September 2011 Archives   30 September 2011 Jai Courtney In New Movie With Tom Cruise Very cool news about Jai (Varro from Season 1) from Deadline! Jai Courtney, who starred in the first season of the Starz series Spartacus: Blood and Sand, has landed a lead in One Shot, Paramount’s Christopher McQuarrie-directed drama based on the Lee Child-penned  Jack Reacher novel series...   Read more on Deadline!     28 September 2011 Gods of the Arena Fan Trailer Contest 5K To Win! Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena Fan Trailer Contest $5K Grand Prize. Watch the video to find out how to enter!     23 September 2011 Olansamuelle's Draw Them All Celebrates One Year Online + New Rewatch Strip Legends Olansamuelle's Draw Them All - Spartacus Comic Strip - Re-Watch Season 1 Today is the first anniversary of the Draw Them All Comic Strip! 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 Click here to view art     23 September 2011 Honouring A Fallen Hero - NZ New Idea 26 September 2011 This is an emotional tribute to Andy from the New Zealand New Idea magazine. According to the article, Andy's funeral is on today so spare a few moments and think of Vashti, his children and his friends on this very difficult day where they farewell a husband, a father and a dear friend. They will farewell Andy with a very special haka to honour him. It's a very moving article and quotes from Manu, Lucy and Peter. The article was scanned by Jo.     23 September 2011 Terri's Video Tribute to Andy Whitfield Terri sent me the link to her latest video creation and I'll be honest I started to cry a few seconds into it. It's a beautiful tribute to the man, the actor, the father and husband. Rest in Peace, Andy.       23 September 2011 Tribute To Andy - US TV Guide 26 Sep - 02 Oct 2011 The US TV Guide has a tribute to Andy in the 26 September - 02 October 2011 Issue. Scanned by Lori. Click on the thumbnail for the larger scan     20 September 2011 Spartacus: Gods of the Arena in Europe Here's an update on the release of Spartacus: Gods of the Arena for European fans:   From Swania in Germany: GotA will be released on the 5th of October on RTL Crime (Pay TV). Every Wednesday at 8.15PM From Ulla in Denmark GotA will be released on 26 September on Danish TV3+ at 10:00 pm.     18 September 2011 Butterfly With Broken Wings - Interview with Vashti Whitfield Sunday Telegraph 18 September 2011 The wife of Spartacus star Andy Whitfield tearfully recalls his last words THE beloved wife of actor Andy Whitfield has tearfully recalled the brave Spartacus star's final words to his kids: "I am going to go to sleep now as my body won't work any more. I am like a butterfly with broken wings." Vashti, 38, of Paddington, said the actor had tried to remain strong until the end and never lost hope he would be able to beat non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the cancer which took his life last weekend. He also made an emotional deathbed promise to his young family, telling his children Jesse Red, 6, and Indigo Sky, 4, "I will always be with you and will always be watching over you. I love you." Read More     18 September 2011 Andy Whitfield: The Show Must Go On - Herald On Sunday 18 September 2011       The Herald on Sunday (NZ) 18 September 2011 had the following article about Andy's passing with quotes from Vashti and the Spartacus cast         18 September 2011 Lucy's Spring Clean: Herald On Sunday 18 September 2011 Lucy's Spring Clean Herald On Sunday 18 September 2011 STARSHIP FOUNDATION has kicked off its Spring Clean campaign inviting Kiwis to clean up, clear out and sell off, all in support of the kids at Starship. Celebs have contributed exclusive items which can be bought on Trade Me, including a bespoke suit donated by the Prime Minister, a racing suit and signed gear from Scott Dixon and Spartacus costumes from Lucy Lawless. The warrior princess told Spy she was happy Starz, the American network behind Spartacus, “was kind enough to help out our National Children’s Hospital”. Lawless donated 10 costumes from the hit show, including dresses worn by her and Viva Bianca, gladiator costumes worn by Manu Bennett and Peter Mensah, and a tunic worn by John Hannah. “I asked for Barbara Darragh’s stunning designs for some of our most popular characters – Batiatus, Lucretia, Crixus, Barca and, of course, Spartacus. Who wouldn’t want to walk in their shoes for a day?” Lawless said. “This is the gown I was wearing at the arena the day Spartacus killed Solonius. It was a raucous day of filming, I seem to remember. The gown’s colours reflect the shock and awe of the scene.” Click here for a full list of costumes Lucy has donated Watch Lucy Promote Starship Spring Clean       17 September 2011 Press Release: Starz Remembers The Soul Of A Champion: Andy Whitfield STARZ REMEMBERS THE SOUL OF A CHAMPION: ANDY WHITFIELD, INTERNATIONALLY BELOVED STAR OF ?SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND? Beginning at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 2, Tribute Includes Fan-Favorite Episodes to Showcase His Most Memorable Performances Beverly Hills, Calif., September 16, 2011 ? Andy Whitfield ? an honorable fighter both on and off camera ? will be remembered on STARZ, Sunday, October 2 beginning at 9:00 p.m. (et/pt).   