Ray Stevenson

George Raymond Stevenson (25 May 1964 – 21 May 2023), known as Ray Stevenson, was a renowned actor from Northern Ireland, beloved for his work in film and television. He famously portrayed legionary Titus Pullo on the BBC/HBO series Rome, and stepped into the shoes of two Marvel Comics characters: Frank Castle/The Punisher and Volstagg in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His filmography also boasts roles as Dagonet in King Arthur, mobster Danny Greene in Kill the Irishman, and Porthos in The Three Musketeers. Stevenson’s television roles spanned from playing Ukrainian mobster Isaak Sirko in Dexter, Blackbeard in Black Sails, to voicing Gar Saxon in Star Wars Rebels. He also played roles in Vikings and Ahsoka.

Born in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, Stevenson moved to England at the age of eight. After completing a design course at Bath Lane College, he pursued acting at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He began his career with his film debut in The Theory of Flight. He moved on to roles in King Arthur, Outpost and Punisher: War Zone. His role in the Scottish horror picture Outpost saw him battle against Nazi zombies. His contributions to television included roles in the BBC/HBO series Rome, Waking the Dead, Murphy's Law, and City Central. One of Stevenson's last roles was in the Disney+ miniseries, Ahsoka, where his performance garnered massive praise from critics. Off-screen, Stevenson was married to English actress Ruth Gemmell and later had three sons with Italian anthropologist Elisabetta Caraccia. He passed away in 2023.