June 2010 Archives   29 June 2010 Guardian UK Reviews Spartacus Blood and Sand The Guardian UK newspaper has a great review of Spartacus...don't you just love it when they fully expect to hate it and they turn around and love it? All they need to do is give the show a fair go. Off my soap box...here is part of the review: Have you been watching … Spartacus: Blood and Sand? The gore is ludicrously OTT and the characters unlikable, but this is a terrific show – compelling, smart and funny "The real acting honours are nabbed fair and square by John Hannah and Lucy Lawless as decadent, conniving couple Batiatus and Lucretia. Former Xena Warrior Princess Lawless is back on familiar turf: a TV show shot in New Zealand with a lot of swordplay and produced (along with Sam Raimi) by her husband Robert Tapert. Both Lawless and Hannah sink their teeth into some meaty dialogue while chewing up as much scenery as possible. It's no surprise that the pair are booked for a spinoff prequel show." The friction between the cellar-dwelling gladiatori slaves and their Roman masters living above gives Spartacus a weird bloodsoaked Upstairs Downstairs feeling. It's amazing just how compelling this show is. It started to gain pace around episode four and the final episode, with the title Kill Them All, is a real stunner, a hellish ending to a show that offers more than just gore. Read full review     29 June 2010 New Artwork by Beatriz - Ilithyia Beatriz has turned her attention to the bad girl of Spartacus Blood and Sand (or as Viva likes to call her "The Bandit Princess") Ilithyia. Click here to view Ilithyia by Beatriz You can also view Beatriz's other hand drawn art in her Spartacus Artwork Gallery     28 June 2010 Comic Con Ticket Sale From SDCC Unofficial Blog For those thinking of going to see Lucy and the rest of Sparty cast at Comic Con, the unofficial Comic Con Blog has an interesting blog post about the upcoming sale of newly released tickets which are going on sale today (click here to find out more about these tickets) The first catch is that all of the hotels available are moderately far from the convention center. They’re all around 10-12 minutes driving to the Con and this means about 20 minutes with SDCC traffic. There will be a shuttle service provided that is fairly reliable and has a great variety of times that will make this less of an issue. The second catch is that the tickets/rooms are all very expensive and much more then what most people payed when hotels first went up. Basically, if you’re looking to go and don’t have tickets or hotels this is an awesome solution. If you’re a person who already has a hotel and thinks these might be better though, they probably aren’t. So make sure to head to the link here if you’re interested. Read More (Reported by Barbara Davies) Catch up with the latest news about the upcoming Spartacus Cast Panel at Comic Con on AUSXIP Spartacus Comic Con Event Page     28 June 2010 Lucy Interview with Ariane Transcript & Repeat Dates If you didn't catch Lucy's interview with Ariane yesterday, the interview will be repeated on the following days. You can also read the transcript of the interview (translated into English from German) Repeat: 29 June - 9.00 pm - 9.30 pm Repeat: 1 July - 9.00 pm - 9.30 pm Repeat: 3 July - 9.00 pm - 9.30 pm The server address for the Lucy Lawless Interview is here You can read the transcript of the interview on AUSXIP Talking Xena Lucy Chat You can watch a short video of Lucy with Ariane goofing around here (with the English and German translation)     28 June 2010 Philippines Daily Inquirer 28 June 2010 Philippines Daily Inquirer 28 June 2010 has a brief mention of Spartacus which is due to air in the Phillipines on 10 July at 10 pm “SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND,” A SERIES that focuses on a Thracian gladiator who led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic, premieres on July 10 at 10 p.m., with back-to-back episodes airing on Saturdays on MAX. The series is a mix of live action, graphic novel effects and brutal battle sequences and stars Andy Whitfield as Spartacus, Lucy Lawless as Lucretia, John Hannah as Batiatus and PeterMensah as Doctore. You can read more articles/interviews on AUSXIP Spartacus Press section.     28 June 2010 Prequel Title Confirmed - Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena The title for the Spartacus Prequel has been confirmed on the Official Spartacus Facebook Page as Spartacus: Gods of the Arena The following comment was posted on it by the owner/moderator in a thread about the title of the Prequel: Spartacus: That is correct. The prequel is titled Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (Reported by Barbara Davies)     27 June 2010 Comic Con Ticket & Hotel Special Want to go to Comic Con? All tickets have been sold out for all four days but the Comic Con organisers have created some special packages. Starting Monday June 28 (Tuesday 29 for those in the Southern Hemisphere) you can have a chance to get tickets to this mega event and also get the chance to watch the Sparty panel with Lucy, Andy, Viva, John and Steven. A limited number of 4-Day Memberships passes have just become available as part of a hotel stay package. Simply book 3 or more nights to be eligible. These membership packages will go fast, so get yours today! Membership Packages are limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. Memberships include preview night. How to secure your 4-Day Membership passes: 1. Book a minimum of 3 nights at one of the above hotels. Stay must include the night of Thursday, July 22nd. Additional nights are available at the Comic-Con convention rate which will increase the package price. 2. Adult 4-Day Membership** passes are $100 per person and will be reflected in your hotel room rate for the night of July 22nd. 3. Maximum of 4 memberships per room. All guest names must be on the reservation. Each membership is good for one adult entry into Comic-Con. 4. Full prepayment is required at time of booking. Charges are non-refundable. 