The 'Ahsoka' actress admits she is still 'reeling from this tragic, devastating news,' while James Gunn remembers that the 'Thor: The Dark World' actor was a 'joy to work with.'
- May 23, 2023
AceShowbiz - Rosario Dawson and James Gunn have paid tribute to Ray Stevenson, after he died aged 58. The "Rome" actor's U.S.-based publicist company Viewpoint confirmed his passing to the BBC, but his cause of death is yet to be revealed.
Several stars have taken to social media to pay tribute to Ray, who died just four days before his 59th birthday. Rosario. who will star in the upcoming "Ahsoka" series, which is part of the "Star Wars" franchise, alongside Ray - praised the late actor as a "giant of a man."
She wrote on Instagram, "A giant of a man… @officialraystevenson_ , 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. #LegendsNeverDie (sic)"
James, who filmed post-credits of 2013 movie "Thor: The Dark World", in which Ray played Volstagg, with the late star, admitted he was a "joy to work with." He wrote on Twitter, "Damn. So sorry to hear about the passing, far too young, of Ray Stevenson. I only knew him a little from shooting post-credits of Thor 2 and a couple interactions at events, but we had some good laughs and he was a joy to work with. His friends family are in my heart today."
A tweet on the official Marvel Twitter account read, "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Ray Stevenson, who brought humor and wit to the character of Volstagg. He was a wonderful actor who will be deeply missed, and our thoughts are with his family and loved ones. (sic)"
Ray, who voiced Gar Saxon on "Star Wars Rebels" and "Star Wars: The Clone Wars", was also remembered by the official "Star Wars" Twitter account, with a post that read, "We are heartbroken to hear of the passing of our dear friend Ray Stevenson."
What's more, James Purefoy, who appeared alongside Ray on BBC historical drama TV series "Rome", praised him as a "brilliant, gutsy, larger-than-life actor." He tweeted, "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."
Ray was also known for starring as Dagonet in the 2004 movie "King Arthur", and he portrayed Ukrainian mobster Isaak Sirko in the seventh season of TV series "Dexter".
