Celebrities pay tribute to Thor, Star Wars actor Ray Stevenson following death aged 58

The actor is survived by his longtime partner and three children

Ray Stevenson's death at age 58 on Sunday was a shock to the entertainment world, with the actor reportedly being hospitalized while filming in Italy.

Over the past two days, tributes to the veteran actor have poured in, with many of his co-stars and other celebrity friends sharing their condolences.

The official Marvel entertainment Twitter account paid tribute to Stevenson, who played Volstagg in three of the four movies, writing: "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Ray Stevenson, who brought humor and wit to the character of Volstagg. He was a wonderful actor who will be deeply missed, and our thoughts are with his family and loved ones."

The British actor also played the primary antagonist in the Oscar-winning Indian movie , with the movie's team saying: "What shocking news for all of us on the team! Rest in peace, Ray Stevenson. You will stay in our hearts forever, SIR SCOTT."

Director James Gunn wrote: "So sorry to hear about the passing, far too young, of Ray Stevenson. I only knew him a little from shooting post-credits of & a couple interactions at events, but we had some good laughs & he was a joy to work with. His friends & family are in my heart today."

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His co-star in the HBO series James Purefoy wrote: "So sad to hear the news that Ray Stevenson, our Pullo in , has passed away. A brilliant, gutsy, larger-than-life actor who filled every part he played right up to the brim. My thoughts are with his family, his lovely wife Betta and their beautiful kids. What a loss."

Rosario Dawson, who stars alongside him in the upcoming Disney+ Star Wars series , also tweeted: "Sharing in grief with you all. What a Ray of light. Been calling cast/crew & the rest of my family to say how much I love them. 

"Let this be your reminder to love on your peoples in real time while you can. Ray was so vivacious &  unbelievably present & vibrant. He truly lived!!!"

 star Matthew Lewis, who made his acting debut alongside Stevenson in 1995's TV film , shared: "This is so sad.

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"Ray played my Dad in the first thing I ever did on TV. Almost 30 years ago. A proper actor with a fascinating career and I couldn’t have dreamed of a better first experience in this ridiculous industry. RIP Ray x"

Stevenson had his first prominent TV appearance in 1994 in , making several prominent appearances thereafter in shows like , , and series.

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After his film debut in 1998's alongside Helena Bonham Carter and Kenneth Branagh, he made a name for himself with his turn in Marvel's franchise, 2011's , the series, and .

The actor's publicist confirmed his death on Sunday, although a cause of death has not been revealed so far. He is survived by his longtime partner, anthropologist Elisabetta Caraccia, and their three children Sebastiano Derek, Leonardo George, and Ludovic.

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