The warrior is no more: ‘Thor’, ‘RRR’ actor Ray Stevenson passes away at 58

Reports stated that he had been hospitalised due to an illness while filming ‘Cassino’ in Italy

Ray Stevenson, the Northern Irish actor known for his compelling performances as a villainous British governor in RRR, the mighty Volstagg in the Thor films, and an upcoming antagonist in the highly anticipated Star Wars series Ahsoka, has tragically passed away at the age of 58, as per The Hollywood Reporter.

According to his representatives, Stevenson breathed his last on Sunday, just four days before his birthday. Reports from the Italian newspaper La Repubblica reveal that he had been hospitalised on the island of Ischia due to a sudden illness while filming Cassino in Ischia.

News of Stevenson's untimely demise has left the entertainment industry and fans in shock, prompting an outpouring of tributes. SS Rajamouli, the director of RRR, expressed disbelief on Twitter and wrote, "Just can't believe this news. Ray brought in so much energy and vibrancy with him to the sets. It was infectious. Working with him was pure joy. My prayers are with his family. May his soul rest in peace."

Shocking... Just can't believe this news. Ray brought in so much energy and vibrancy with him to the sets. It was infectious. Working with him was pure joy.

My prayers are with his family. May his soul rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/HytFxHLyZD

— rajamouli ss (@ssrajamouli) May 23, 2023

Matthew Lewis, who had the privilege of sharing the screen with Stevenson in the telefilm Some Kind of Life as a child, also took to the microblogging site to express his sorrow.  "This is so sad. Ray played my dad in the first thing I ever did on TV. Almost 30 years ago. A proper actor with a fascinating career, and I couldn't have dreamed of a better first experience in this ridiculous industry,” he wrote.

This is so sad. Ray played my Dad in the first thing I ever did on TV. Almost 30 years ago. A proper actor with a fascinating career and I couldn’t have dreamed of a better first experience in this ridiculous industry. RIP Ray x https://t.co/lcdGZgzjY7 pic.twitter.com/nYqNpOmn7Y

— 🇺🇦Matthew Lewis🇺🇦 (@Mattdavelewis) May 22, 2023

Stevenson often found himself cast as warriors, both historical and contemporary. In an interview with Variety, he once stated, "I guess I'm an old warrior at heart."

Born in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, in 1964, Stevenson moved to England with his family at the tender age of eight. After honing his craft at the prestigious Bristol Old Vic theatre school and making his mark in British television, he made his cinematic debut in Paul Greengrass's 1998 film The Theory of Flight. In 2004, Stevenson graced the screen as a knight of the round table in Antoine Fuqua's King Arthur and later assumed the lead role in Punisher: War Zone, an adaptation of Marvel's iconic character preceding Disney's involvement.

Despite the mixed critical reception of Punisher, Stevenson's journey with Marvel continued in the form of the Thor film series, where he portrayed the formidable Asgardian warrior, Volstagg. His talent extended beyond the realm of superheroes, as he delivered notable performances in the Divergent trilogy, GI Joe: Retaliation, and The Transporter: Refuelled.

On the small screen, Stevenson's breakthrough came with his captivating portrayal of the roguish Titus Pullo in the HBO series Rome, which propelled his career in the United States and earned him a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) card at the age of 44. The series, which aired from 2005 to 2007, marked a pivotal period in his life. Stevenson, about his TV experience, once said, "That was one of the major years of my life. It made me sit down in my own skin and say, just do the job. The job's enough."

Rest in peace, warrior.