Much loved Hollywood actor passes away just days before his birthday
Irish actor Ray Stevenson has died at the age of 58, days before he was set to turn 59.
The talented actor, who starred in films like Punisher: War Zone, King Arthur, the Thor films and the upcoming Ahsoka series, died on Sunday his publicist has confirmed.
No other details of his death have yet been released.
The much loved Hollywood actor began his career appearing on TV shows in the 1990s then began landing action roles in Hollywood films starting in the 2000s.
His first major film role came in Antoine Fuqua’s 2004’s adventure movie King Arthur, where he played Dagonet, one of the Knights of the Round Table.
Ray quickly became known to U.S. audiences as the charming soldier Titus Pullo on the big-budget 2005-2007 HBO series Rome.
A year after the series ended, he was on-screen in Punisher: War Zone (2008) as Marvel anti-hero Frank Castle.
He then returned to the Marvel well several more times with small roles in Thor (2011) as Volstagg, a member of Thor’s pals known as the Warriors Three.
He last played the part in Thor: Ragnarok (2017).
Ray was also one of the main antagonists in the upcoming Star Wars series Ahsoka.
The star was born in Lisburn, Northern Ireland on May 25, 1964.
While he originally pursued a career in interior design, he enrolled in the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and began his professional acting career after graduating at 29.
His other notable credits include parts in Dexter, Black Sails, and Medici, as well as The Spanish Princess and Vikings.
He also was a part of the RRR cast, playing Scott Buxton in the buzzy, award-winning action drama.
They had met on the set of Band of Gold (1995), and later played a married couple in Peak Practice (1997).
The pair divorced in 2005 after eight years of marriage.
