R.I.P. Andy Whitfield

Spartacus: Blood and Sand star Andy Whitfield died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Sydney over the weekend. He was 39 years old.

The Welsh-born actor moved to Australia in 1999, where he attended Screenwise Film & TV School for Actors in New South Wales. He appeared in local TV shows All Saints, Packed to the Rafters and McLeod’s Daughters, and made his feature film debut as the eponymous archangel in 2007’s Gabriel.

In 2010, he was cast as the lead in Starz’ series Spartacus: Blood and Sand, opposite Lucy Lawless and John Hannah. Although the series was renewed for a second season, Whitfield revealed he would have to leave the program due to a recent diagnosis of early-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He was replaced by Australian actor Liam McIntyre.

Whitfield’s wife Vashti described her husband in a statement as a “beautiful young warrior”. Spartacus show creator Steven De Knight tweeted, “You will be deeply missed, my brother”.

R.I.P.