'Ray Stevenson' (born George Raymond Stevenson
May 25,
1964) is a
British film and
television actor.
Born in
Northern Ireland, he moved with his family to
Lemington,
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne,
England in 1972, and later to
Cramlington,
Northumberland, where he was raised. The second of three sons of a Royal Air Force pilot, Stevenson, as a child, dreamt of becoming an actor but thought the dream impossible to achieve. So he pursued his other love, art, and went to art school instead. He was an interior designer with an architectural firm in London when he at 25 decided to try out acting. Eventually he attended
Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, graduating at the age of 29.
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 portrayal of Pullo's fierce and loyal character and the character's development and adaptation to the changing circumstances of life and history has won both critical and public acclaim. Ray Stevenson has recently finished filming ''
Outpost'' for director
Steve Barker.He is currently in training for the part of Frank Castle in the upcoming movie ''
The Punisher 2'', for director
Lexi Alexander.
Stevenson has also starred in other films, primarily in supporting roles, like the part of
Dagonet, the knight who sacrifices his life for his comrades in ''
King Arthur'' in
2004. His first big screen movie role was in ''
The Theory of Flight'' (1998) with
Kenneth Branagh and
Helena Bonham Carter, where he played the part of a gigolo hired to help the character played by Bonham Carter to lose her virginity.
His TV-work includes guest appearances in popular TV series like ''
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 movies 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 movies: ''The Dwelling Place'' (1994) and ''The Tide of Life'' (1996).
His stage work includes playing the part of 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.
His love of art and his capabilities as an artist was demonstrated when he participated in the television programme ''
Watercolour Challenge'' in 2001, where he together with actors
Cherie Lunghi and
Malcolm Tierney painted watercolours of
Blenheim Palace.
Stevenson was married in 1997 to actress
Ruth Gemmell, who he met when they worked together on the TV drama
Band of Gold (1995). They later played a husband and wife on screen in
Peak Practice (1997).The couple divorced after eight years of marriage.
On film, television and stage
'Film'
★ ''
The Punisher:War Zone'' (2008) as
Frank Castle
★ ''
Outpost'' (2007) as DC
★ ''
King Arthur'' (2004) as Dagonet
★ '' (1999) as Mr Hardy
★ ''
The Theory of Flight'' (1998) as a gigolo
'Television-movies'
★ ''
Life Line'' (2007) as Peter Brisco
★ ''
Green-Eyed Monster'' (2001) as Alec
★ ''
The Tide of Life'' (1996) as Larry Birch
★ ''
Some Kind of Life'' (1995) as Steve
★ ''
The Return of the Native'' (1994) as Clym Yeobright
★ ''
The Dwelling Place'' (1994) as Matthew Turnbull
'Television-series'
★
Rome (2005-2007) - 22 episodes as Titus Pullo
★ Waking the Dead (2004) - 1 episode as Dr Tim Faulkner in ''Fugue States''
★ Murphy's Law (2003) - 1 episode as Robert Eaglan in ''Kiss and Tell''
★ Red Cap (2003) - 1 episode as Sgt. Chris Roxborough in ''Cover Story''
★ Dalziel and Pascoe (2001) - 1 episode as Jeff Parry in ''Truth and Consequences''
★ At Home with the Braithwaites (2001) - 11 episodes of series 2 and 3 as Graham Braithwaite
★ The Bill (2000) - 1 episode as Sgt. Gartland in ''Over the Edge''
★ Holby City (2000) - 1 episode as Laurence Haney in ''Taking It on the Chin''
★ Love in the 21st Century (1999) - 1 episode as Alex in ''Toyboys''
★ City Central (1998-1999) - 32 episodes as DI Tony Baynham
★ Peak Practice (1997) - 1 episode as Joe Higson in ''Home Truths''
★ Drover's Gold (1997) - 5 episodes as Armstrong
★ Band of Gold (1995-1996) - 12 episodes as Steve Dickson
★ A Woman's Guide to Adultery (1993) - as a journalist
'Stage'
★ The Duchess of Malfi (2003) as the Cardinal
★ Mouth to Mouth (2001) as Roger
★ York Mystery Plays (2000) as Christ
External links
★
★
Ray Stevenson fansite
★
Review of the York Millenium Mystery Plays
★
Review of Mouth to Mouth
★
Review of the Duchess of Malfi
★
Review of Some Kind of Life
★
Interview for The Evening Chronicle Jun 20 2007
★
Interview for the Star May 6 2007
★
Interview for The Star Dec 4 2005
★
Interview BBC Rome Press release Oct 18 2005