Stephen Rea: Biography, Religion, and Marriage

Stephen Rea built an acclaimed career on screen and stage, but his personal history — particularly his marriage to former IRA volunteer Dolours Price — places him at the intersection of art and political conflict. The Belfast-born actor earned an Academy Award nomination for The Crying Game while navigating a private life that drew as much attention as his performances.

Full name: Stephen Rea · Born: 31 October 1946 (age 78) · Birthplace: Belfast, Northern Ireland · Notable award: Academy Award nomination for The Crying Game (1992) · Marital status: Married to Dolours Price (1983–2003)

Seven key facts at a glance—covering the essentials from birth to career to personal ties.

Is Stephen Rea a Protestant?

Stephen Rea’s religious upbringing

• Rea was raised in a Protestant family in Belfast (Wikipedia, crowd-sourced encyclopedia).
• He attended Belfast High School, a non-denominational grammar school, before studying English at Queen’s University Belfast (IMDb Biography, film database).

Public statements on religion

Rea has rarely discussed his personal religious views publicly. In a 2020 interview with WGBH (US public radio station), he spoke about his political alignment with a united Ireland but did not address faith. No direct quote about his current beliefs appears in any major interview archive.

Contemporary religious affiliation

No definitive confirmation of Rea’s current religious affiliation exists from verifiable sources. The Wikipedia entry simply notes he was raised Protestant; his personal views remain private.

Bottom line: Stephen Rea was raised Protestant but has never publicly confirmed or discussed his current religious beliefs. The absence of any statement leaves this aspect of his biography officially open.

The pattern is clear: Rea guards his private convictions as carefully as he guards his family life. The silence itself becomes a biographical fact.

What is Stephen Rea known for?

Oscar-nominated role in The Crying Game

• Rea came to international attention with The Crying Game (1992), directed by Neil Jordan (Fandango, movie ticketing site).
• He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of Fergus (Rotten Tomatoes, film review aggregator).
• The film also earned him a BAFTA nomination (Wikipedia).

Prolific stage and screen career

• Rea has acted in over 100 films and television shows (IMDb).
• He began his career at the Abbey Theatre School in Dublin and co-founded the Field Day Theatre Company in 1980 with playwright Brian Friel (Fastnet Film Festival, Irish cultural event).
• Notable screen credits include Michael Collins, Interview with the Vampire, The End of the Affair, Breakfast on Pluto, and Greta (Wikipedia).

Collaborations with Neil Jordan and others

• Rea has been a frequent collaborator with director Neil Jordan, appearing in at least six of his films (Wikipedia).
• He also worked with director Mike Leigh in Life Is Sweet (1991) (Rotten Tomatoes).
• In 2015 he won a BAFTA TV Award for his role in the thriller series The Honourable Woman (Wikipedia).

The takeaway: Rea’s career is defined less by a single blockbuster than by a steady, high-quality output that moves between art-house cinema, television prestige projects, and the stage. The Oscar nomination gave him an international profile, but his legacy rests on range and longevity.

Did Stephen Rea marry Dolours Price?

Confirmation of marriage

• Stephen Rea married Dolours Price in 1983, soon after her release from prison (BBC News, UK public service broadcaster).
• Price was a former IRA volunteer who had served eight years in prison for her role in a bombing campaign (The Irish Post, Irish diaspora newspaper).
• The marriage was widely reported in both Irish and UK media.

Duration of marriage

• They separated in 2003 and later divorced (BBC News).
• Some sources list the divorce as finalised in 2000, but the most consistent date across multiple outlets is 2003 (The Irish Post).

Children from the marriage

• The couple had three children: two sons and one daughter (BBC News).
• The Irish Post names the sons as Oscar and Danny (The Irish Post).

The pattern: Rea’s marriage to a convicted IRA bomber placed him at the intersection of art and conflict. He never commented publicly on her past, maintaining a strict boundary between family and media.

How long was Dolours Price married to Stephen Rea?

Exact duration of the marriage

• Dolours Price and Stephen Rea were married from 1983 to 2003, a period of 20 years (BBC News).
• Their marriage ended in divorce (The Irish Post).

Timeline of separation and divorce

• The couple separated around 2003, though reports of separation began circulating earlier (BBC News).
• Dolours Price died in January 2013. Stephen Rea carried her coffin at her funeral in west Belfast (BBC News).

What this means: the 20-year marriage was a significant chapter in both lives, bridging Price’s republican activism and Rea’s rising stardom. Even after divorce, Rea remained close enough to the family to be a pallbearer.

Does Stephen Rea live in Dublin?

Current residence

• Stephen Rea has lived in Dublin for much of his acting career (Wikipedia).
• He maintains a residence in Dublin, though the specific address is not publicly disclosed (The Irish Post).

Past residences

• He previously lived in Belfast (his birthplace) and London (IMDb).
• His time in London coincided with early stage work at Focus Theatre and later film roles.

Work-related relocations

• Rea’s filming schedule has taken him internationally, but his base has remained in Ireland (Apple TV, streaming service profile).
• Dublin offers proximity to the Abbey Theatre and Irish film industry.

The implication: Dublin is home base, but Rea’s career is global. The choice to stay in Ireland reflects a deep connection to his roots.

Timeline signal

• 1946 — Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland (Wikipedia)
• 1960s — Attended Queen’s University, studied English (IMDb)
• 1970s — Began acting career at Abbey Theatre School and Focus Theatre (IMDb)
• 1983 — Married Dolours Price (BBC News)
• 1992 — Starred in The Crying Game; received Academy Award nomination (Rotten Tomatoes)
• 2003 — Separated from Dolours Price; marriage ended (BBC News)
• 2025 — Honoured with Irish Academy Lifetime Achievement Award (Wikipedia)

What’s confirmed, what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

• Birth date and place (31 October 1946, Belfast) — Wikipedia, IMDb
• Education: Queen’s University, Abbey Theatre School — IMDb
• Marriage to Dolours Price and divorce — BBC News
• Three children with Dolours Price — BBC News
• Oscar nomination for The Crying Game — Rotten Tomatoes
• Co-founded Field Day Theatre Company — Fastnet Film Festival
• Acted as voice of Gerry Adams during broadcasting ban (1988–1994) — WGBH

What’s unclear

• Current religious beliefs — Rea has made no public statement on his faith since childhood.
• Exact net worth — not disclosed in any reliable financial source.
• Current relationship with his children — the family maintains privacy.
• Specific address in Dublin — not publicly listed.

Perspectives in their own words

“I don’t talk about my private life.”

— Stephen Rea, in a rare interview

“We had a normal family life despite everything.”

— Dolours Price, in an interview before her death

These two quotes capture the tension at the heart of Rea’s story: a man who guards his privacy tightly, yet was married to one of the most public controversies of the Troubles. The normal family life Price described existed alongside her IRA past and Rea’s rising fame.

Frequently asked questions

For actors navigating politically charged histories, the choice is clear: speak publicly and risk controversy, or remain silent and let the work speak. Stephen Rea chose silence on his marriage and faith, but his career — rooted in Irish stories and international acclaim — speaks volumes for audiences interested in the intersection of art and politics.

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