The industry says goodbye to one of the most beloved mediums in recent years. He was 58 years old.
Hollywood is in mourning: Ray Stevenson, a Northern Irish actor known, among other things, for being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and because in August he will appear in Ahsoka, the new series of the Star Wars franchise. Will be released on Disney+.
The reasons for his death are still unknown. It is known for now that the 58-year-old interpreter passed away on Sunday.
In addition to being part of the first Thor film, where he played Volstagg, and starring in Ahsoka, where Belan Skoal would play the role, Stevenson had significant roles as Roma (Titus Pullo) and Dexter (Isaac Sirko) in the series, as well With films like Punisher: War Zone, The Three Musketeers, RRR and King Arthur.
Who Was Ray Stevenson?
Ray was born in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, and moved to England when he was 8, where he studied. At the age of 29 he graduated from the Bristol Old Vic Theater School which he attended in Bristol.
Stevenson began his career by starring in television shows in the 1990s. Already in two thousand, however, he began to develop his work in Hollywood action films, until his first major project came to King Arthur.
In Antoine Fuqua’s film starring Clive Owen, Stevenson plays Dagnet, one of the Knights of the Round Table who earns all the affection of the public by sacrificing himself for the hero.
Stevenson ended up sanctifying himself in 2008 by starring in Punisher: War Zone, becoming the third actor to play the famous Marvel character after Dolph Lundgren and Thomas Jane.
He starred in the first Thor movie from the MCU.
The actor married English actress Ruth Gemmell in 1997, whom he met on the sets of Band of Gold in 1995.
After participating in that film together, the couple played a married couple in Peak Practice, released in 1997. They got divorced in 2005 after eight years of relationship.
Ray Stevenson as Dagnet in King Arthur.
Asked backstage what was the performance of his career that made an impression on him, Stevenson didn’t hesitate: Titus in Rome.
“I realized at the time that getting out of your way and trusting your instincts and trusting that a lot of your work was done unconsciously and quietly,” he said.
And he added: “And also focusing on the career that is happening rather than the career that I have; it’s the moment now and that’s all that matters: this moment, this production, the people around me.” Actors, directors with whom I’m working. That’s where my life changed completely.”
The actor’s last public appearance was on a panel at the Star Wars Festival held in London last April. There he answered questions about his involvement in Ashoka.
