Sumith Prasad
Prime Video’s thriller film ‘Canary Black’ ends with a dedication to Ray Stevenson. The actor plays Jarvis Hedlund, Avery Graves’ mentor and station chief, in the action movie. He was a veteran performer with over sixty film and television credits to his name. After headlining the HBO/BBC series ‘Rome’ with Kevin McKidd, Stevenson went on to portray Frank Castle/The Punisher in ‘Punisher: War Zone’ and Volstagg in three ‘Thor’ films. His popular credits also include Marcus Eaton in ‘The Divergent Series,’ Isaak Sirko in Showtime’s ‘Dexter,’ and Ohthere of Hålogaland in the historical drama ‘Vikings.’
In his twilight years, Stevenson was involved in several globally renowned projects. He appears as Governor Scott Buxton in the Academy Award-winning Indian blockbuster ‘RRR’ and Baylan Skoll in Disney+’s ‘Star Wars’ series ‘Ahsoka.’ ‘Canary Black’ is the actor’s second posthumous release after ‘Ahsoka,’ which received immense acclaim, especially for Stevenson’s performance as the Force-sensitive mercenary.
Ray Stevenson Died in Italy While Filming Cassino in Ischia
Ray Stevenson died on May 21, 2023, on the Italian island of Ischia, located nearly twenty miles away from Naples. The actor was filming the action-comedy film ‘Cassino in Ischia’ in the country. He was rushed to a local hospital from the production set of the movie, only to pass away the next day tragically. The cause of death was not immediately publicized. In June 2024, while appearing on the podcast ‘Tita Talks’ by Wellness World USA, Stevenson’s partner, Elisabetta “Betta” Caraccia, revealed that he was struggling with heart issues.
Sonia Tita Puopolo, the host of the podcast and Caraccia’s friend, added that Stevenson was affected by COVID-19 and that his health had not been the same ever since recovering from the disease. The anthropologist, who had three children with the actor, said on ‘Tita Talks’ that her partner’s death was “really quite unexpected” and that he “always had a weak heart.” Caraccia also revealed that Stevenson was “going through a lot of stress with the work.” During his last years, the actor lived with his family in Ibiza, Spain, where he was involved in several preservation initiatives.
Ray Stevenson’s Colleagues Celebrated His Life and Career After His Passing
In addition to Pierre Morel through ‘Canary Black,’ several filmmakers, fellow actors, and former colleagues celebrated Ray Stevenson’s memory after his untimely death. Rosario Dawson, who plays the titular character in ‘Ahsoka,’ described her co-star as a “giant of a man.” James Gunn, the co-CEO of DC Studios and the second unit director of ‘Thor: The Dark World,’ expressed that the actor was a “joy to work with.” Scott Adkins of ‘Accident Man’ shared that he would miss “Big Ray.” James Purefoy of ‘Rome’ was another co-star affected by Stevenson’s death. He described the veteran performer as a “brilliant, gutsy, [and] larger-than-life actor.”
Following Stevenson’s passing, the filming of ‘Cassino in Ischia’ was temporarily suspended. Dominic Purcell was then cast to play his character, Nic Cassino. The actor will also appear in the period drama ‘Gateway to the West’ as Cesareane, which will be his final film role. The project is currently in the post-production phase and stars Jeremy Neumark Jones, Neil Stuke, Michael Ironside, Eric Roberts, and David Schofield. We wish to offer our heartfelt condolences to Stevenson’s partner, Elisabetta “Betta” Caraccia, and their three sons, who continue to celebrate the veteran actor’s legacy.
