iesb.net interviews Andy Whitfield.

Q: Were you ever asked to show what you looked like without a shirt on, prior to being cast?

Andy: No, surprisingly, I wasn't. I was waiting for them to do that, but that didn't happen, so I had a month to convince them that they had made the right decision.

[...]

Q: What has Erin Cummings been like to work with?

Andy: She's great. I think she actually got me the job. She came in to do a workshop with Steven DeKnight and the director, Rick Jacobson, in the audition process. I was doing these scenes, and there were some romantic scenes in the auditions. The casting director was there, but we couldn't really generate the chemistry. So, they brought in this girl and she was like a whirlwind. She was like, "Okay, everybody stop. You and I will just go in the corner and get to know each other." She was great. I was just like, "This is what Spartacus would feel like with that woman." She was just this whirlwind of energy.

[...]

Q: Did Lucy Lawless give you any advice about what it's like to carry a show like this?

Andy: I never realized I was carrying it until about half-way through. I just always assumed it was an ensemble thing, where I was just on the poster. I guess I was in a little bit of denial. I came to acting late, just a few year ago, and it's not something I ever wanted. I guess I've overcome that by enjoying the process and the work. Obviously, Lucy's been through it before.

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