Ray Stevenson, whose career spanned 30 years and included roles in well-known television shows and movie franchises, sadly has passed away at the age of 58. He is survived by his son Sebastiano Derek.
Italian news channel Sky TG24 first reported Stevenson passed away unexpectedly on Monday May 22. Additional outlets have since confirmed his death on the Italian island Ischia. Sky TG24 said Stevenson was first rushed to a nearby hospital on Saturday afternoon after getting seriously ill while filming. He was there shooting director Frank Ciota’s Cassino a Ischia. While his cause of death is still unknown, the actor’s condition apparently grew much worse shortly before passing.
Born May 25, 1964 on a British army base in Lisburn, Northern Ireland to a British pilot father and Irish mother, Stevenson recently starred as the villain in the global hit RRR. He will also appear on the live-action Disney+ spinoff Ahsoka later this year. The show will mark his second time through the galaxy far, far way. He previously voiced Gar Saxon on Star Wars Rebels. He’s also known for playing Volstagg, one of the MCU’s most famous Asgaradian warriors, in the Thor franchise. Other notable starring roles include Titus Pullo in the HBO drama Rome and Frank Castle in Punisher: War Zone.
Over his lengthy-but-far-too-brief career Stevenson also appeared in famous films and series such as The Book of Eli, The Other Guys, The Three Musketeers, Dexter, Black Sails, Vikings, and Das Boot. In addition to Ahsoka, fans will also see him in a leading role in the upcoming historical drama about Genghis Khan, Gateway to the West.
The actor’s official IMDb bio notes he first dreamed of performing as a child. However, he didn’t pursue a career on screen until age 25 when he left his job as an interior director. That worked well for him and his many fans who now bid him farewell far too soon.