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The Untold Truth Of The Late Ray Stevenson – Looper

On May 21, 2023, Ray Stevenson died at the age of 58. The tragic event rocked the entertainment industry, with many co-stars and friends posting heartfelt tributes to the Northern Irish actor. On Instagram, “Ahsoka” star Rosario Dawson shared several photos of her and Stevenson on set with the caption: “A giant of a man … [Ray Stevenson], stunned and reeling from this tragic, devastating news. Gone too soon from this world. At a loss for words … just wanted to mark this moment and share your ever ready and present smile. Love you forever. Holding your family in my heart.”

After appearing in Antoine Fuqua’s “King Arthur” in 2004, Stevenson became a mainstay of the film and TV business for almost two decades. He starred in major films such as “Punisher: War Zone,” “The Three Musketeers,” and “Thor,” as well as popular series like “Dexter,” “Rome,” and “Black Sails.” Yet the actor’s road to stardom was anything but ordinary or linear in shape, as he arrived in the acting world rather late in comparison to many of his peers. That being said, he possessed an enthusiasm and appreciation for what he achieved, always being quick to share the plaudits with all those who had been a part of his acting journey.

In celebration of the actor’s career and life, let’s take a look back at the late Ray Stevenson.

Ray Stevenson had two favorite actors

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Ask any actor who their favorite performer is and there will be several answers. Don’t be surprised, though, if more than half the responses feature the names of acclaimed leading men like Marlon Brando, Clark Gable, and Paul Newman. As an actor cut from a different cloth, Ray Stevenson looked to a different set of thespians as inspirations.

“It was the likes of Lee Marvin, Gene Hackman,” Stevenson told Backstage. “Never a bad performance, and brave and fearless within that caliber. It was never the young, hot leading man; it was men who I could identify with.”

While impressed by Marvin and Hackman’s performances, the actor stressed that it was the combination of other elements which helped these actors shine on screen. Stevenson believed actors are allowed to excel as performers when the right creative talent in other parts of the production is supportive and provides the necessary tools for success. To quote the horrid and cheesy corporate-approved term: “Teamwork makes the dream work.”

He had a dream Shakespearean project

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From a notorious swashbuckling historical pirate to Marvel’s most infamous gun-toting vigilante, Ray Stevenson was given the chance to bring a litany of characters to life in his storied career. However, like most actors, there’s always a white whale — the one dream part he chased but never received the opportunity to make a reality.

In a 2008 interview with Collider, Stevenson admitted his love for a certain Shakespearean play in particular. “In a weird way — even though they never make good movies — there’s a Shakespeare play I’ve always been intrigued by: ‘Coriolanus,'” he said. “It’s potentially one of the most potent and revealing scripts. I love the play. I’d love to do that as a movie one day.”

Ironically, a film adaptation of “Coriolanus” arrived in 2011. Directed, produced, and starring Ralph Fiennes as Caius Martius Coriolanus, the movie received near-universal acclaim from reviewers, securing a 92% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Unfortunately, Stevenson wasn’t part of the blockbuster cast, which included the likes of Gerard Butler, Vanessa Redgrave, Jessica Chastain, and Brian Cox.

Ray Stevenson wanted a Punisher sequel

Lionsgate Films

Ray Stevenson’s most “punishing” role arrived in Lexi Alexander’s “Punisher: War Zone.” Released in 2008, this reboot boasts blood, guts, and more R-rated violence than the average superhero movie of that era. Stevenson dazzles as Frank Castle, embodying the version of the vigilante from the brutal “Punisher” comic book series written by Garth Ennis and featuring art by talented artists such as Lewis LaRosa and Leandro Fernández.

Unfortunately, “Punisher: War Zone” didn’t light up the box office or inspire the critics to get skull tattoos on their biceps. It made only $10.2 million against a $35 million budget, while receiving a paltry 29% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite the underwhelming financial and critical performance, the film developed into a cult classic years later. As a result, many fans craved a sequel, hoping it would happen somewhere down the line.

In a chat with Stevenson, The Action Elite writer David J. Moore said that he was dismayed that the actor never had a chance to return to the part of Castle. “So was I!” Stevenson agreed. “Write in and tell them that! I would in a heartbeat go back! I loved the storyline and the comic books that it was based on. It could definitely do with a sequel.” Sadly, this never happened, as the Punisher rebooted on Netflix as a series, with “The Walking Dead” star Jon Bernthal cast as the titular character.