The actor passed away on September 11th and is known internationally for shaping the breakout role of Spartacus, during the first season of the STARZ Original series ?Spartacus: Blood and Sand.? He was chosen after a worldwide search to find the perfect Hollywood star to play the title role with passion and grace. His fans, friends, and colleagues alike have compared Whitefield?s own persona, to that of the noble, brave, honorable gladiator character he played on screen.   STARZ? tribute will showcase five episodes of the ?Spartacus: Blood and Sand? series, including the premiere and finale episodes. The network is set to re-air the entire season of ?Spartacus: Blood and Sand? on December 16, 2011. Continue reading Press Release: Starz Remembers The Soul Of A Champion: Andy Whitfield.     16 September 2011 Olansamuelle's Draw Them All ReWatch Season 1 Episode 2   Olansamuelle's Draw Them All  Spartacus Comic Strip - Re-Watch Season 1 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. Click here to view art     16 September 2011 How to Transfer Money from US to Australia for Andy Whitfield Trust Fund Via Online Way If you are having problems with transferring money from a US bank to the Australian Bank account for the Andy Whitfield Trust Fund or you don't know how to, here is a good site to help you. It lists physical banks and online agencies that can do this for you. Unfortunately sending a check/cheque is not an option because Cheques/Checks will be too problematic from a clearance and tax point of view. The paypal account is in the works. Click here to view All of the money transfer providers listed on this site have been carefully vetted by fxcompared.com, are regulated by the UK Government's Financial Services Authority (FSA) or the appropriate overseas body, and operate segregated client accounts and authorised to transfer money between Australia and USA When you click the 'APPLY/QUOTE' button, you will be directed to the money transfer provider's web site you have chosen where you may need to register/apply to send money online to your chosen country. Click here to view     15 September 2011 New Lucy Lawless Video Interviews with The Celeb Factory Here's 6 videos of Lucy (part of a one interview broken up into segments) talking about Spartacus, Lucretia and aspects of acting. This appears to be either from Comic Con or the TCA event. Lucy Lawless on Andy Whitfield's replacement Lucy Lawless talks about Liam McIntyre, who is set to replace Andy Whitfield on Spartacus.   Lucy Lawless interview on Andy Whitfield Lucy Lawless talks about when Andy Whitfield got diagnosed with cancer. Lucy Lawless on playing Lucretia Lucy Lawless says that the role of Lucretia on Spartacus: Gods of the Arena is a real test of her acting skills. Lucy Lawless on Spartacus' audience Actress Lucy Lawless says that the Spartacus series doesn't have a specific demographic and appeals to a lot of people, so long as they're not ... Lucy Lawless interview on sex scenes After stripping off the clothes for Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, Lucy Lawless says that sex scenes never get easy. Lucy Lawless interview on acting The New Zealand actress talks about her acting style and the roles she gets.     14 September 2011 Spartacus: Gods of the Arena on Itunes Spartacus: Gods of the Arena is now available to download via the US Itunes store All the episodes are available plus the extras 1. Starz Studios - Behind the Scenes 2. In the Beginning 3. Weapons of Mass Disruption 4. 10 Easy Ways To Dismemberment Price for episodes + extras is $17.99 USD for HD and $11.99 for SD     14 September 2011 Tributes To Andy Artwork From Fans Below are some of the artwork I received over the past few days that pays tribute to Andy. Many thanks to the artists. From Klippart Heroic in Life   From Daniel Joseph   From Carpe Chakram   From Maria     13 September 2011 Official Andy Whitfield Trust Fund Set Up and Message From Lucy Hey folks, many people have been asking how they can help Andy's family. Lucy has sent in the following note and way to help the family out - trust fund has been set up where you can donate to help out. UPDATE: I believe TPTB are working on getting a paypal account for people to donate so news of that will be coming soon and a physical address for people to send cheques/checks to. MESSAGE FROM LUCY LAWLESS Dear Friends, a trust fund has