5. Room reservations and memberships are non-transferable. ** Memberships are subject to adjustment for Juniors on site during the Convention. See more here     26 June 2010 AUSXIP Interviews Erin Cummings - Part 2 of 4 Part 2 of 4 – AUSXIP Interviews Erin Cummings. In the second part of this video interview with Erin we find out more about life on the Spartacus set including: - Sura’s funeral scene and what turned out to be more difficult than it looked - Erin talks about working with Andy - Erin talks about John Hannah and a hysterical behind the scenes story of the Starz Promo with some of the cast of Party Down and Gravity. Watch Part 2 of the interview You can watch Part 1 of this interview here and You can also watch the Starz Promo that Erin mentions here     26 June 2010 Manu Bennett Management Page & Reels You can now watch Manu's acting reels from the various shows has been in from Xena to Spartacus. - Full Resume - Press (although at the moment there is one one article and that is the Muscle & Fitness Magazine - Bio (Reported by Barbara Davies)     26 June 2010 Casting News for Spartacus Prequel So far we've had two different titles for the Spartacus prequel: House of Batiatus and Gods of the Arena. Here's more casting news with Gods of the Arena: Category: Movie of the week/Miniseries/Cable Feature/Special Project: SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA Casting Director: PAUL WEBER Role Selection To download a role, click on the name of the desired role. If you do not see the sides you need, call the Showfax office at (310) 385-6920 Roles # Gaia // # Gatticus // # Melitta More info here (reported by Barbara Davies) For the latest news on the Spartacus prequel visit AUSXIP House of Batiatus - Spartacus Prequel subsite For the latest news and multimedia on Spartacus Season 1 and the upcoming Season 2, visit AUSXIP Spartacus New & Multimedia     25 June 2010 More Photos of Lucy from Monte-Carlo TV Festival Here are some more gorgeous photos of Lucy from the Monte-Carlo Television Festival. Click here to view (Reported by Adi) Catch up with latest news, video, reports and photos from the Monte-Carlo TV Festival on the AUSXIP Spartacus Monte-Carlo Television Festival Event Page     24 June 2010 New Starz Spartacus Promo & Screencaps There is a brand new Starz Promo featuring some of their shows including the Spartacus cast looking very 21st Century. Lucy, John, Peter, Manu, Viva, Andy & Erin star in this commercial. Screencaptures by MaryD There is a story behind this video where Lucy described John making people laugh during the shooting of this video. Click here to view screencaptures Here is the video (link sent in by Barbara Davies) The video takes a little time to load but it's worth the wait STARZ Network Promo- ORIGINALS- (RED CAM)HD from Tony Molina Cinematographer on Vimeo.     24 June 2010 Spartacus Premieres in Asia July 10 SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND From the award-winning producers Sam Raimi (Spider-Man), Rob Tapert (The Grudge), Joshua Donen (The Quick and the Dead) and Steven S. DeKnight (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) come the graphic and visceral new series, Spartacus: Blood and Sand, premiering for the first time in Asia, Saturday 10 July at 10pm on MAX. Betrayed by the Romans. Forced into slavery. Reborn as a gladiator. Torn from his homeland and the woman he loves, Spartacus is condemned to the brutal world of the arena where blood and death are primetime entertainment. But not all battles are fought upon the sands. Treachery, corruption, and the allure of sensual pleasures will constantly test Spartacus. To survive, he must become more than a man. More than a gladiator. He must become a legend. SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND premieres Saturday 10 July at 10pm on MAX with two back-to-back episodes weekly at the same time. See the Schedule below or log on to www.cinemaxasia.com for more playtimes.                     Read More     24 June 2010 OnFilm Magazine Sky Spears Spartacus 18 June 2010 OnFilm Magazine has an article about Spartacus being shown on New Zealand TV. There are a couple of Rob quotes: "Earlier this year, Tapert told Onfilm he was surprised none of the NZ free-to-air networks had picked up the series, and not just because it was shot in their backyard. While the show’s graphic sexual content and violence are “challenging” by US TV standards, “I didn’t think anything we did wouldn’t make it on air after 9.30 in New Zealand … “I saw Sex and the City and The Sopranos down here relatively uncut in a 9.30 slot. I thought it would be a no-brainer for one of the free-to-air broadcasters down here to have bought it. It caught me a little bit off guard. In Canada it’s been a huge success. “I think people are waiting to see the pared-down edited version, and once they see that hopefully they’ll vote with their wallets.” Read More     23 June 2010 Lucy Interview with Ariane - Update Ariane has sent me a note about how best to listen to the interview First: 27 June - 9.00 pm - 9.30 pm Repeat: 29 June - 9.00 pm - 9.30 pm Repeat: 1 July - 9.00 pm - 9.30 pm Repeat: 3 July - 9.00 pm - 9.30 pm Here is the server address for the Lucy Lawless Interview: http://rock_pop.radio-vhr.de You can give the address in every Browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc). It will open a player, that you've installed. It's a M3U - file. And the Explorer will ask you, with which system do you want to open it. This is the best way to listen to the show directly. And you don't have to open any website. Best Ariane Kranz P.S.: Be warned. This is not really an interview. More: two giggly women... You can watch a short video of Lucy with Ariane goofing around here (with the English and German translation)     23 June 2010 New Lucretia Artwork by Beatriz Beatriz has sent in another beautiful portrait from the Spartacus Cast. This time it's Lucy Lawless as Lucretia Click here to view larger artwork   You can also view Beatriz's other hand drawn art in her Spartacus Artwork Gallery     23 June 2010 Audio Interview with Joseph LoDoca On Scorenotes Interview with Joseph LoDuca from Scorenotes Joseph LoDuca has been making great television music since the 90's. And by the sounds of it, he's only getting started! Prolific as ever, and a recipient of a recent Emmy award, Joe joined me to discuss his diverse slate of projects, which includes the new Starz series, Spartacus: Blood and Sand , TNT's, Leverage, Legend of the Seeker, and more (Reported by Barbara Davies) Click here to listen or download the mp3     23 June 2010 Spartacus Casting Gladiators, Roman, Thracian Soldiers & Dignitaries Spartacus - Gladiators, Roman/Thracian soldiers, and Roman dignitaries. Casting no. 171277 - Auckland, NZ Casting now - contact us today as we need you now! Filming starts in August 2010 and will continue in to 2011. Studio location is in Auckland and you must have reliable transport and good availability throughout the year. Location: Auckland, New