‘Punisher’ Actor Ray Stevenson Dies at 58
Ray Stevenson, the popular Irish actor best remembered for his role in the movie Punisher, has reportedly passed away on Sunday in Italy, his publicist confirmed to Variety.
He was 58. There was no listed cause of death. Stevenson, who was born on May 25, 1964, in Northern Ireland, started his career as a TV actor in the 1990s before winning action roles in Hollywood movies in the early 2000s.
He played Dagonet, one of the Knights of the Round Table, in Antoine Fuqua’s 2004 action blockbuster “King Arthur,” which was his first significant acting job. His character in the movie gives his life in the course of the action in order to aid Arthur (Clive Owen) and his band of warrior brothers.
Stevenson was cast as Frank Castle, the titular mercenary, in the Marvel movie “Punisher: War Zone,” which was released in 2008.
Before Disney bought the rights to the Marvel universe and later reintroduced the character in the Netflix series “Daredevil,” the movie was distributed in North America by Lionsgate.
The Punisher was portrayed by Stevenson, who was the third actor to do so. In 1989, Dolph Lundgren made his direct-to-video debut as the vigilante, and Thomas Jane took up the role for 2004’s R-rated “Punisher.”
A PG-13 revival of the series called “War Zone” only made $10.1 million at the box office, against a $35 million budget. Later, Jon Bernthal assumed the role in the Netflix series “The Punisher” and “Daredevil”.
On television, Stevenson played Titus Pullo in the historical drama “Rome” on HBO from 2005 to 2007. He portrayed a Roman soldier who saw several significant historical events as the Roman Empire rose, alongside Kevin McKidd’s Lucius Vorenus.
Throughout its two seasons, the program won seven Emmys. In addition, Stevenson performed the roles of Blackbeard on Starz’s “Black Sails” pirate series, the sailer Othere on Season 6 of “Vikings,” and the Ukrainian mobster Isaak Sirko on Season 7 of Showtime’s “Dexter.”
In addition to “Ahsoka,” Stevenson will also have posthumous credits for the movies “1242: Gateway to the West” and “Cassino in Ischia.”
The late actor’s full name is George Raymond Stevenson. He was born in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, on 25 May 1964, the second of three sons born to an Irish mother. His father was a Royal Air Force pilot. He moved to England with his family at the age of eight, first settling in the Lemington area of Newcastle upon Tyne and later in Seaton Delaval. He attended the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, graduating at the age of 29.
