George Raymond "Ray" Stevenson is a British film and television actor. He is known for
playing Titus Pullo in the BBC/HBO television series Rome, and in film as Dagonet in King
Arthur and as Frank Castle/The Punisher in Punisher: War Zone and The Super Hero Squad
Show. Stevenson appeared as Volstagg in Thor and Thor: The Dark World, based on the Marvel
Comics character and as Cleveland mobster Danny Greene in Kill the Irishman. In 2012
he appeared in the seventh season of Dexter as Isaak Sirko.
Early life Stevenson was born in Lisburn, in County Antrim,
Northern Ireland, the second of three sons of a Royal Air Force pilot father and an Irish
mother. He moved with his family to Lemington, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, in 1972, at
the age of eight, and later to Cramlington, Northumberland, where he was brought up. Stevenson
attended Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, graduating at the age of 29.
Career Film
Stevenson has starred in several feature films, primarily in supporting roles. He made his
debut in The Theory of Flight with Kenneth Branagh and Helena Bonham Carter, where he
played the part of a gigolo hired to help Bonham Carter's character to lose her virginity.
In 2002, Stevenson starred in a short film No Man's Land, which was the antipodal picture
from actor/director Edward Hicks prior to his graduation from the London Film School.
In the 12½ minute film, set during World War I, Stevenson portrayed an experienced
Private who is forced to help a novice Officer, back to safety after they both find themselves
trapped and isolated in "No Man's Land" during the Battle of Ypres. In 2004, Stevenson starred
alongside Clive Owen and Keira Knightley in King Arthur. He portrayed Dagonet, a knight
of the round table who sacrifices his life for his comrades.
Stevenson's first leading role in a film was in the Scottish horror picture Outpost, portraying
a mercenary pitted against Nazi zombies in a bunker somewhere in Eastern Europe. That
same year, he also starred in Punisher: War Zone, as Frank Castle, "The Punisher," a former
Marine turned vigilante after the murder of his family. In 2010, Stevenson played the
primary antagonist in the comedy The Other Guys, alongside Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell.
In 2011, Stevenson appeared in the film Kill the Irishman, based on the book To Kill the
Irishman, as Danny Greene, an Irish American mobster who took on the Italian mob in Cleveland,
Ohio in the 1970s. He worked with Kenneth Branagh again, this time as a director, in
the adaptation of Marvel Comics' Thor, starring in the role of Volstagg, one of Thor's trusted
comrades. Also that year, he played Porthos in Paul W.S. Anderson's adaptation of The
Three Musketeers. On 8 July 2011, Stevenson was cast as Firefly in G.I. Joe: Retaliation.
Television He is perhaps best known for playing the character
of legionary Titus Pullo in the BBC/HBO television series Rome. He shares the lead starring role
in the series with Kevin McKidd. His other TV-work includes guest appearances
in popular TV series including Waking the Dead and Murphy's Law as well as lead roles
in City Central and At Home with the Braithwaites. He has also appeared in several TV films such
as Some Kind of Life in 1995, in which he co-starred with Jane Horrocks, and The Return
of the Native, which also featured Catherine Zeta Jones. Some of his earliest parts were
in two Catherine Cookson films: The Dwelling Place and The Tide of Life. Ray reprises his
role this time as the voice of the Punisher in The Super Hero Squad Show. Stevenson plays
as Isaak Sirko in the 7th season of Dexter in 2012.
Stage His stage work includes playing the part of
Jesus Christ in the York Mystery Plays in 2000 at York Minster. In 2001 he took the
part of Roger in the play Mouth to Mouth by Kevin Elyot, at the Albery Theatre in London
with Lindsay Duncan and Michael Maloney. His most well-known part is perhaps that of the
Cardinal in The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster with Janet McTeer at the Royal National Theatre
in 2003. Personal life
Stevenson was married in Westminster, London, in 1997, to actress Ruth Gemmell, whom he
met when they worked together on the TV drama Band of Gold. They later played a husband
and wife on screen in Peak Practice. The couple divorced after eight years of marriage. His
current girlfriend is Italian anthropologist Elisabetta Caraccia, whom he met while filming
Rome. The couple have two sons: Sebastiano Derek Stevenson, born on 24 December 2007,
and Leonardo George Stevenson, born on 11 April 2011.
Filmography Film
Television Stage
References
External links Official website
Ray Stevenson at the Internet Movie Database Ray Stevenson at the TCM Movie Database
Ray Stevenson at AllMovie