Zealand Payment details: From $200 up to $1000 Applications to this casting call require: A profile photo Spartacus - Gladiators/soldiers We are wanting Gladiators/soldiers: bodybuilders, athletes, rugby players and martial artists with a preference for no tattoos, of European (especially Italian and Spanish), Latin American and African decent. Males, aged 18 to 70 from New Zealand Min Chest: 99 cm / 39 in Min Height: 175 cm / 5ft 9in Apply here Roman Dignitaries We are especially looking for both men and woman of Italian, Spanish, Latin American and European decent with unique looks and character face. Any gender, aged 18 to 70 from New Zealand Apply here (Reported by Barbara Davies)     22 June 2010 Lucy & Peter Video Interview Screenrush.co.uk Lucy and Peter were interview for Screenrush.co.uk from the Monte-Carlo Television Festival. Click here to watch video (Reported by Barbara Davies)     22 June 2010 New Naevia Artwork by Beatriz Beatriz has created a new portrait of Lesley-Ann as Naevia. View artwork here You can also view Beatriz's other hand drawn art in her Spartacus Artwork Gallery     21 June 2010 New Spartacus Artwork by Beatriz Beatriz has sent in a new artwork piece of Andy as Spartacus. View Artwork You can view more of Beatriz's work here     21 June 2010 Spartacus To Air in New Zealand in August Our cousins across the ditch are going to see Spartacus in August according the report on Voxy.co.nz. There is still no news on when the show will be shown in Australia. What we do know is that Channel 7 has bought the show and it will be shown on their digital channel (7Two). Epic Swords And Sandals Drama Spartacus Comes To The Box New Zealand fans need wait no longer to see the epic television event that is "Spartacus: Blood and Sand". The thirteen part original drama series from the US-based Starz Network comprises a unique mix of live action, graphic novel effects and brutal battle sequences, and will premiere on the BOX, SKY Channel 005, this August. the BOX channel manager Tom Fox said the addition of this much anticipated series complements the channel's already popular status with its fans. "Spartacus: Blood and Sand is pretty much the ultimate testosterone-fuelled series, and will find itself in good company in our schedule of top rating drama series, comedy and action-packed reality," Read More     20 June 2010 Spartacus Season 2 Casting Call If you want to be in Spartacus Season 2, here is your chance! Spartacus Season Two - After much anticipation, Spartacus is back. Its going to be a busy shoot: First up is a six part prequel, telling the story before Spartacus is captured. Then they will move in to the second season to continue the story of Spartacus and his rebeliion. So, we are looking for people who want to get involved with the production, have good availability and flexibility with their time. We are especially looking for body builders and athletes (both men and woman) and African, Spanish, Italian, Greek, and Middle Eastern people of all ages. Please contact us on 630 9208 or booking@kamtalent.com (Reported by Barbara Davies)     20 June 2010 Spartacus Cast Training Day With Fitness Instructor Bev Bev Ratcliff, a fitness instructor, has photos of the Spartacus Cast: Andy, Peter, Lesley-Ann, Erin, Katrina and Lucy on her site which are pretty cool. Bev trained the cast during their grueling Spartacus PR tour last January. Bev Ratcliff, the fitness instructor, arranged free weights on a slab of artificial turf, got on all fours and started yelling instructions according the article in the NYTimes Check out the photos on Bev's Site (Reported by Barbara Davies)     19 June 2010 AUSXIP Interviews Erin Cummings - Spartacus Part 1 Erin sat down with AUSXIP reporter Lori Boyles (and co-editor of AUSXIP Erin Cummings Official Fan Site) for an extensive video interview ranging from Spartacus, Bitch Slap and new projects which goes for over an hour. The video has been edited and will be presented in parts staring with Spartacus. The Spartacus interview is in 4 parts and this is the first part.   In Part 1 we learn: - Why Erin chose a role as Sura - Sura, the warrior - Erin talks about Andy Whitfield - Erin talks about the nudity and sex and why she chose to take on the role - What her parents thought about the nudity - Varo’s death and ultimately Sura’s death and how the cast & crew celebrate a death on the show Watch Part 1 of 4 - Erin Talks About Spartacus     19 June 2010 Lucy & Peter Video From Monte Carlo for ElleadoreTV Lucy and Peter are chatting to ElleadoreTV.com about their best birthday present at the Monte Carlo Television Festival. It's a combined video along with other guests at the event. They can be seen at: Lucy at 0:10 Lucy at 2:04 Peter at 2:19 Reported by Adi     19 June 2010 Spartacus Prequel Name Speculation and Season 2 News Not sure if this is correct or not but the blog thislalife.com (thanks Barbara Davies for the link)has speculated that the prequel will be called Spartacus: Gods of the Arena and also has the news about the new character called Gannicus (see yesterday's Spartacus Casting Call Gannicus will be in the prequel and for season 2). The blog states that Gannicus will be the focal point of the series although the official press release regarding the prequel said: Lucy Lawless and John Hannah take center stage in this story of the rise of the House of Batiatus and its champions before Spartacus arrives as a captured Thracian slave. Read full press release For more news about the prequel visit AUSXIP House of Batiatus - the Spartacus prequel subsite For more news on Season 2 visit the AUSXIP Spartacus Season 2 News page     19 June 2010 More Spartacus & Mira Artwork by Beatriz Beatriz has created more stunning work. This time it's Spartacus in the Arena and Mira. Beautiful work. Click on the thumbnails to view the larger version     18 June 2010 Lucy and Peter Video Posing For the Media There is a great video of Lucy and Peter posing for the media during the Monte-Carlo Television Festival.