How Rome Helped Ray Stevenson Land His Role In Dexter

"Rome" is a series that sheds an entertaining, albeit brutal and unromantic, light on the Roman Empire. In the show's short two seasons, Ray Stevenson appears as the down-on-his-luck man Pullo, who turns into a trusted soldier. Narrowly escaping execution by retrieving Caesar's (Ciarán Hinds) coveted Golden Eagle and grandnephew (Max Pirkis), Pullo finds himself as the centerpiece of many Roman turning points, including an affair with Cleopatra (Lyndsey Marshal) and assigned the duty to assassinate Cicero (David Bamber). His performance is one of the high points of a series that includes big names like James Purefoy ("Altered Carbon") and Kevin McKidd ("Grey's Anatomy").

While speaking with The A.V. Club during an installment of "Random Roles," he talked about how his performance in "Rome" won him the role on "Dexter." "Scott Buck, who was the showrunner on 'Dexter,' phoned me up and basically offered me the role when he was speaking to me," the Titus Pollo actor said. "I've known Scott from 'Rome.' He was one of the writers when we were shooting that in Rome itself." While the giant of a man became the Russian hitman we all loved on "Dexter," he said he almost passed on the role until he heard more about who the character was.