Ray Stevenson, the Irish actor most remembered for his roles in S S Rajamouli’s blockbuster ‘RRR,’ an Asgardian warrior in the ‘Thor’ movie, and a soldier of the 13th Legion in HBO’s ‘Rome,’ died on Sunday. He was 58.
Stevenson was born in 1964 in Lisburn. He made his cinematic debut in Paul Greengrass’ 1998 feature ‘The Theory of Flight’ after attending the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and working for years on British television. In 2004, he portrayed a knight of the round table in Antoine Fuqua’s King Arthur, and some years later he played the protagonist in the pre-Disney Marvel adaptation Punisher: War Zone.”
Though the Punisher received mixed reviews, he’d get another taste of Marvel in the first three ‘Thor’ films, when he played Volstagg. Other notable film appearances include the “Divergent trilogy,” “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” and “The Transporter: Refuelled.”
Stevenson, a 6-foot-4, imposing presence who has portrayed his share of warriors past and present, once stated in an interview, “I guess I’m an old warrior at heart.” On television, he played the roguish Titus Pullo in Rome, a role that launched his career in the United States and earned him a SAG card at the age of 44.
The popular series aired between 2005 and 2007. In an interview, Stevenson stated, “That was one of the most important years of my life.” “It forced me to sit in my own skin and say, just do the job.” “The job is sufficient.”
Stevenson also appeared and did voice work as Gar Saxon in Star Wars Rebels and The Clone Wars, and he will portray Baylan Skoll in the upcoming Star Wars live-action series Ahsoka.”
Stevenson has three boys with Elisabetta Caraccia, an Italian anthropologist whom he met while working in Rome.