(Reported by Colleen) Click here to watch Catch up with latest news, video, reports and photos from the Monte-Carlo TV Festival on the AUSXIP Spartacus Monte-Carlo Television Festival Event Page     18 June 2010 For Your Emmy Consideration: Andy Whitfield Spartacus: Blood and Sand on Starz first generated buzz thanks to its promise of graphic scenes of sex and violence and it definitely lived up to that hype in the first two episodes. But the series showed signs of potential, at the very least a nice guilty pleasure of soapy intrigue and stylized fight scenes, plus plenty of skin. But as the first season progressed (Starz ordered a 2nd before it even premiered), what emerged was a tightly written and highly engrossing story of greed, power, love, and revenge. The series delved deeper into the characters and the story, adding much needed substance, all leading up to the incredibly thrilling finale. Read More     18 June 2010 Lucy and Peter Sighting on Hollywood News Video Lucy and Peter have been spotted behind the main interviews conducted by TV Guide Hollywood News. You can spot them around 1:09 into the video clip through to 1:14. (Reported by Barbara Davies) Catch up with latest news, video, reports and photos from the Monte-Carlo TV Festival on the AUSXIP Spartacus Monte-Carlo Television Festival Event Page     18 June 2010 Spartacus House of Batiatus Casting Call The prequel name hasn't been announced yet but it seems unofficially it's been named. The following is a casting call for a new character for the prequel and season 2 (if the filming schedule is correct). (Reported by Barbara Davies) Production: SPARTACUS:HOUSE OF BATIATUS (Television) Location: Auckland Employer: Zimmermann Casting Duration: 10 Months, starts Pre-production July 12 (Equity artist contracts) Director: Rob Tapert. SPARTACUS: HOUSE OF BATIATUS is a prequel to SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND, on STARZ. Filming 6 episodes in New Zealand from 2 August - 10 November; 10 episodes from 18 November - 21 December; and 11 January - 27 May. Apply to: Jeremy 1 breakdown: 1. Male / 25-30 yrs. / Any Ethnicity. Requires Nudity. Male actor needed for role of 'Gannicus'. Preferably blond hair. Height of 6'2' or taller. Age range 28 - 32. Charming, womanising, physical. A very strong and tough gladiator. Ad created by user 812357 on: 17-Jun-10. Expires: 24-Jun-10.     17 June 2010 Press Release Spartacus Cast at Comic Con Wow this is going to be a party! Unfortunately all tickets have been sold out for Comic Con for all 4 days. Here's the press release from Starz "SPARTACUS" RETURNS TO COMIC-CON!! ANDY WHITFIELD, JOHN HANNAH, VIVA BIANCA AND LUCY LAWLESS WILL TOUT STARZ ORIGINAL HIT SERIES Beverly Hills, Calif. - June 16, 2010 - Fresh from a triumphant first season on the Starz original series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," stars Andy Whitfield (Spartacus), Lucy Lawless (Lucretia), John Hannah (Batiatus), Viva Bianca (Ilythia), and Executive Producer and Head Writer Steven S. DeKnight will appear on a panel at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con on Friday, July 23. The day ends with a Spartacus-sponsored late night "Wrath of Con" party where the stars will be in attendance. Whitfield and Bianca's first San Diego appearance will be joined by Comic-Con veterans Lawless, Hannah and DeKnight. The team will discuss the unique narrative approach to the ancient legend as well as giving the fans a glimpse of what to expect from the upcoming Spartacus prequel, which begins filming in New Zealand this August. Continue reading Press Release Spartacus Cast at Comic Con.     16 June 2010 Lucy and Peter Photos From Monte-Carlo by Corinna Barbara Bruno sent me a link to her Italian Lucy site which features some GORGEOUS Lucy and Peter photos taken at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival. The photographer is Corinna. Click here to view the images Catch up with latest news, video, reports and photos from the Monte-Carlo TV Festival on the AUSXIP Spartacus Monte-Carlo Television Festival Event Page     16 June 2010 Everyone Invited To A Primus The gals over at the Andy Whitfield Fan Facebook page are holding a primus...when is it? Saturday the 19th of June at 9pm UK 4 p.m. US Eastern zone 10 p.m. Central European Time 11 p.m. Turkey time - if you have a look at this link it will give you some more info on the event and what is it? Order of primus: 30 minutes before, timekeeper declares gates of the arena open and summarises the rules. Spectators arrive and make comments - keeping in character as much as possible. Gladiators could also post last-minute comments to their coaches/supporters. Please, no posting while the speeches are made, or in between the gladiators' comments Batiatus makes speech Esra and Eliza dedicate the primus Opposing gladiator (representing the main Sparty page) says their insult/boast Sparty, representing Andy's page as the champion of Capua, replies Read More Here     16 June 2010 New Artist To Spartacus Art Gallery I am very pleased to announce that Beatriz has been added to the Spartacus Art Gallery. She has done some AMAZING drawings. Absolutley beautiful artwork. At present there are two of Spartacus and one of Glaber! View Artwork by Beatriz     16 June 2010 Tony Duran Spartacus Inspired Erin Cummings Photoshoot Tony Duran is a fan of "Spartacus", Erin is a fan of Tony's and they wanted to work together. Since Erin had just completed "Spartacus", Tony was interested in exploring a Spartacus-inspired theme for the photoshoot with D-Squared model Kyle Ledeboer. View more images here on AUSXIP Erin Cummings See more of Tony Duran's work at TonyDuran.net     15 June 2010 New Artwork by Klippart - I Am Spartacus Added a new gorgeous wallpaper / artwork by Klippart focused on Spartacus. I Am Spartacus View Image   You can also check out Klippart's other artwork on her AUSXIP Spartacus Artwork Section     15 June 2010 Times Online Interviews John Hannah 15 June 2010 Times Online Interview with John Hannah 15 June 2010 Inside track: John Hannah - The 48-year-old actor talks about prolapsed discs, Pilates and his love of cycling I had therapy for half a year or so when my career started to take off. I didn’t do it because I felt that success had changed me, but it changed the way people saw me. I needed to get some perspective. In the end there isn’t any easy way of boiling down what you learn, other than you just have to get on with things. I’m hard on myself but at the same time, I’m pleased with where I am in life. I’m from a Scottish, Protestant, working-class background and I push myself, but I’m not ridiculously ambitious. (Reported by Barbara Davies) Read More     15 June 2010 Lucy Lawless Origo(teve) Hungarian Interview - English Translation (Origo)teve has an interview with Lucy which was posted 14 June 2010. The interview is in Hungarian. Mesh has translated the interview into English [Origo]teve Interview with Lucy Lawless 14 June 2010 We know Lucy Lawless as the title character of Xena, audiences can currently see her