been set up for Andy's family. we are all keen to let Vashti know that her unwavering support of her husband's career was very much appreciated. Without her, Andy would never have left his career as a structural engineer to fulfill his dreams. She put her own career on hold to back him up. Filming schedules often leave the partner holding the baby 60 + hours a week for months on end. Andy's wife was a tower of strength through thick and thin. We want her to know how touched we were by his portrayal of Spartacus and how grateful we are for her part in it. Blessings always, Lucy The most important thing for Andy is that his family are supported in their future and so a facility has been established for anyone who wishes to contribute. Bank details for accepting payment to Andy Whitfield's Estate. Please note, this is an AUD currency account based in Australia so any transfers will be deemed foreign transfers on their end. HSBC Bank Australia Account Name: RGM Artist Group Pty Ltd Trust Account Swift Code: HKBAAU2S Branch Code: 343-001 Account No: 206 036 002 Currency: AUD Reference: "Whitfield Donation"     12 September 2011 One Final Leap - Tribute To Andy by Olansamuelle The Final Leap. Tribute by Olansamuelle - click on the thumbnail for the larger image. 'Say not in grief 'he is no more' but live in thankfulness that he was' Hebrew proverb     12 September 2011 Tributes to Andy From His Wife Vashti and Spartacus Cast/Crew The following are tributes to Andy from his beloved wife Vashti, his Spartacus castmates, Starz and others.   VASHTI WHITFIELD The following is a statement from his wife, Vashti Whitfield: 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. He passed peacefully surrounded by love. Thank you to all his fans whose love and support have help carry him to this point. He will be remembered as the inspiring, courageous and gentle man, father and husband he was. Read more tributes here     12 September 2011 Starz Network Comment on Andy's Passing Starz Network Comment on Andy Whitfield: "We are deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend and colleague, Andy Whitfield. 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. Andy was an inspiration to all of us as he faced this very personal battle with courage, strength and grace. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time. He will live on in the hearts of his family, friends and fans." source     12 September 2011 Andy Has Lost His Battle With Cancer 11 September 2011 This is such sad news. After battling against non-Hodgkin Lymphoma after Spartacus Season 1 and going into remission, Andy had to battle once again when the disease came back and for 18 months he was in a fight for his life. Unfortunately this was one opponent he couldn't win against and yesterday, Andy lost the battle and passed away in Sydney. AUSXIP Andy Whitfield, a site for Andy which was started in 2009 will remain as a tribute to the man and the actor. I met Andy in 2009 during the Starship Supernova event. Lucy was there to sing and Andy and other cast members were there for support. He was such a gentle, humble guy. There was something so serene about him. He wasn't what I was expecting "Spartacus" to be. He brought something quite unique to the role. Thank you Andy. My sincerest condolences go out to his wife, his children, his family, and his friends. I suspect his Spartacus castmates are in shock and are mourning the loss of their dear friend. There will be many who didn't know Andy other than on the screen who will also mourn the passing of this great warrior. Rest in peace Andy. The battle is over. AP has posted the following news regarding Andy's passing. 'Spartacus' star Whitfield dies of lymphoma at 39 LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Andy Whitfield, the 39-year-old star of the cable series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," has died. Manager Sam Maydew says Whitfield died Sunday of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in Sydney, Australia. Whitfield's wife Vashti in a statement called her husband a "beautiful young warrior" who died on a "sunny Sydney morning" in the "arms of his loving wife." Whitfield - who was born in Wales and lived in Australia - was a virtual unknown when he was cast as the title hero in "Spartacus," a hit original series for the Starz network that made waves with its graphic violence and sexuality. Whitfield was preparing for the second season when he was diagnosed 18 months ago. In January the network announced that another Australian actor, Liam McIntyre, would take over the role. Source     10 September 2011 Lucy Photos from Spartacus Press Conference Here's some more photos of Lucy from the Spartacus Press Conference back in July just after Comic Con. They are available on Corbis For more images of Lucy at 2011 Comic Con