Andy Whitfield, the
British star of US
TV drama
Spartacus: Blood
and Sand, has died
at the age of 39.
Whitfield died on
Sunday in Sydney,
Australia, 18
months after being
diagnosed with
non-Hodgkin
lymphoma, his
family and
manager said.
His wife, Vashti,
described him as
“our beautiful
young warrior”.
Whitfield was born
in Wales and
moved to Australia
in 1999. Actor
Liam McIntyre took
over Whitfield’s
role in the TV
series when he
became ill.
“On a beautiful
sunny Sydney
spring morning,
surrounded by his
family, in the arms
of his loving wife,
our beautiful
young warrior
Andy Whitfield lost
his 18-month battle
with lymphoma
cancer,” his wife
said in a statement.
‘Courage and
strength’
“He passed
peacefully
surrounded by
love. Thank you to
all his fans whose
love and support
have helped carry
him to this point.
He will be
remembered as
the inspiring,
courageous and
gentle man, father
and husband he
was.”
Chris Albrecht,
president and chief
operating officer of
US TV network
Starz, said he was
“deeply saddened”
by Whitfield’s loss.
“We were
fortunate to have
worked with Andy
in Spartacus and
came to know that
the man who
played a champion
on-screen was
also a champion in
his own life,”
Albrecht said in a
statement.
“Andy was an
inspiration to all of
us as he faced this
very personal
battle with
courage, strength
and grace,” he
added.
Whitfield played
the title role in all 13
episodes of the
first series,
screened in 2010,
and was about to
shoot the second
series when he
was diagnosed
with cancer.
Spartacus, which
attracted media
attention in the US
for its graphic
scenes of sex and
violence, was first
seen in the UK on
the now defunct
Bravo channel
before moving to
Sky One.
In an interview
with the Deadline
Hollywood website
last year, Whitfield
said having cancer
had taught him
some important
lessons.
“After the initial
shock – I was a
healthy young
man and had no
idea this could
happen – it was
frustrating that the
first season was
ending on such a
high note.”
But he added he
then found “time
to heal, figure
things out and
spend time with
my family. Stay in
the now and enjoy
every moment.”
Whitfield’s
Spartacus co-star
Lucy Lawless also
paid tribute to the
actor in a
statement to EW:
“Andy Whitfield left
an indelible mark
on all of us in the
Spartacus family,”
she said. “He was
a gentle man who
never said a bad
word about
anyone, a gifted
photographer,
engineer (no
really!) and a
brilliant actor.
“How lucky we
were to have him
grace all our lives.
Godspeed, Andy!”
BBC source- vanguardngr.com/2011/09/andy-whitfield-of-spartacus-loses-battle-with-cancer/