starring on HBO’s Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Thanks to HBO Hungary we travelled to the 50th Monte Carlo Television Festival, where we sat down for a chat with the actress. In the ten minutes allocated to us, she told us that she wouldn’t for the world have lived in the “dark and stinky” ancient times, but she respects the TV company that dared tackle a Roman themed show that is rather violent and erotic. Lawless is satisfies with her Hungarian voice double, Anna Orosz – at least visually. (I’m guessing she met her, but hasn’t heard her? Or is this a joke, that she likes how Xena looks in any language? LOL) Read Full Interview     15 June 2010 Official Lesley-Ann Acting Reel Released Lesley-Ann's official acting reel has been released which showcases her work on Spartacus: Blood and Sand and Diplomatic Immunity. Watch video on Lesley-Ann Brandt's Video Channel     15 June 2010 Lucy in Monte-Carlo Photo Update Added 3 new medium resolution images from the closing ceremony at Monte-Carlo from Wire Image. View those images here I have also posted the high resolution images from the Photocall/photoshoot and the Closing Ceremony as well for those that haven't been able to downlaod them. View those images here LINKED PHOTOS There is a beautiful photo of Lucy on TelePoche's Photos on Facebook. Click here to view (Reported by Adi)     15 June 2010 Lucy Interview With SeriesLive - English Translation Lucy was interviewed by the French site SeriesLive.com on 14 June 2010. The interview is in French but Valerie translated it for us non-French speakers to enjoy. Submitted by Valerie and Adi. Lucy Lawless: "Critics are too uptight for Spartacus!" Serieslive.com 14 June 2010 The actress divulges that she will be back in the prequel and in season 2 of Spartacus. Irresistible Lucy Lawless ! It’ an amazing actress that we’ve discovered this morning at the Monte Carlo festival. Smouldering (glowing) eyes, femme fatale, funny and warm: an incredible “little” woman (affectionate in French). Read Full Article     14 June 2010 Lucy and Ariane Kranz Monte Carlo TV Festival Video + Translation I received a lovely note from Roland from Music & Media Promotion alerting me to a video they have just posted on YouTube. It's a short clip of Lucy Lawless and Ariane Kranz goofing around. Lucy is talking German. Roland was kind enough to send me the translation in English and in German (see below the video) Lucy: We are doing a movie. Ariane: My ugly eyes ... Lucy: Oh no no... Ariane: No no no no - so Frau Kranz ... Lucy: Ariane, hold on, hold on! She said that she had ugly eyes, but I do not agree with it, but now we both have our glasses on and we are so mysterious. Ariane: Mysterious. Lucy: We are a spy ... spies. Ariane: I tremble, you make it, you take the camera, I tremble. Lucy: Should I interview you? I'm doing the interview. Ariane: You don't have to interview me. I have nothing to tell. Lucy: But now ... UGLY EYES! No, not at all, not at all ... She is quite strange ... and in German Lucy: Wir machen ein Movie. Ariane: My ugly eyes ... Lucy: Oh no no... Ariane: No no no no - so Frau Kranz ... Lucy: Ariane, warte mal, warte mal! Sie sagte, das sie hässliche Augen hätte, aber ich stimme nicht dazu, aber jetzt haben wir beide unsere Brillen an und wir sind so mysteriös. Ariane: Mysterious. Lucy: Wir sind Spionin ... Spioninnen. Ariane: Ich zittere, mach du mal, nimm du mal die Kamera, ich zittere. Lucy: Soll ich dich interviewen? Ich mache das Interview. Ariane: Du brauchst mich nicht zu interviewen, ich habe ja gar nichts zu erzählen. Lucy: Jetzt ist aber ... HeSLICHE AUGEN! Nein, gar nicht, gar nicht ... Sie ist ganz komisch ...     14 June 2010 New AUSXIP Video Channel - Lesley-Ann Brandt AUSXIP Video has a new video channel dedicated to all things Lesley-Ann Brandt. Currently there are clips from Spartacus (officially released by Starz) and some episode promos which feature Lesley-Ann as Naevia. There are also videos related to LAB's role on Diplomatic Immunity with Craig Parker. Click here to view videos     13 June 2010 Katrina Law Answers Fan Questions Katrina Answers Fan Questions June 2010 Katrina recently took the time to answer questions posed to her on her Facebook page. The questions range from her music, a typical day for Katrina before and after Spartacus, guest starring on Legend of the Seeker as a Mord'sith and much more. Read Fan Q&A     13 June 2010 Lucy & Peter Video Highlights 50th Monte-Carlo Television Festival These are the highlights from the official video highlights reel as produced by the 50th Monte-Carlo Television Festival. The video has been edited to show only Lucy Lawless and Peter Mensah with permission from the organisers. Click here to watch Catch up with latest news, video, reports and photos from the Monte-Carlo TV Festival on the AUSXIP Spartacus Monte-Carlo Television Festival Event Page     13 June 2010 Lucy and Peter Video Interview Orange Cinema Series Orange Cinema Series - Cinemax has a very lengthy interview with Lucy and Peter from the Monte-Carlo TV Festival. It's in French but Lucy and Peter respond in English and it gets translated. The interview takes place a quarter of the way in. (reported by Adi) VIDEO The interview starts at 15:00 minutes and ends at 26:00 minutes spanning three different interviews. Lucy and Peter are followed by the cast of Glee. Click here to view SCREENCAPTURES Created some screencaptures of Lucy and Peter from the French interview on Orange TV. Click here to view Catch up with latest news, video, reports and photos from the Monte-Carlo TV Festival on the AUSXIP Spartacus Monte-Carlo Television Festival Event Page     13 June 2010 More Lucy & Peter Pics from Monte-Carlo More pics of Lucy and Peter from the Monte-Carlo Television Festival 9-10 June 2010 Clicking on the thumbnails will take you to the hosting site for the pics. (Reported by Adi) Catch up with latest news, video, reports and photos from the Monte-Carlo TV Festival on the AUSXIP Spartacus Monte-Carlo Television Festival Event Page     12 June 2010 Lucy & Peter Full Press Interview Video CineTVBuzz sent me a note to alert me they have posted the full interview from the Monte-Carlo Television Festival. Lucy and Peter field questions from journalists about Spartacus. Click here to view Catch up with latest news, reports and photos from the Monte-Carlo TV Festival on the AUSXIP Spartacus Monte-Carlo Television Festival Event Page     12 June 2010 AUSXIP Interviews Manu Bennett 10 June 2010 AUSXIP Interviews Manu Bennett by MaryD - 