Ray Stevenson (actor)

Infobox actor
birthdate =birth date and age|1964|5|25|df=y
birthname = George Raymond Stevenson
birthplace = Lisburn, Northern Ireland
occupation = Actor
yearsactive = 1993 - present
spouse = Ruth Gemmell (1997 - present) (divorced)

George Raymond "Ray" Stevenson (born May 25, 1964) is a British film and television actor, best known for playing Titus Pullo in the BBC/HBO television series "Rome".

Early life

Born in Lisburn, 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.

Career

Film

Stevenson finished filming "" in December 2007. He stars as Frank Castle a.k.a. the Punisher, a former soldier turned vigilante. The movie is scheduled for a December 2008 release. His first lead role in a movie was in Scottish horror film "Outpost" (2008), where he portrayed a mercenary facing Nazi zombies in a bunker system somewhere in Eastern Europe. The movie was generally well received.

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.In 2002 Stevenson also starred in a short film "No Man's Land" which was the graduation movie of actor/director Edward Hicks from the London Film School.In the 12.5 minute film, set during the First World War, Stevenson played an experienced Private who is force to help a novice Officer, (David Birkin), back to safety after both find themselves trapped and isolated in No Man's Land during the battle of Ypres.

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 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.

His other 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).

tage

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.

Personal

Stevenson was married in 1997 to actress Ruth Gemmell, whom 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. His current girlfriend is Italian anthropologist Elisabetta Caraccia, whom he met while filming "Rome". The couple have a son, Sebastiano Derek Stevenson, born on Dec 24, 2007.

His love of art and his capabilities as an artist were 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.

On film, television and stage

Film
* "Cirque Du Freak" (2009) as Murlough
* "" (2008) as Frank Castle/The Punisher
* "Outpost" (2008) 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

*imdb name|id=0829032|name=Ray Stevenson
* [http://ray-stevenson.com Ray Stevenson.com]
* [http://www.compulink.co.uk/~shutters/reviews/00052.htm Review of the "York Millennium Mystery Plays"]
* [http://www.londontheatre.co.uk/tomkeatinge/reviews/mouthtomouth.htm Review of "Mouth to Mouth"]
* [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/critic/review/0,1169,884704,00.html#article_continue Review of "The Duchess of Malfi"]
* [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117910029.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0 Review of "Some Kind of Life"]
* [http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/chroniclelive/eveningchronicle/tm_method=full%26objectid=19327491%26siteid=50081-name_page.html Interview for "The Evening Chronicle" Jun 20 2007]
* [http://star-ecentral.com/news/story.asp?file=/2007/5/6/tvnradio/17636162&sec=tvnradio Interview for the "Star" May 6 2007]
* [http://star-ecentral.com/services/sprinterfriendly.asp?file=/2005/12/4/movies/12688812&sec=movies Interview for the "Star" Dec 4 2005]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/10_october/18/rome_stevenson.shtml Interview BBC Rome Press release Oct 18 2005]
* [http://www.futuremovies.co.uk/filmmaking.asp?ID=251 Future Movies questions about Outpost, Punisher: War Zone, Rome and Cirque du Freak May 13 2008]
* [http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=135572 Review of Outpost in Empire Magazine]
* [http://www.allthingshorror.co.uk/#/outpost/4528752152 Review of Outpost at allthingshorror.co.uk]