Stephen Rea (born Graham Rea on October 31, 1946) is an Irish actor. He is best known for his Oscar-nominated lead performance in the 1992 film The Crying Game.
Rea was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. One of four children in a working-class Presbyterian but nationalist family, he attended Belfast High School and the Queen's University of Belfast, taking a degree in English.
Rea helped establish the Field Day Theatre Company in 1980 with Tom Paulin, Brian Friel, Seamus Heaney, and Seamus Deane. In recognition for his contribution to theatre and performing arts, Rea was given honorary degrees from both the Queen's University of Belfast and the University of Ulster in 2004.
Rea was married to former Provisional Irish Republican Army member and hunger striker, Dolours Price from 1983 to 2003. They have three children.