10 June 2010 Manu Bennett is Crixus, champion gladiator on Spartacus Blood and Sand. I am delighted to interview Manu who is a fan favourite. This interview is slightly longer than normal as it has two sections. The first section is the AUSXIP Interview where we get to know more about Manu, the man, father and actor and the second section is where Manu answers questions submitted by fans. Learn more about Manu Bennett, how interests in ballet, music and rugby were channelled into his love for acting, what it means to be a father, his acting role models, working on Spartacus and what it's like working on the set. Read exclusive AUSXIP Interview     12 June 2010 Fan Q&A with Manu Bennett AUSXIP Interviews - Fan Q&A with Manu Bennett - 10 June 2010 Recently fans were asked to submit their questions to Lesley-Ann (Naevia) and Manu Bennett (Crixus), the super couple of Season 1, below are Manu's responses. You can read Lesley-Ann's answers here Read Manu Bennett Answers Fan Questions     12 June 2010 Video Links for Lucy & Peter at Monto-Carlo TV Festival Here are some video highlights of the Monte-Carlo TV Festival. Lucy and Peter are briefly seen and in the first video, Peter talks about the show and the blood and Lucy talks about Andy and how well he is now. - Lucy and Peter talk about Spartacus and Andy - Official Monte-Carlo TV Festival Video Part 1 (Lucy and Peter are at about 2:15 minutes into the video)- - Official Monte-Carlo TV Festival Video - Best of 10 June Catch up with latest news, reports and photos from the Monte-Carlo TV Festival on the AUSXIP Spartacus Monte-Carlo Television Festival Event Page     12 June 2010 Katrina Law Putting The Law Into Spartacus Runway Magazine Runway Magazine has a great article on Katrina and some gorgeous photos. Check it out now on AUSXIP Katrina Law - The Official Katrina Law Fan Site Press section Runway Magazine Summer 2010 Katrina Law - Putting the Law Into Spartacus Given an hour's notice to pack a bag for Paris, France, emerging actress Katrina Law decides to bring hiking shoes, a camera and plenty of Sweatpants Quoi?! To her credit, she also adds that she would include “extra high” peep-toe shoes and a little black dress. After understanding the many dimensions of this rising star, perhaps her packing style will make more sense. It seems this woman has done it all, yet she’s barely just begun. Best known for her role as Mira on the hot new Starz show Spartacus, Katrina’s debut began with none other than John Travolta in Lucky Numbers. She has dabbled in a healthy array of artistic trades. Not only is She an accomplished dancer and a once Miss New Jersey Teen USA, but she has also played the trumpet and soccer, practiced gymnastics, and even does stand-up comedy. Read More     12 June 2010 High Resolution Lucy and Peter Photocall Photos The high resolution photos of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival photocall / photoshoot have been posted on the Wim Heitinga's Celebrities Blog site. These contain all the high resolution images from the photocall. Absolutely gorgeous. Click here to view To read the reports and view other photos from the event go to AUSXIP Spartacus Monte-Carlo Television Festival event page     12 June 2010 Lucy and Peter Photos & Reports by Barbara Bruno Barbara Bruno attended the 2010 Monte-Carlo Television Festival and got the opportunity to meet with Lucy and Peter. She has sent in her reports of the meetings for the 9th June and the 10th June along with some gorgeous photos Read the reports and view the pictures on the AUSXIP Spartacus Monte-Carlo Television Festival Event Page     11 June 2010 Lucy & Peter Photos Closing Ceremony Added five images of Lucy and Peter from the closing ceremony of the 2010 Monte-Carlo Television Festival in addition the photoshoot. Click here to view The AUSXIP Spartacus 2010 Monte-Carlo Television Festival event page will be updated with links, images and other multimedia     11 June 2010 Lucy & Peter Press Interview Audio Highlights The following are highlights from the interview Lucy and Peter did for the press during the 2010 Monte Carlo Television Festival. The audio file can be found here (bottom of the page). The transcript and audio contains MINOR spoilers for the prequel and Season 2. Lucy Lawless and Peter Mensah Interview Highlight 10 June 2010 by MaryD - Lucy says Lucretia in Season 2 engages in behaviour so bad that Lucy didn't think was possible. (Season 2) - Lucy and Peter were asked for set stories Peter: "have you seen John Hannah naked?" Lucy: Told the story about John's sense of humour and keeping everyone laughing. - Peter was asked about his stunt work. Peter said he does his own stunts but there is a brilliant stunt crew that keep them are all safe. Continue reading Lucy & Peter Press Interview Audio Highlights.     11 June 2010 Lucy & Peter At Monte-Carlo Television Festival Images & Audio Lucy and Peter attended the 2010 Monte-Carlo Television Festival on 9-10 June 2010. The 2010 Monte-Carlo Event page has been created which has all the image and audio links for this event. Also available are photos hosted on AUSXIP and a 25 minute audio interview that was held for the press with Lucy and Peter. The AUSXIP Spartacus 2010 Monte-Carlo Television Festival event page will be updated with links, images and other multimedia as they come in. News just in: Barbara Bruno reports that Lucy did not win the award for best actress for Spartacus (?!). Reported by: Lori Boyles, Barbara Davies, Barbara Bruno & Adi Click to view     10 June 2010 Lucy and Peter at Monte-Carlo TV Festival First Report Barbara Bruno sent me a short report of meeting Lucy and Peter at the Monte Carlo Television Festival. Barbara will be sending photos to share on AUSXIP soon. I just came back from a beautiful evening where I met Lucy and Peter Mensah. I took some pictures of them before, during and after the interview for Orange Cinema where they promoted Spartacus. I couldn't do any video as the audio was not available to the public. Lucy wore a beautiful red dress and shoes with high heels. She looked stunning. Tomorrow I am going to be at the award ceremony and hopefully I'll get more pictures. Stay tuned...     