Following the untimely death of legendary actor Ray Stevenson, age 58, Lucasfilm, and “Ahsoka” executive producer David Filoni, paid tribute to the longtime “Star Wars” vet, whom they called “a kind and caring man.” and remembered as “a great talent”. and friends.
Stevenson, who died in Italy on Sunday from undisclosed causes, played Gar Saxon in the animated shows “Star Wars Rebels” and “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”. He will next appear in the live-action “Star Wars” series “Ahsoka,” where he plays villain Baylan Skoal in one of his final roles.
“We are heartbroken to hear of the passing of our dear friend Ray Stevenson. Ray was an incredible combination of talent, warmth, humor and heart. Lucasfilm said in a statement, “We were lucky that Ray joined star wars Gar Saxon as Galaxy star wars rebels and then more recently as Baylon Scholl Ashoka, His ability to play the role of a villain while being a genuinely kind and caring person is a testament to his incredible talent.
“Ray was loved and respected by everyone who knew him. Our thoughts are with his family at this time,” the statement concluded.
“We have lost a great talent and friend in Ray Stevenson. His kindness and generosity were felt by our entire team Ashoka, I always looked forward to working with Ray, and I appreciated his insight and daily wisdom. I am glad that his memory will live on through his family, friends and the many characters he created. Thank you Ray for everything,” Filoni, who also serves as Lucasfilm’s executive creative director, said in a statement included with the company.
Stevenson spoke to TheWrap at Star Wars Celebration in April, where he explained his portrayal of Skoll: “I think the characters have a center of gravity. Some are less so, they’re more grounded. Others have They have a higher center of gravity; they are more agile,” he said.
Stevenson also confirmed during the discussion that he was just like every other “Star Wars” fan, explaining that when he first handled his prop lightsaber, “Somebody turns it on. And, of course, You make noises ‘vvvrrrrmm vvvrrrrmm’ because you can’t help it. Read more here.
