Ray Stevenson dead aged 58: Thor & King Arthur star passes away weeks before new Star Wars spinoff o
ACTOR Ray Stevenson has died at age 58.
The Northern Irish starred as Volstagg, one of Thor's trusted comrades, in the 2011 Marvel film Thor.
He also is known for having portrayed Dagonet in the film King Arthur.
More recently, he appeared as the villainous Governor Scott Buxton in the 2022 Oscar-winning Bollywood film RRR.
Stevenson began his career appearing on TV shows in the 1990s then landed action roles in Hollywood films starting in the 2000s.
His first major role came in Antoine Fuqua's 2004's movie King Arthur, alongside Clive Owen, Ray Winstone and Keira Knightley.
Ray will also have a part as a Dark Jedi in the upcoming Star Wars Ahsoka series on Disney+ set to air in August.
His sudden death was today confirmed by his publicist, reports Variety.
Ray died on Sunday, though no further details were made available.
Tributes are now rolling in for the Hollywood star from home and abroad.
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One pal wrote: "I’m shocked and saddened by the tragic news that a great actor and my good friend Ray Stevenson has passed away.
"I will miss you Big Ray! Life is short so make the most of it people."
Another wrote: "So sad to hear the news that Ray Stevenson, our Pullo in Rome, has passed away.
"A brilliant, gutsy, larger-than-life actor who filled every part he played right up to the brim.
"My thoughts are with his family, his lovely wife Betta and their beautiful kids. What a loss."
The official Twitter of the RRR Movie wrote: "What shocking news for all of us on the team!
"Rest in peace, Ray Stevenson. You will stay in our hearts forever, SIR SCOTT."
In an interview with Backstage in 2020, Stevenson said his acting idols were the likes of Lee Marvin and Gene Hackman.
He said: “Never a bad performance, and brave and fearless within that calibre. It was never the young, hot leading man; it was men who I could identify [with].”
The actor's net worth was estimated to be £6.4million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Stevenson tied the knot with English actress Ruth Gemmell back in 1997.
After an eight-year marriage, the pair ended up divorcing in 2005.
Gemmell is widely recognized for her role in the hit Netflix show, Bridgerton, as well as for being a kids' TV legend.
The Marvel actor had been dating Elisabetta Caraccia for years.
The couple met while he was filming BBC's Rome.
He told BehindTheVelvetRope: "That was one of the major parts of my life. It turned my life around.
"I found my partner who was my landlady."
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Stevenson leaves behind two children, Sebastiano Derek and Leonardo George Stevenson.
According to PEOPLE, Caraccia is an anthropologist.
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