10 June 2010 New Section Spartacus Events Page AUSXIP Spartacus has a new section to bring together all the promotional events related to the show. You will now be able to find the various events in one easy location rather than searching through the archives for the event information. Go to AUSXIP Spartacus Events Page For coverage of Video Interviews and Written Interviews please check the AUSXIP Video Spartacus Interview Channel or the Press Archive Over the coming days I'm hoping to break down those interviews in the press archive to the individual actors. For the Video interviews you can access the individual actors by going to: Lucy Lawless | Andy Whitfield | John Hannah | Erin Cummings     10 June 2010 UK Ratings for Season 1 Episode 3 Legend The ratings for Season 1 Episode 3 Legends in the UK is now available and it generated 273,000 (1.6%) viewers. (Reported by Eddy) UK Ratings for Previous Episodes Episode 1 - 365,000 viewers Episode 2 - 355,000 viewers S1 E03 - Legends Though Spartacus proved himself during training and now wears the attire of a gladiator, his coarse attitude and relentless quest to see his wife isolates him from his fellow gladiators and Doctore. USA - 2010 Credits | Official Page | Episode Stills | Episode Promos #1 #2 #3 #4 US Airdate: 05 February 2010 | Rating: 0.858 million (US)     10 June 2010 Favourite TV Hunk & Andy as Bond Hollywood Spy is holding a poll as to who is the favourite TV hunk. Andy has some pretty strong competition there so hop on over to Hollywood Spy and vote! Hollywood Spy (poll is on the right hand side) (Reported by Miroslav) ANDY AS JAMES BOND Louise, one of the gals from the Andy Whitfield Facebook Page has alerted me that they have organised another facebook page but this time it's to get Andy to be the next James Bond! Support the cool and collected Welshman Andy Whitfield to be the next 007. Andy is well known from his role as Spartacus in Starz series Spartacus: Blood and Sand. His movie Gabriel was a hit in Australia. The Clinic is his next movie to be released soon. Click here to join     9 June 2010 Monte Carlo Television Festival Schedule & Press Book Lucy and Peter are scheduled to appear at the Monte Carlo Televison Festival on Thursday 10 June between 1:20 pm and 2:00 pm. The official press book has also been released with the following writeup about the show, Lucy and Peter. SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND Not sure what Kirk Douglas makes of it, but one of the surprise hits of the television season has been the Starz drama competition entry: “Spartacus: Blood and Sand.” And sex.. Oh, and lots more sex. Continue reading Monte Carlo Television Festival Schedule & Press Book.     9 June 2010 AUSXIP Spartacus 2010 Comic Con Event Page The AUSXIP Spartacus 2010 Comic Con Event page has been created where you can find all the news and upcoming multimedia from the convention. At the moment it's just has the news about Andy's confirmation that he will be at the con and the 2009 Comic Con photos (Lucy, Peter, Erin, Rob and Steven) and the full panel video. Click here to access the page     9 June 2010 Comic Con Spartacus Panel Update Andy will be at the 41st annual Comic-Con International San Diego, July 22-25 at the San Diego Convention Center as part of the Spartacus panel. Confirmation of a Spartacus panel has also been posted on the Seat42F site but no date as to when the panel will be on. Unfortunately all tickets have been sold for all days. Lori (co-editor of the AUSXIP Erin Cummings Official Fan Site) will be attending the convention. We hope to bring you the latest news and images.     9 June 2010 Andy Cancer Free and Heading To Comic Con Deadline Hollywood has an article about Andy's clean bill of health and the news that he will be going to Comic-Con to promote Spartacus Deadline Hollywood 8 June 2010 'Spartacus' Star Andy Whitfield Is Cancer-Free & Ready To Return To The Starz Series Spartacus star Andy Whitfield has been given a clean bill of health and is already training for his return to the set of the Starz drama series. "I'm raring to go," Whitfiled said in a phone interview from New Zealand. Fans will be able to meet the actor at next month's Comic Con where Whitfield will make an appearance along with other actors and producers from Starz's breakout series Spartacus: Blood and Sand. ... Whitfield shaved his head after starting to lose his hear during chemo but it is already growing back and he will have his trademark Spartacus hairdo shortly. Read Article     8 June 2010 Lucy At Monte Carlo TV Festival on 10 June - CONFIRMED Lucy and Peter were due to attend the Monte Carlo Television Festival where Lucy, Andy, John and Spartacus were nominated for awards. There was some speculation that Lucy may not be attending given the passing of her father-in-law, Robert H. Tapert. The funeral is tomorrow (8 June) According to the following tweet from the the German Radio host of Stars and Stories (see http://www.audioway.de/ ) Lucy is scheduled to be in Monte Carlo on 10 June and seems to be based on the schedule she's received from the TV Festival organisers http://twitter.com/ArianeKranz Lucy Lawless: June 10, 2010 – 50th Monte-Carlo Television Festival, 50ème Festival de Télévision de Monte-Carlo #montecarlo2010 #lucylawless about 6 hours ago via web (Reported by Barbara Davies) Received an update from Barbara Bruno who has received confirmation that Lucy will be at the festival on 10 June. Yesterday I called the TV Festival staff and I asked if Lucy is confirmed, they said yes, Lucy is going to be there the 10th of June. To be sure I asked Sharon too, and she told me Lucy is going to be there for sure. (Reported by Barbara Bruno)     8 June 2010 AUSXIP Charity Auction Final Donation Amounts As many of you know the AUSXIP Charity Auction was held in March and I have the final amounts that were raised. This figure blows me away and every time I look at it, I am AMAZED at the generosity of you, the fans. What's even more incredible is that with the global financial situation as it is, you still dug deep and it's an incredible gift. It's not just the financial support but also the moral support from those who couldn't donate but who supported the auction and promoted it. You guys are just the best! STARSHIP FOUNDATION Lucy's charity is The Starship Foundation which raises money for Starship Hospital in Auckland. Total amount raised: $13,110 RENEE O'CONNOR OUTREACH FUND Renee's charity is The Renee O'Connor Outreach Fund. Renee allocates the money to a worthy cause and this year it was to raise funds for the the earthquakes in Haiti/Chili. Total amount raised: $3,500 THE LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY (Crystal Chappell) This year we added Crystal's chosen charity and a way to raise money for the half marathon Crystal was running (held over the weekend) for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Total amount raised: $1,000 That gives us a grand total of $17,610 Continue reading AUSXIP Charity Auction Final Donation Amounts.     