Why Ray Stevenson Turned Down A Role In Game Of Thrones

Ray Stevenson was the kind of actor who could bring authenticity to any role, regardless of the historical period or fantasy world in which it took place. Whether he was portraying an Asgardian alongside Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or starring as the Roman soldier Titus Pullo on HBO's "Rome," he brought a humanity to characters that otherwise might be hard to identify with. With his skills as a performer, rugged good looks, and penchant for looking fierce in period garb, it would seem like Stevenson would be a shoo-in to play one of the many characters on the hit HBO series "Game of Thrones," but it turns out that he had an opportunity to join the cast and turned it down. 

In an interview with Movies.com (via Digital Spy) back in 2015, the late actor revealed that he had been offered a role on the series but decided not to take it, and he shared his reasons for turning down what seems like such a potentially massive role. Instead of doing "Game of Thrones," Stevenson went on to play plenty of other impressive characters, including a stint as Blackbeard on the STARZ series "Black Sails" and a major villain role on the upcoming Disney+ series "Ahsoka." While it would have been fun to see Stevenson on "Game of Thrones," I'm just glad that we got to see him in so many wonderful shows and movies. He's gone far too soon, but he leaves a legacy of incredible performances that will live on forever.

Stevenson wasn't given a chance to be part of the "Game of Thrones" cast until a few seasons into the series, despite originally meeting with folks behind the scenes before filming ever started. He explained to Movies.com that he would have much rather joined on at the start before things had been set into motion:

"I was offered [a role]. I also saw them before they even started, very early on. I would rather have been [cast] at the beginning. It's just that coming into a show now...I think it's wonderful, but it's not something I would come into at this point. I don't know if I would add anything to it at this stage. And I'm off doing Blackbeard, so there you go."

The actor shared that he was offered a "4-6 month stint" on the series, meaning he would have likely played someone who got killed relatively quickly or was only a major player in a single season. (Perhaps he was offered the role of Septon Ray, which ended up going to fellow HBO alum Ian McShane?) Even though Stevenson was eager to get back on an HBO series after the end of "Rome" and he saw some of his former co-stars getting roles, he just didn't want to jump in so late. Who can blame him? We may never have gotten to see Stevenson hit Westeros, but he did things his way and that rules. Rest in peace, Mr. Stevenson, and thank you for bringing so much wonderful fantasy to life.