Born Gregory Raymond Stevenson in Northern Ireland, the actor moved to England as a child. He most recently starred in the 2022 Oscar-winning film "RRR" as the villainous Scott Buxton. The film won the Oscar for Best Original Song and was India's second-highest-grossing film in 2022.
Stevenson will appear in the upcoming Star Wars series "Ahsoka" as Baylan Skoll this August and attended the Star Wars Celebration 2023 event last month. At that event, the actor spoke about his excitement at being a part of the project, he said: "Getting to wield the lightsaber is just the best feeling in the world."
"Ahsoka" is the third Star Wars-related television series Stevenson has starred in, having previously voiced the role of Gar Saxon in 2016's "Star Wars: Rebels" and two episodes of 2020's "Star Wars: Clone Wars.".
Stevenson has more than 60 acting credits dating back to the 1990s, but his breakout role came in 2005 when he starred as Titus Pullo in the BBC/HBO series "Rome," set in the last days of the Roman Republic. and which also starred "Banshees of Inisherin" actress Kerry Condon, James Purefoy, and Kevin McKidd.
Purefoy paid tribute to Stevenson on Twitter on Monday, saying he is "very saddened to hear the news that Ray Stevenson, our Pullo in Rome, has passed away. A brilliant, gutsy, life-size actor who filled to the core I capped all the roles he played. My thoughts are with his family, his lovely wife Betta, and their precious children. What a loss."
He is also known for his role as Volstagg, a "boisterous member of the Warriors Three", in Marvel's "Thor" franchise. Stevenson appeared as Volstagg in the 2011 film "Thor," and reprised the character in 2013's "Thor: The Dark World" and 2017's "Thor: Ragnarok."
His early credits include roles in television series such as "A Woman's Guide to Adultery," "The Dwelling Place" and "Band of Gold," in which he appeared in nine episodes. He also appeared in both seasons of "Central City" as Detective Tony Baynham in the late '90s.
During the 1980s, Stevenson guest-starred on several television series, including "The Walking Dead" and "At Home with Braithwaite," before starring in films such as "Outpost" in 2008 and "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant” in 2009.
Stevenson went on to star in major films throughout the 2010s, including the action comedy "The Other Guys" opposite Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg in 2010, Paul W.S. Anderson of "The Three Musketeers" in 2011, "Divergent" and "The Book of Eli."