7 June 2010 AUSXIP Interviews Craig Parker June 2010 AUSXIP Interviews Craig Parker Interviewed by MaryD Craig Parker is Legatus Glaber on Spartacus Blood and Sand. I am delighted to interview Craig who is a fan favourite spanning multiple fandoms from Xena, Legend of the Seeker, Spartacus Blood and Sand and of course Lord of the Rings. The interview started off being serious but quickly turned into one of the funniest I've done for AUSXIP Interviews. From theatresports to Legatus Glaber, learn more about Craig Parker. Read Interview     6 June 2010 Andy Article in Aussie TV Soap Magazine April 2010 The Australian magazine TV Soap April 2010 issue has a two page article on Andy. Australian TV Soap Magazine 14 April 2010 Nudity Is Easy While Andy Whitfield may seem vaguely familiar, he's set to gain worldwide popularity as Spartacus in a new series, comfortably semi-naked. View Scans     4 June 2010 Australian Muscle & Fitness Magazine June 2010 Scans Australian Muscle & Fitness Magazine June 2010 Issue has 10 page article on the boys from Spartacus training at Gladiator School. In preparation for a new tv show Spartacus: Blood and Sand, more than a dozen actors and stuntmen were transformed into gladiators - all in about a month. The article is great look at how one trainer turned these men into gladiators. The photos are INCREDIBLE. The photos are of Manu Bennett (Crixus), Daniel Feuerriegel (Agron) and Antonio Te Maioho (Barca) Click here to view scans / article     4 June 2010 Dutch TV Spartacus Ratings Season 1 Just received the Dutch TV ratings for Season 1 from Eddy. Eddy's did a great job in collating all the figures. Regarding the ratings dip for Episode 12, Eddy said "Ep. 12 has, in my opinion, less viewers because RTL4 (same company) had a movie at the same time," All data collected from: http://www.kijkonderzoek.nl/ (in Dutch)     4 June 2010 Site Becomes Official Fan Site AUSXIP Katrina Law News & Multimedia now an Official Fan Site. I am very pleased to announce that AUSXIP Katrina Law News & Multimedia has become the Official Katrina Law Fan Site. Details to follow about what to expect!     3 June 2010 The Sexiest Women of Fantasy The Torch Online is having a poll... The Sexiest Women of Fantasy, 2009-2010. In their selection is Lucy Lawless as Lucretia, Lesley-Ann Brandt as Naevia and Katrina Law as Mira. What? No Viva Bianca as Ilithyia or Erin Cummings as Sura? They state: Last year, we began what is now officially our annual tradition of the sexiest characters of fantasy. This year, we’re doin’ ya one better — we’re going to let YOU, our readers, decide for yourselves. The guidelines are simple. One, we are judging characters for their sex appeal, not actors, so even if you happen to find Cate Blanchett the sexiest lady around, I think we can all agree that her turn as Galadriel didn’t exactly turn up the heat. Two, we are specifically dealing with fantasy characters and not sci-fi, which means that Trinity, Aeon Flux, etc. are out of the running. Superheroes are okay, but we’re mostly going for high fantasy or urban fantasy, a la Legend of the Seeker, True Blood, and the like. Three, we’re looking for recent entries into the world of fantasy. Basically, the character has to have appeared in an entertainment project released from 2009 to 2010. (Reported by Barbara Davies) Click here to vote     3 June 2010 John Hannah Video #4 & Transcript Bravo has 4 exclusive interviews with John Hannah. Unfortunately they are exclusive to UK visitors. Barbara Davies who lives in the UK was kind enough to transcribe the interviews. John Hannah Interview Transcript #4 Transcribed by Barbara Davies In John's final interview he chats about history, education, and talking to interviewers John: "Getting started in the business is like Oz, it's like the yellow brick road. All roads lead eventually to whatever it is that you end up doing. If you end up doing this, you've probably fallen into it rather than had any kind of plan. And I fell into this trying to get away from something else, trying to look for something else to do. Somebody suggests something, you go along, you audition - whether it's for a job, whether it's for drama school, you just give it a go. And that was it, before you know it, Bob's your Uncle, Fanny's your Auntie, and you're cooking with gas. Continue reading John Hannah Video #4 & Transcript.     3 June 2010 John Hannah Video #2 & Transcript Bravo has 4 exclusive interviews with John Hannah. Unfortunately they are exclusive to UK visitors. Barbara Davies who lives in the UK was kind enough to transcribe the interviews. Read Interview #1 Transcript here Interview #2 Transcript John Hannah Exclusive Interview - Part 2 John Hannah talks togas, tackle, and the day he punched an old man in the face. Continue reading John Hannah Video #2 & Transcript.     3 June 2010 John Hannah Video #3 & Transcript Bravo has 4 exclusive interviews with John Hannah . Unfortunately they are exclusive to UK visitors. Barbara Davies who lives in the UK was kind enough to transcribe the interviews. John Hannah Interview Transcript #3 Transcribed by Barbara Davies John on the meaning of bravery, family life, and how big his sandals are. John: "Excuse me? How big are my sandals? Er. They're a pair of sandals. They're a size 9 UK size. I had a little platform on them. To make up for the shortness in my psyche. And to be make me about as tall as Lucy so she wasn't always looking down on me when we were close up. Metaphorically, they were pretty bloody big sandals by the end of that show. Continue reading John Hannah Video #3 & Transcript.     3 June 2010 Spartacus Ratings for S1 E02 in the UK UK Ratings for Spartacus Season 1, Episode 02 Sacramentum Gladiatorum have now been posted. The second episode of Bravo's US import Spartacus: Blood and Sand put in a strong performance, attracting 355,000 (2%) from 10pm. It's down a little from the first episode attracting 365,000 viewers a 2.2% audience share. (Reported by Eddy) S1 E02 - Sacramentum Gladiatorum Enslaved in gladiatorial school, the newly christened Spartacus must try to suppress his desire for vengeance when his new master promises to reunite him with his wife. Credits | Official Page | Episode Stills | MaryD's Episode Review | Episode Promo #1 #2 #3 | Episode Recap (SPOILERS) | Ratings Airdate: 29 January 2010 | Rating 0.773 million (US)     Read More Archives