon, having with roles in all three of his award winning HBO series “The Wire,” “Treme,” and “Generation Kill,” and recently starred opposite Sharon Stone on Steven Soderbergh’s HBO series “Mosaic.”

Ransone has also graced the New York stage, receiving critical for his work in Small Engine Repair written by John Pollono starring opposite James Badge Dale and Keegan Allen and will soon be seen in the horror film, It: Chapter 2, alongside Jessica Chastain,James McAvoy and Bill Hader.

I spoke with James Ransone via satellite about his new series The First and meeting iconic author Stephen King before he began shooting his scenes for the upcoming film, It: Chapter 2.

THE FIRST IS CURRENTLY STREAMING ON HULU