Ray Stevenson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ray Stevenson
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Stevenson at the film premiere of "Divergent"
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| Born |
George Raymond Stevenson
25 May 1964 Lisburn, Northern Ireland
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| Died | 21 May 2023 (aged 58) Lacco Ameno, Italy
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| Education | Bristol Old Vic Theatre School |
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| Years active | 1993–2023 |
| Spouse(s) |
Ruth Gemmell
(m. 1997; div. 2005) |
| Partner(s) | Elisabetta Caraccia |
| Children | 3 |
George Raymond Stevenson (born May 25, 1964 – died May 21, 2023) was a talented actor from Northern Ireland. He was well-known for playing strong characters in many movies and TV shows. Some of his most famous roles include Dagonet in the movie King Arthur (2004) and Titus Pullo in the TV series Rome (2005–2007).
He also played two different Marvel Comics characters: Frank Castle / The Punisher in Punisher: War Zone (2008) and Volstagg in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies like Thor. Ray Stevenson also appeared in Kill the Irishman (2011), The Three Musketeers (2011), and the popular Indian film RRR (2022), where he played the villain Governor Scott. On TV, he was Isaak Sirko in Dexter, Blackbeard in Black Sails, and voiced Gar Saxon in Star Wars Rebels and Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Contents
Early Life and Education
George Raymond Stevenson was born in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, on May 25, 1964. He was the second of three sons. His father was a pilot in the Royal Air Force. When Ray was eight years old, his family moved to England. They lived first in Lemington and then in Seaton Delaval. He later studied acting at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, a famous drama school, and finished his studies when he was 29.
Acting Career
Ray Stevenson had a long and successful career in film, television, and on stage.
Film Roles
Stevenson's first movie was The Theory of Flight in 1998. In 2004, he played Dagonet, a brave knight of the Round Table, in the movie King Arthur. Dagonet was a character who gave his life to protect his friends.
His first main role in a movie was in the 2008 horror film Outpost. In this movie, he played a soldier fighting against Nazi zombies. That same year, he also starred as the main character in Punisher: War Zone.
In 2011, Stevenson joined the Marvel movie universe, playing Volstagg, one of Thor's trusted friends, in the movie Thor. He played this role again in Thor: The Dark World (2013) and Thor: Ragnarok (2017). Also in 2011, he played Porthos in The Three Musketeers. He also appeared in Kill the Irishman (2011) and G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013) as Firefly.
From 2014 to 2016, he was in The Divergent Series movies, playing Marcus Eaton in Divergent, The Divergent Series: Insurgent, and The Divergent Series: Allegiant. In 2022, he made his debut in Indian cinema by playing the main villain, Governor Scott Buxton, in the very popular film RRR.
Television Roles
Ray Stevenson was also very active in television. One of his most famous TV roles was playing legionary Titus Pullo in the BBC/HBO series Rome from 2005 to 2007.
In 2012, he played the character Isaak Sirko in the seventh season of Dexter. From 2016 to 2017, he joined the cast of the Starz series Black Sails as the famous pirate Edward Teach.
He also lent his voice to characters in the Star Wars universe, voicing Gar Saxon in Star Wars Rebels (2016–2017) and Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2020). At a Star Wars event in 2023, it was announced that Stevenson would play the Dark Jedi Baylan Skoll in the upcoming series Ahsoka.
Stage Performances
Ray Stevenson also performed in plays. In 2000, he played Jesus Christ in the York Mystery Plays at York Minster. In 2003, he had a very well-known role as the Cardinal in the play The Duchess of Malfi at the Royal National Theatre in London.
Personal Life
In 1997, Ray Stevenson married English actress Ruth Gemmell. They had met while working on the TV show Band of Gold in 1995. They later played a married couple in another show called Peak Practice. They divorced in 2005. Ray Stevenson had three sons with Italian anthropologist Elisabetta Caraccia.
Death
Ray Stevenson passed away on May 21, 2023, just four days before his 59th birthday. He was in Italy filming a movie called Cassino in Ischia when he died. The cause of his death has not been shared, but he was reportedly taken to the hospital during filming on the island of Ischia. Many of his co-stars and friends, including Rosario Dawson and James Purefoy, shared their sadness and paid tribute to him.
See also
In Spanish: Ray Stevenson para niños