and related events go here Link submitted by Klippart     10 September 2011 2012 Spartacus Calendar Scans Lori just received her 2012 Spartacus Calendar and she sent in the following scans - they look pretty cool: Spartacus Wall Calendar: 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 prime-time entertainment. To survive, he must become more than a man, more than a gladiator. He must become a legend: Spartacus. Starring Andy Whitfield, Lucy Lawless (Xena: Warrior Princess), and John Hannah (The Mummy), Spartacus: Blood and Sand brought a modern, gritty take to the action and intrigue of the epic story and broke all viewership records for the Starz Network. The Spartacus 2012 Wall Calendar features images from the miniseries, first season, and the upcoming prequel. TM and (c) Starz Click here to order a copy     9 September 2011 Four Heroes Spartacus Artwork by Vadim Lisak Added Four Heroes artwork by Vadim Lisak depicting Onomaeous, Spartacus II, Crixus and Gannicus. Click here to view     9 September 2011 ReWatch Spartacus Season 1 - Draw Them All Spartacus Comic Strip Starting today we have a special treat: Olansamuelle is drawing Spartacus: Blood and Sand (Season 1) comic strips by episode. Every Friday a new series of comic strips will be added for the entire 13 episodes from Season 1. Today is Episode 1: The Red Serpent A Thracian warrior, enlisted by the Romans to fight, has his destiny seized by an act of rebellious violence. As punishment, he faces death by being forced to battle in the gladitorial arena. Click here to view the Episode 1 Comic Strips     8 September 2011 Starship Spring Clean Auction Watch + New Items 08 Sept 2011 Here's the latest bid updates for the costumes and Argo, Starship Warrior Princess that are currently being auctioned off for the Starship Spring Clean. Auction Update as at: 08 September 2011. Please note some items are going to close on 22 September and some are going to close 30 September. Lucy's signed box closes 15 September. I've indicated under the link which items are closing at what date. Also please note that the Roman Soldier's outfit - there are two currently on auction with a  third one going up next week.   Lucretia (Lucy Lawless) Red Dress from Spartacus Closes:  Fri 30 Sep 12:00 pm (#403829015) Current Bid: $160 NZD     Argo the Water Horse, by Lucy Lawless Closes:  Fri 30 Sep 12:00 pm (#403840636) Current Bid $124 NZD       NEW! Lucretia (Lucy Lawless) Green Dress from Spartacus Closes: Fri 30 Sep 12:00 pm (#405596116) Current Bid: $1 NZD       NEW!'Illuminate' by Lucy Lawless Closes: Fri 30 Sep 12:00 pm (#405596116) Current Bid: $1 NZD       NEW!Box signed by Lucy Lawless Closes: Thu 15 Sep 12:00 pm (#405647826) Current Bid: $1 NZD       NEW! Doctore (Peter Mensah) costume from Spartacus Closes: Fri 30 Sep 12:00 pm (#405596116) Current Bid: $1 NZD     Illithyia (Viva Bianca) Pink Dress from Spartacus Closes:  Fri 30 Sep 12:00 pm (#403829015) Current Bid: $65 NZD     Crixus (Manu Bennett) costume from Spartacus Closes: Thu 22 Sep 12:00 pm (#403832288) Current Bid: $150 NZD     Gladiator outfit from Spartacus (Barca, Auctus) Closes: Thu 22 Sep 12:00 pm (#403833913) Current Bid: $133 NZD     Roman Soldier Costume from Spartacus Closes: Thu 22 Sep 12:00 pm (#403835303) Current Bid: $71 NZD     NEW! Roman Soldier Costume from Spartacus #2 Closes: Thu 22 Sep 12:00 pm (#405599936) Current Bid: $1 NZD         Batiatus (John Hannah) tunic from Spartacus Closes:  Fri 30 Sep 12:00 pm (#403832982) Current Bid: $40 NZD     8 September 2011 Spring Clean Wave 2 - New Lucy Lawless Auction Items! Here it comes! This is the second wave of Lucy goodies at the Starship Spring Clean Auction that Lucy donated: Hi All, Wave 2 of the Starship Spring Clean launches at midday today (Thursday) New Zealand time and there are some fantastic new items up for grabs. Lucy's green Lucretia dress from Spartacus will be listed as well as the Doctore (Peter Mensah) outfit and a second Roman Soldier costume. We've also got Lucy's "Illumination" photograph that was taken and beautifully mounted for another charity but has very kindly been donated onto us!   