Ray Stevenson, the Northern Irish actor who performed the villainous British governor in RRR, Volstagg within the Thor movies and a essential antagonist within the upcoming Star Wars collection Ahsoka, has died aged 58.
Representatives for Stevenson mentioned he had died on Sunday, 4 days earlier than his birthday. The Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported he had been hospitalised with a sudden sickness on the island of Ischia, whereas in manufacturing on the movie Cassino in Ischia.
Amongst these to pay tribute on Tuesday have been RRR director SS Rajamouli, who wrote: “Simply can’t consider this information. Ray introduced in a lot power and vibrancy with him to the units. It was infectious. Working with him was pure pleasure. My prayers are along with his household. Might his soul relaxation in peace.”
Harry Potter actor Matthew Lewis, who appeared alongside Stevenson as a baby within the tv movie Some Sort of Life, wrote on Twitter: “That is so unhappy. Ray performed my dad in the very first thing I ever did on TV. Nearly 30 years in the past. A correct actor with an enchanting profession and I couldn’t have dreamed of a greater first expertise on this ridiculous business.”
Surprising… Simply cannot consider this information. Ray introduced in a lot power and vibrancy with him to the units. It was infectious. Working with him was pure pleasure.
My prayers are along with his household. Might his soul relaxation in peace. pic.twitter.com/HytFxHLyZD
— rajamouli ss (@ssrajamouli) May 23, 2023
That is so unhappy. Ray performed my Dad in the very first thing I ever did on TV. Nearly 30 years in the past. A correct actor with an enchanting profession and I couldn’t have dreamed of a greater first expertise on this ridiculous business. RIP Ray x https://t.co/lcdGZgzjY7 pic.twitter.com/nYqNpOmn7Y
— 🇺🇦Matthew Lewis🇺🇦 (@Mattdavelewis) May 22, 2023
Stevenson was born in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, in 1964. His household moved to England when he was eight. After attending the Bristol Outdated Vic theatre college and years of working in British tv, he made his movie debut in Paul Greengrass’s 1998 movie The Concept of Flight. In 2004 he appeared in Antoine Fuqua’s King Arthur as a knight of the spherical desk and a number of other years later performed the lead within the pre-Disney Marvel adaptation Punisher: Struggle Zone.
Although Punisher was not the best-reviewed movie, he had one other style of Marvel within the first three Thor movies, wherein he performed the Asgardian warrior Volstagg. Different distinguished movie roles included the Divergent trilogy, GI Joe: Retaliation and The Transporter: Refueled.
A looming presence at 1.91m (six foot three) tall, Stevenson performed his share of troopers previous and current; he as soon as mentioned in an interview, “I assume I’m an outdated warrior at coronary heart.”
On the small display he was the roguish Titus Pullo in the HBO series Rome, a task that actually obtained his profession going within the US and received him a SAG card on the age of 44. The collection ran from 2005 to 2007.
“That was one of many main years of my life,” Stevenson mentioned in an interview. “It made me sit down in my very own pores and skin and say, simply do the job. The job’s sufficient.”
Within the Selection assessment of Rome, Brian Lowery wrote that “the imposing Stevenson actually stands out as a brawling, whoring and none-too-bright warrior — a drive of nature who, regardless of his excesses, by some means retains touchdown on his ft”.
He was Blackbeard within the Starz collection Black Sails, Commander Jack Swinburne within the German tv collection Das Boot and Othere on Vikings.
Stevenson additionally did voice work in Star Wars Rebels and The Clone Wars, as Gar Saxon, and has a task within the upcoming Star Wars live-action collection Ahsoka, wherein he performs the dangerous man Baylan Skoll. The eight-episode season is predicted on Disney+ in August.
In an interview with Backstage in 2020, Stevenson mentioned his performing idols have been “the likes of Lee Marvin, Gene Hackman”.
“By no means a foul efficiency, and courageous and fearless inside that calibre,” Stevenson mentioned. “It was by no means the younger, scorching main man; it was males who I may establish with.”
Stevenson has three sons with the Italian anthropologist Elisabetta Caraccia, who he met whereas engaged on Rome.
