Actor Ray Stevenson, a Star Wars villain and a hero in ‘Thor,’ dies at 58
Ray Stevenson #RayStevenson
Ray Stevenson, the Northern Ireland actor known for his roles in Marvel’s “Thor” movies, the Star Wars franchise, “RRR” and the series “Rome,” has died at age 58.
His representative Brett Norensberg said he died Sunday in Italy but did not share further details. Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported he had been taken to hospital while in Italy filming “Cassino in Ischia,” and died shortly afterward. The film, directed by Frank Ciota, had Mr. Stevenson in the lead role as a former action movie star trying to revive his career, according to Deadline.
Mr. Stevenson often appeared in film and TV series set in a grittier, bloodier time and place. He played a knight of the round table in “King Arthur,” a powerful politician in a dystopian future in the “Divergent” movies, a heavily bearded, axe-wielding warrior in the “Thor” series and a villain in the upcoming Star Wars show “Ahsoka.”
In its review of “Rome,” The Washington Post praised his performance, writing that Mr. Stevenson brought “much needed color and zest to his role” of the “very physical and lusty” Titus Pullo.
The Emmy-winning series, set in the 1st century B.C. and airing from 2005-2007, starred Mr. Stevenson as one of two leads anchoring the historical fiction plotlines.
He made the jump to South Asian films with “RRR” (2022), one of the most expensive Indian films ever made and a hit with audiences. Mr. Stevenson played antagonist Scott Buxton, a governor of the British Raj who kidnaps a child.
The Disney Plus series “Ahsoka” had already finished filming and will air on the streaming platform in August. He had also voiced a villain in the franchise’s animated “Star Wars: Rebels” and “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.”
“We were lucky to have Ray join the Star Wars galaxy as Gar Saxon in Star Wars Rebels and then more recently as Baylan Skoll in Ahsoka,” a statement on LucasFilm’s StarWars.com site said. “His ability to play a villain, while being such a kind and caring person in reality, is a testament to his incredible talent.”
Other credits include “Punisher: War Zone,” “The Three Musketeers,” “Kill the Irishman,” “Vikings” and “Dexter.”
Stevenson has three sons with Italian anthropologist Elisabetta Caraccia, the Associated Press reported.