Ray Stevenson: Thor and Star Wars actor dies at 58

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May 22, 2023, at 21:02 GMT

Updated 1 hour ago

Image source, Getty/Axelle/Bauer-Griffin

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Actor Ray Stevenson, pictured at the Thor: Ragnarok premiere in Los Angeles in 2017

Actor Ray Stevenson, who appeared in major TV shows such as Roma, Vikings and Dexter, has died at the age of 58.

He was known for his roles in the Thor film trilogy and the Divergent series, as well as several UK TV shows such as Band of Gold, Peak Practice and Murphy’s Law.

His US advertising company, Viewpoint, confirmed his death to the BBC, but gave no further details.

The cause of death was not revealed, but he was reportedly hospitalized during filming on the Italian island of Ischia.

At the time of his death, he was working on an action film, Cassino in Ischia.

His death was announced four days before his fifty-ninth birthday.

Image source, Getty/Jeff Spicer

photo caption,

Ray Stevenson, pictured in April, at Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London

Stephenson was born in Northern Ireland but moved to England when he was eight years old.

His father was stationed in the Royal Air Force (RAF) near Lisburn, County Antrim, at the time of his birth in 1964.

His family moved to Newcastle upon Tyne and he spent much of his childhood in England.

Stevenson was inspired to become an actor after seeing John Malkovich in a play at London’s West End Theatre.

He studied acting at the Bristol Old Vic Theater School and had one of his first television roles in Katherine Coxon’s drama The Dwelling Place.

Image source, Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

photo caption,

Ray Stevenson, pictured with Keira Knightley and Ewan Gruffudd at the King Arthur premiere in 2004

In 2004, he played a knight in the big-budget Hollywood movie, King Arthur, which starred Keira Knightley.

More recently, Stevenson has landed roles in hit US TV shows and movies, playing Volstagg in the Thor trilogy and Titus Pullo in the HBO historical drama series Rome.

He will play Baylan Skoll in the upcoming Disney+ series Star Wars: Ashoka.

‘larger than life’

Stevenson’s co-stars paid tribute to the late actor on social media.

English actor James Purefoy, who starred alongside Stevenson in Rome, called him “a brilliant, gritty, larger-than-life actor who filled every role he played to the brim”.

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Actor Scott Adkins, who starred alongside him in Accident Man, mourns the “shock and sadness at the tragic news of the passing of a great actor and dear friend Ray Stevenson.”

“I’m going to miss you, Big Ray! Life is short so make the most of it.”

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