Ray Stevenson, Marvel And Star Wars Star, Has Died
Ray Stevensons, star of Thor, Rome, and the upcoming Ahsoka, has died.
We’ve lost some true legends over the last few months from The Wire and John Wick star Lance Reddick to the groundbreaking composer, Ryuichi Sakamoto and we’re sad to report that we’re now saying goodbye to another star. The Hollywood Reporter announced that Thor franchise actor and RRR star, Ray Stevenson has passed away. While the news is only breaking today, the 58-year-old died on Sunday, just four days before celebrating his 59th birthday.
As for his cause of death, nothing has been reported yet. La Repubblica, an Italian newspaper, shared that he had been hospitalized while working on Frank Ciota’s Cassino on Ischia. However, we don’t know what led to Ray Stevenson’s hospitalization.
First kicking off his career by appearing on the small screen in the early 1990s, Ray Stevenson’s climb to the top really started with the BBC’s police drama, City Central in 1998. It was also this year that he began breaking into larger productions, appearing in a handful of titles before receiving his big break in 2004’s King Arthur. Training Day director Antoine Fuqua poured his creative vision into the hit film that saw Stevenson star alongside Clive Owen, Keira Knightley, and Ioan Gruffudd.
Stevenson also came to greater prominence by starring as Titus Pollo in the HBO series Rome, which was canceled after two seasons despite critical acclaim and high viewership.
Through his appearance in King Arthur and his latter project, Outpost, Ray Stevenson landed the titular role in Marvel’s Punisher: War Zone. A reboot of 2004’s The Punisher, Stevenson took over the role from Thomas Jane who was preceded in the part by Dolph Lundgren back in the late ‘80s. While he wouldn’t be asked back for Netflix’s takeover of the series with the role going to Jon Bernthal, audiences did catch Stevenson’s voice as the vengeance-thirsty vigilante in the animated series, The Super Hero Squad Show.
Following his first dip into the MCU, Ray Stevenson took on roles in The Book of Eli and Kill the Irishman before heading back to the superhero studio but this time as a completely different character. Fighting proudly beside Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, Ray Stevenson played Volstagg in Thor, Thor: The Dark World, and Thor: Ragnarok. Sticking to franchises, Stevenson also appeared in the Divergent series.
Following his premiere year in Thor, he would also blow audiences away with his dramatic acting chops in Paul W.S. Anderson’s The Three Musketeers in the role of Porthos – a performance that earned him much critical acclaim. Most recently, Ray Stevenson starred in the celebrated Indian flick, RRR, as well as Memory and Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday.
Audiences can expect to see Stevenson appear in posthumous releases which include 1242: Gateway to the West, Cassino in Ischia, and his highly anticipated performance in Ahsoka. Not his first foray into a galaxy far far away, Ray Stevenson’s voice has previously been heard as Gar Saxon in both animated productions, Star Wars Rebels and Star Wars: The Clone Wars. In Ahsoka, Stevenson will appear as antagonist Baylan Skoll, a red-orange lightsaber-wielding dark Jedi.
At this time, we’re wishing nothing but positive and healing vibes for the friends and family of Ray Stevenson. Stay posted for more information about the fan-favorite actor’s death as it becomes available.
