《CAST BIOS ANDY WHITFIELD ndash; SPARTACUS》.pdfVIP

CAST BIOS ANDY WHITFIELD –SPARTACUS Andy Whitfield heads the cast of “Spartacus: Blood and Sand,” a Starz original action-adventure drama series set in the brutal Roman gladiator era. Against all odds, Spartacus’ rebellious instincts, his intense love for his wife and his powerful fighting skills drive him to survive and win near-impossible battles. Whitfield himself describes Spartacus as having a dangerous edge, being “a beast with a heart” and concealing a fire that burns within. Whitfield won the role after what executive producer Rob Tapert describes as a worldwide search for a talented actor who has so far flown under Hollywood’s radar, but who after Spartacus will be highly sought after. Although a newcomer to U.S. audiences, Whitfield has performed with acclaim in numerous Australian drama series, including “McLeod’s Daughters,” “Packed to the Rafters,” “The Strip” and “Out of the Blue.” He starred as Gabriel, the archangel fighting to bring light to purgatory in Gabriel, a performance which earned him a best newcomer nomination at the Filmink Awards. Gabriel, directed by Shane Abbess, was nominated for the Australian Film Institute Award for best visual effects and was one of Australia’s highest grossing films of 2007. He recently wrapped shooting Australian suspense thriller The Clinic, directed by James Rabbitts. Whitfield was born in the U.K., grew up in Wales and studied at Sheffield University in England. He then spent five years working in the construction industry in London. He moved to Australia 10 years ago, attended drama school in Sydney and gained work as an actor, while also working as a diagnostic engineer, a job that required him to rappel down tall buildings. He has also worked as a freelance photographer. Whitfield and