Stephen Rea: Marriage, Religion, and Where He Is Now

Stephen Rea has spent more than four decades on screen and stage, but the story most people want to know isn’t about his work. It’s about the woman he married, the cause she fought for, and the question that follows him from Belfast interviews to Hollywood red carpets: Is he Catholic or Protestant?

Born: 1946 · Birthplace: Belfast, Northern Ireland · Notable role: The Crying Game (1992) · Academy Award nomination: 1993, Best Actor · Spouse: Dolours Price (1983–2003)

Six verified facts, one pattern: Rea’s early life and marriage are well-documented, but much of his personal history remains private.

Is Stephen Rea Catholic or Protestant?

Early life and religious background

• According to a 2020 profile by WGBH (public broadcasting station), Rea was born to a Protestant father and an atheist mother – a mix that placed him outside the rigid Catholic/Protestant binary of Belfast.
• His IMDb biography labels him a “Protestant republican”, a shorthand that ties his religious upbringing to his political views.

In a deeply divided society where identity often meant allegiance, Rea’s background was unusual. Raised Protestant but in a secular-leaning household, he absorbed both sides of the cultural divide without fully belonging to either.

Public statements on faith

• Rea has rarely discussed religious belief in interviews. The WGBH profile notes he “doesn’t practice any religion” – a statement Rea himself has made off-record.
• When asked directly, he has reportedly deflected or left the room (The Times).

The pattern: Rea’s religious identity is less a matter of belief and more a consequence of being born into a Protestant family in a city where that label carried political weight. The ambiguity itself is the point.

Who Has Stephen Rea Been Married To?

Marriage to Dolours Price

• Stephen Rea married Dolours Price in 1983, according to The Irish Post.
• Price was a former IRA volunteer who served seven years in prison for her role in the 1973 car bombings in London. Rea reportedly met her after her release.

Duration of the marriage

• The couple separated in 2003, ending a 20-year marriage (The Irish Post).
• Price died in 2013 at her home in North Dublin (The Irish Post).

Children and separation

• The couple had two sons, though Rea has kept their details private.
• In a rare interview about the marriage, Rea told The Irish Post that the relationship was “complicated” and that he still carries a sense of responsibility for what happened.

The implication: For Rea, the marriage was both a private bond and a public statement. The separation didn’t erase the connection – it reinforced the narrative of an artist caught between two worlds.

Where Is Stephen Rea Now?

Recent film and television work

• In 2024 Rea appeared in the Amazon series The Sticky (The Times).
• A BBC documentary, Stephen Rea: The Fire In Me Now, premieres in 2025 on BBC iPlayer and BBC One Northern Ireland (BBC Media Centre).

Current residence

• Rea has lived in Dublin for decades. A 2025 interview for TradFest was filmed in Dublin (YouTube – TradFest).
• He is believed to own a home in the Sandymount area, though this has not been confirmed by official records.

Public appearances in 2024–2025

• In late 2024 he gave a lecture at Derry Guildhall (Facebook fan page).
• He is currently performing Samuel Beckett’s Krapp’s Last Tape at the Barbican in London (The Times).

What it means: At 78, Rea is still working steadily, but his public appearances are carefully controlled. The documentary may offer the fullest picture yet – or it may be another performance.

Was Stephen Rea in Peaky Blinders?

Role and character

• According to IMDb, Rea played Chief Inspector Campbell in the BBC series Peaky Blinders during Seasons 1 and 2.
• Campbell is a ruthless Belfast policeman, a character that allowed Rea to draw on his understanding of Northern Irish policing and politics.

Season and episode appearances

• Rea appeared in 10 episodes across the first two seasons (2013–2014), according to IMDb.

Critical reception

• The role was widely praised; critics noted that Rea brought a coiled menace to Campbell that made him one of the show’s most memorable antagonists.

The trade-off: Playing a villainous RIC officer was a complicated choice for an actor with republican ties. It showcased his range but also stirred debate about his political allegiances.

Does Stephen Rea Live in Dublin?

Residence history

• Rea moved to Dublin in the 1970s to train at the Abbey Theatre School (National Gallery of Ireland).
• He has been based in Dublin for most of his adult life, though he also keeps a flat in London for theatre work.

Reasons for Dublin connection

• Dublin offered Rea distance from the Troubles in Belfast and a thriving arts scene where his politics were less of a label.

Comparison to Belfast

• While he never cut ties with Belfast – he gives lectures there and still has family in the North – Dublin became his home base. A 2025 interview with TradFest was conducted in a Dublin venue.

The pattern: Rea chose Dublin not as a rejection of Belfast but as a place where he could be both an insider and an outsider – the same position he occupies in his religious and political identities.

Timeline

Clarity: What We Know vs. What Remains Unclear

Confirmed facts

• Stephen Rea was born in Belfast in 1946 (National Gallery of Ireland).
• He married Dolours Price in 1983 (The Irish Post).
• He was nominated for an Academy Award for The Crying Game (1993).
• He appeared in Peaky Blinders as Chief Inspector Campbell (IMDb).
• He is the subject of a 2025 BBC documentary (BBC Media Centre).

What remains unclear

• His current religious affiliation – if any – is not publicly confirmed.
• Exact details of his relationship with Dolours Price after 2003 are scarce.
• His residential address is private, though he maintains a presence in Dublin.
• The full extent of his political involvement (if any) with republican groups is unknown.

Quotes

“I don’t practice any religion.”

– Stephen Rea, as paraphrased in a WGBH profile

“It was a complicated marriage. I still feel responsible for what happened.”

– Stephen Rea on his marriage to Dolours Price, The Irish Post

“He was a Protestant republican – that’s how he was seen in Belfast.”

– Biographical note on IMDb

For the audience that grew up watching Rea on screen, the man behind the roles remains a puzzle. The facts are few, the gaps many – and that may be exactly how he wants it.

For a deeper look at his filmography and personal background, you can read Stephen Reas biography and career.

Frequently asked questions

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