Actor Ray Stevenson dies aged 58

Irish actor Ray Stevenson is confirmed to have died at the age of 58.

The actor's death has been confirmed by his publicist, though they have not shared a cause of death.

News of Stevenson's passing comes following a lengthy career in both film and TV which began in the 1990s when he started earning credits on a range of TV shows.

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Stevenson began appearing in films in the early 2000s, and landed his first major role in Antoine Fuqua’s 2004 movie King Arthur, where he played one of the Knights of the Round Table.

Four years later, he became a Marvel star as he took on the role of Frank Castle in Punisher: War Zone; a role which made him the third actor to portray the Punisher on screen after Dolph Lundgren and Thomas Jane.

Speaking about the role with Collider, Stevenson spoke about how his version of the character was different to those that had come before him, saying: "It's a different version. We made the commitment to have Frank as a nighttime predator; a vigilante in the streets of New York. He doesn't have a souped-up car. That's a choice we made."

The actor also said at the time that his 'dream projects' involve working with 'great people', adding: "It's as simple as that. It sounds flip, but it's not. I am living the dream."

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More recently, Stevenson appeared in the action drama RRR and acted alongside Liam Neeson in the crime thriller Memory.

One of his most recent roles came last year, when he played 'Big Ray' in the action comedy Accident Man 2.

Tributes have quickly started rolling in for Stevenson, with one fan praising his talents as an actor as they wrote: "RIP Ray Stevenson. He played the Punisher in Punisher Warzone & also had a phenomenal roles in Rome & Black Sails along with having a role in the upcoming Asoka series. A legend gone too soon."

Another commented: "Devastated by the news that Ray Stevenson has passed. He's one of my favourite actors and was brilliant in everything he starred in. I'm still processing the news as it's hit me like a punch to the face. Goodbye Mr Stevenson, and thank you so much for the wonderful memories."

Fans will be able to see Stevenson in one new role this summer, when he's set to appear in the Disney+ Star Wars series Ahsoka playing a Jedi named Baylan Skoll.

Topics: TV and Film, Celebrity

Emily Brown

Emily Brown is the Community Desk Lead at LADbible Group. Emily first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route. She went on to graduate with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University before contributing to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems. She joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features, and now works as Community Desk Lead to commission and write human interest stories from across the globe.