{"id":69768,"date":"2023-05-23T14:42:06","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T14:42:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/05\/23\/star-wars-and-thor-actor-ray-stevenson-dies-at-age-58\/"},"modified":"2023-05-23T14:42:06","modified_gmt":"2023-05-23T14:42:06","slug":"star-wars-and-thor-actor-ray-stevenson-dies-at-age-58","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/05\/23\/star-wars-and-thor-actor-ray-stevenson-dies-at-age-58\/","title":{"rendered":"Star Wars and Thor actor Ray Stevenson dies at age 58"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Actor Ray Stevenson, pictured at the premiere of Thor: Ragnarok in Los Angeles in 2017 (GETTY\/AXELLE\/BAUER-GRIFFIN)<\/p>\n

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The actor Ray Stevenson, who appeared in major TV shows such as Rome, Vikings and Dexter, has died aged 58.<\/p>\n

He was known for roles in the Thor films and the Divergent series, as well as several UK TV shows like Band of Gold, Peak Practice and Murphy\u2019s Law.<\/p>\n

His US-based publicist firm, Viewpoint, confirmed his death to the BBC but did not provide any further details.<\/p>\n

No cause of death has been revealed but he was reportedly hospitalised during filming on the Italian island Ischia.<\/p>\n

At the time of his death, he was working on an action movie, Cassino in Ischia.<\/p>\n

His death was announced four days before his 59th birthday.<\/p>\n

\"LONDON,
Image caption,Ray Stevenson, pictured in April, at Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Stevenson was born in Northern Ireland but moved to England when he was eight years old.<\/p>\n

His father was stationed with the Royal Air Force (RAF) near Lisburn, County Antrim, at the time of his birth in 1964.<\/p>\n

His family relocated to Newcastle upon Tyne and he spent much of his childhood in England.<\/p>\n

Stevenson was inspired to become an actor after seeing John Malkovich in a play at a West End theatre in London.<\/p>\n

He studied acting at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and one of his first TV roles was in the Catherine Cookson drama The Dwelling Place.<\/p>\n

He later appeared\u00a0in a wide range of British TV shows\u00a0including Waking the Dead, Dalziel and Pascoe and At Home with the Braithwaites.<\/p>\n

\""King
Image caption,Ray Stevenson, pictured with Keira Knightley and Ioan Gruffudd at the King Arthur premiere in 2004<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2004, he played a knight in the big-budget Hollywood film, King Arthur, which starred Keira Knightley.<\/p>\n

More recently, Stevenson secured roles in successful US-made TV shows and movies, taking the role of Volstagg in the Thor trilogy and Titus Pullo in HBO\u2019s historical drama series Rome.<\/p>\n

He will star as Baylan Skoll in the upcoming Disney+ series Star Wars: Ahsoka.<\/p>\n

\u2018Larger than life\u2019<\/h2>\n

Stevenson\u2019s co-stars have been paying tribute to the late actor on social media.<\/p>\n

English actor James Purefoy, who starred alongside Stevenson in Rome, described him as a \u201cbrilliant, gutsy, larger-than-life actor who filled every part he played right up to the brim\u201d.<\/p>\n

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So sad to hear the news that Ray Stevenson, our Pullo in Rome, has passed away. A brilliant, gutsy, larger-than-life actor who filled every part he played right up to the brim. My thoughts are with his family, his lovely wife Betta and their beautiful kids. What a loss.<\/p>\n

\u2014 James Purefoy \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@JamesPurefoy) May 22, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Rosario Dawson \u2013 who will appear in the Ashoka series alongside Stevenson \u2013 posted on Instagram to say her co-star was a \u201cgiant of a man\u201d whose death left her \u201cstunned and reeling\u201d.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, director James Gunn, who was involved in the production of the second Thor film, wrote that the late actor had been a \u201cjoy to work with.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bear McCreary, the composer who soundtracked the Black Sails TV series, saluted Stevenson\u2019s \u201cmesmerisingly unforgettable\u201d turn as Blackbeard in the programme.<\/p>\n

And actor Scott Adkins, who starred alongside Stevenson in Accident Man, sad he was \u201cshocked and saddened by the tragic news\u201d, adding: \u201cI will miss you, Big Ray!\u201d<\/p>\n

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