He didn’t think he’d get to play a Marvel character again

Marvel Studios

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) kickstarted in May 2008 with the release of Jon Favreau’s “Iron Man.” While not considered a part of the official MCU, “Punisher: War Zone” arrived months later in December 2008. Considering Frank Castle’s importance as a major character in the greater Marvel Universe, Ray Stevenson found himself in a precarious situation. Either his character would need to be incorporated in the MCU at some point, or he would need to be cast as someone else to appear in the franchise. The latter seemed highly unlikely, but it occurred in Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 “Thor” movie, as Stevenson debuted as Volstagg — a member of Asgard’s Warriors Three team.

Stevenson himself expressed surprise at how events unfolded to The A.V. Club. “What a great privilege from Marvel, because they have kind of an unwritten rule that once you play one of their major protagonists or characters, in order to maintain a certain degree of integrity for their audience, you don’t get to do it again,” he said. “But they did come back, and whether it was Ken Branagh’s instigation or whatever, they agreed to allow me a shot at Volstagg.”

While not a major role in the same vein as the Punisher, Volstagg appears in the first three “Thor” films, portrayed by Stevenson each time.

He turned down Game of Thrones

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HBO’s “Game of Thrones” didn’t just become one of the most popular TV shows of all time, but it also changed the lives of the cast members, transforming them into household names and immortalizing them in the pantheon of TV greats. Of course, no one looked into a crystal ball and predicted the epic fantasy series’ game-changing success when it first entered production. Consequently, many actors turned down roles on the show, and Ray Stevenson was one of them.

In 2015, Stevenson revealed to Movie.com that he had received the opportunity to join the “Game of Thrones” cast, but he said no. “I was offered [a role],” he said. “I also saw them before they even started, very early on. I would rather have been [cast] at the beginning.”

Stevenson didn’t disclose the part he was offered, presumably not to take away from the actual actor cast for the role instead. However, he added that it would have kept him busy for anywhere from four to six months, but he had already accepted playing Blackbeard on Starz’s “Black Sails.”

Ray Stevenson respected his stunt doubles immensely

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In showbiz, actors and directors receive all the praise when action scenes catch the eye and go full throttle. However, stunt performers are the unheralded heroes of cinema, as they perform the death-defying, dangerous sequences that make the movie (and the actors) look good for the viewers. As someone familiar with the action genre, Ray Stevenson encountered many stunt specialists across his various projects. Speaking to ComingSoon.net, he praised these daredevils for putting their bodies on the line for entertainment, finding the time to single out Rob Mars, who doubled for him in several movies.

Stevenson also discussed the interesting process between him and his stunt doubles, peeling back the curtain of movie magic to explain how the transition between actor and double occurs. “When you have a stuntman and this is his discipline,” he said, “you go right up to the stunt itself and then act during the stunt, so you have this overlap, and I involve them in my process.”

The Northern Irish-born actor expressed a high level of respect for what stunt teams do, adding how he developed friendships with many of them over the years and how they were pals behind the scenes too.

He stressed out after he hit Dwayne Johnson on set

Paramount Pictures

Jon M. Chu’s “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” hit the big screen in 2013. While billed as the sequel to 2009’s “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” the film largely focuses on a new group of heroes, led by Dwayne Johnson’s Roadblock. In the opposite corner stands Ray Stevenson as Firefly, an explosive villain who works with the sinister Cobra. Naturally, as the two big men of the film, Roadblock and Firefly eventually battle each other in a clash of the titans.

During the filming of “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” an encounter between Stevenson and Johnson left one of them a bloody mess. “The worst moment was when we filmed the first big fight,” Stevenson told The Daily Record. “I spun round and accidentally caught him right across the bridge of his nose. I drew blood and I was worried. But Dwayne just shrugged it off. He was great about it and just said, ‘These things happen.'”

Stevenson added how the intensity and physicality of their action scenes resulted in numerous bruises throughout production, while revealing that Johnson ended up popping him on the nose as well. In the world of pro wrestling, that’s referred to as a receipt.

He loved doing comedy

Sony Pictures Releasing

Due to his formidable height and rugged looks, Ray Stevenson often secured parts as physically formidable characters in mostly action-centric productions. The fact that so many fans still view him as the quintessential version of the Punisher demonstrates how he built up a powerful reputation as an on-screen tough guy.

Yet Stevenson also surprised viewers with his work in different genres when the opportunity arose. For example, he received praise for his turn as Roger Wesley in Adam McKay’s cop comedy “The Other Guys,” which also starred Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. Speaking to The A.V. Club, Stevenson gushed about the experience of working with comedians like Ferrell, and revealed an interesting detail of how McKay called him up a few days before cameras started to roll to suggest his character utilize an Australian accent, with the actor duly obliging.

