Director SS Rajamouli on Tuesday remembered the late actor Ray Stevenson, who played the villainous British governor in “RRR,” as someone who brought “contagious” energy to the film’s sets. Stevenson died in Italy on Sunday, four days before his 59th birthday, his publicist confirmed to the entertainment website Variety. He did not have the cause of death.
In a Twitter post, Rajamouli said he was shocked to learn of the Irish actor’s death. “I just can’t believe this news. Ray brought so much energy and vitality with him to the sets. It was contagious. Working with him was pure joy. My prayers are with his family. May his soul rest in peace,” she said. The filmmaker captioned a flashback image with Stevenson from the sets of “RRR.”
The official “RRR” Twitter page shared a behind-the-scenes photo of the late actor filming a crucial action scene in the movie. “He was 56 when we filmed this difficult scene but he didn’t hesitate to pull off this stunt. We will always appreciate having you on the sets of #RRR Ray Stevenson. Gone too soon,” the tweet read.
In his 25-year career, Stevenson has also played Volstagg, an Asgardian warrior in the “Thor” films and a member of the 13th Legion in the BBC/HBO drama series “Rome.”
Filmmaker James Gunn said that while he didn’t work much with Stevenson, he has fond memories of collaborating with the actor while filming post-credits scenes for “Thor: The Dark World” (2013). “Damn. So sorry to hear about the passing, all too young, of Ray Stevenson. I only knew him a bit from filming the Thor 2 post credits and a couple of event interactions, but we had a good laugh and he was a joy to work with. him. His friends and family are in my heart today,” Gunn said in a tweet.
The official Twitter page for Marvel Studios, home of the “Thor” film franchise, said they will miss the actor. “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 sorely missed, and our thoughts are with his family and loved ones,” the studio said.
Stevenson also did voice work in “Star Wars Rebels” and “The Clone Wars” as Gar Saxon. He has a role in the upcoming “Star Wars” live action series “Ahsoka,” in which he plays a villain, Baylan Skoll. The eight-episode season is expected on Disney+ in August. Stevenson has three children with Italian anthropologist Elisabetta Caraccia, whom he met while working on “Roma.”
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