He also disclosed how he was a big fan of the comedy genre in general and enjoyed the opportunity to star in a funny feature. “I love doing comedy!” he said. “I always maintain that there’s humor in everything.”

He received his SAG-AFTRA card at the age of 44

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Ray Stevenson’s journey into the acting world veered far from the conventional path. He only realized at the age of 25 that it was something he wanted to pursue and take seriously, eventually graduating from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School at 29. A notable talent, he worked his way up the ranks, reaching mainstream recognition thanks to his role as Dagonet in 2004’s “King Arthur.”

His big breakthrough came a year later after being cast in a lead role as Titus Pullo in the TV show “Rome.” From there, his career took off and the film offers flooded in. Surprisingly, Stevenson wasn’t a member of the Screen Actors Guild — American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) until later in his acting career.

Speaking to Backstage, Stevenson revealed how “Rome” played a major part in him receiving his SAG-AFTRA card. “When ‘Rome’ came up, with patience,” he said. “Over the course of two seasons I created quite a bit of interest, and that gave me my representation in the States and, ergo, started my movie career at 44 — which is almost unheard of.” It’s remarkable to consider how Stevenson worked on a blockbuster like “King Arthur” without being a part of the union.

His favorite person on Instagram was an unexpected co-star

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Throughout his career, Ray Stevenson shared the screen with numerous big-name stars, such as Dwayne Johnson, Clive Owen, and Chris Hemsworth. As is the case in most lines of work, co-workers end up following each other on social media, occasionally interacting but also getting hard blocks if they rat you out to the bosses.

In 2015, Uproxx asked Stevenson who his favorite person to follow online was. The actor gave the name of a co-star. “A Japanese actor I worked with on ‘Thor,’ Asano Tadanobu,” Stevenson said. “He’s involved in three or four rock bands, has his own online fashion brand and includes photos of his latest looks from whatever project he’s working on. And he posts sketch cartoons, which are great!”

In 2011’s “Thor,” Asano portrayed the part of Hogun, one of the Warriors Three, and he returned to the role for the next two sequels. The Japanese actor also appeared as Lord Kira in 2013’s “47 Ronin” and the God of Thunder, Raiden, in 2021’s “Mortal Kombat” movie.

He enjoyed playing historical characters

Starz

From Titus Pullo in “Rome” to Danny Greene in “Kill the Irishman” and Blackbeard in “Black Sails,” Ray Stevenson showed a knack for portraying historical figures on screen. As a result, the industry and audience associated him as an actor with period pieces, since he appeared to gravitate toward these types of projects more than others.

“I consider myself a historical nerd and clearly see the correlation between these historical figures and the massive changes that their world was undergoing with the spread of civilization and the reach of England,” Stevenson told Geeks World Wide. In the same interview, the actor also revealed how he believed elements of history had been distorted by sensationalism and the one-sided views of the time, such as the pamphlets and stories of pirates like Blackbeard. However, as an actor researching the part, he would need to find the remnants of truth in these pieces and try to look at it from his character’s unique perspective, coupled with the demands of the script.

One of Stevenson’s last completed films before he died was the historical drama “Gateway to the West,” which centers on the real-life event in which the Mongolian army invaded Hungary.

Ray Stevenson loved his role in Ahsoka

Disney+

Ray Stevenson achieved a unique distinction in the “Star Wars” universe by portraying two different characters. The actor voiced Gar Saxon in the animated shows “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars Rebels,” while also playing Baylan Skoll in the live-action “Ahsoka” series. The latter role sees Stevenson achieving every fan’s biggest dream of wielding a lightsaber and going toe to toe with Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson).

Starring in “Ahsoka” filled Stevenson with an unbridled level of excitement as he realized the magnitude and importance of stepping into this beloved franchise. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, he revealed the intense preparation and dedication that went into his role as Baylan, while praising the environment and hard work that his collaborators put into making the Disney+ series come to life.

On a personal level, Stevenson couldn’t help but get caught up in the moment when he picked up a lightsaber for the first time. “I must admit, the first time you turn a lightsaber on, you make the noise,” he said. “[And then you’re like] ‘Oh, I’m so sorry.’ Everybody does that, but you just can’t help it!” In a poignant touch, the first episode of “Ahsoka” is dedicated to the memory of this great actor, whose always-welcome presence on the screen will be missed.