And, we've discovered one of last year's Spring Clean boxes (from our ads with Lucy) that she's very kindly signed for us. The New Zealand public can bid on the itemd directly at www.trademe.co.nz/starship. Overseas fans will need to place proxy bids. Anyone interested in registering for proxy bids should check out the auctions, then if you would like to place a proxy bid on any item, please email cindyc@adhb.govt.nz with the following information: * Your name * The auction name and number you wish to bid on * The amount you wish to bid Please Note: (To avoid disappointment we recommend you offer your highest proxy bid at the outset, however, if you wish to monitor the auction as it progresses and place your bids accordingly, please note that the Starship Foundation will use its best endeavours to place your bid on your behalf but cannot guarantee your bid will be placed or that you will be the winning bidder of the item). All personal details will be destroyed immediately after the auctions have finished. For another way to support Starship, Lucy would love you to help the kids by donating at www.starship.org.nz/donation     8 September 2011 Spartacus 2012 Wall Calendar - Cover Art Changed + Ordering Spartacus Wall Calendar: 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 prime-time entertainment. To survive, he must become more than a man, more than a gladiator. He must become a legend: Spartacus. Starring Andy Whitfield, Lucy Lawless (Xena: Warrior Princess), and John Hannah (The Mummy), Spartacus: Blood and Sand brought a modern, gritty take to the action and intrigue of the epic story and broke all viewership records for the Starz Network. The Spartacus 2012 Wall Calendar features images from the miniseries, first season, and the upcoming prequel. TM and (c) Starz Click here to order a copy     7 September 2011 And The Gods Shall Weep Artwork by Klippart Added "And The Gods Shall Weep" by Klippart to the Spartacus Art Gallery   Click here to view     6 September 2011 On Set with Lucy Lawless - Spartacus GotA DVD Review by MaryD It's always a treat to watch behind the scenes footage of shows you enjoy and people you enjoy watching on them. The Region 4 Spartacus: Gods of the Arena DVD has been sitting on my desk for a few days and I just had some time to watch some of the featurettes that come with this edition. First one to be reviewed is On Set with Lucy Lawless (hands up if this is really surprising to anyone that I chose this featurette to review first? Heh). Click here to read review     4 September 2011 Spartacus Casting For Soldiers, Extras Vengeance filming is slowly coming to an end over September and October and the call has gone out for extras. Check out the details below: EXTRAS: Spartacus is currently shooting Season 2 and we need YOU for this terrific show. We are looking for people with Mediterranean, African, Middle Eastern, Roman or Exotic looks. Character faces would be a plus and you need to be between the ages of 18-60 (Men and Women). If in doubt why not take a look at Season 1 or the Prequel as it will give you an idea. They shoot in 3 week blocks and you would need to pretty much be available for a minimum of 3 weeks in one go and you would get anywhere from 1 - 21 days work per episode. It's vital that you are flexible for the duration of the season. Be sure to contact us if you fit the bill and are interested in being part of this awesome production. Location: All regions, New Zealand Payment details: Dependent on Role, but usually $200+ Fee details: Please visit our website for details.   Click here to view more Continue reading Spartacus Casting For Soldiers, Extras.     1 September 2011 Starz to Showcase Spartacus at MIPCOM in October Starz has announced the following regarding upcoming promotion for Spartacus: Starz Media Worldwide Distribution will showcase at MIPCOM the "Spartacus" franchise with "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena," and exciting promotional footage from the upcoming new season -"Spartacus: Vengeance" - launching in the U.S. in January 2012. The Starz Media Worldwide Distribution booth will be located on the MIPCOM show floor at RSV25. MIPCOM runs from October 3-6 in Cannes, France No word yet if any of the cast will be there. MIPCOM is the world's leading content market for creating, co-producing, buying, selling, financing and distributing entertainment across all platforms click here for more about MIPCOM     1 September 2011 Gods of the Arena DVD Video Promo On Set With Lucy Lawless Gods of the Arena DVD Promo – On Set With Lucy Lawless Video clip from Anchor Bay Entertainment. This is a snippet of the behind the scenes footage from the Spartacus Gods of the Arena DVD/ Blu-Ray with the Lucy featurette. Click here to view “On Set With Lucy Lawless” DVD extra clip from the upcoming release of SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA. Also included are the new Special Features TV spot, some stills, cover art, and the original press release. SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA, the exciting STARZ Original series, is ready for battle when Anchor Bay Entertainment releases the prequel to the acclaimed “Spartacus: Blood and Sand” on Blu-ray™ and DVD September 13, 2011. The two-disc collection contains a muscular amount of bonus features including never-before-seen featurettes, bloopers and behind-the-scenes footage (including a set tour with star Lucy Lawless). The Blu-ray is even mightier with extended episodes, audio commentary on all six episodes and a mind-blowing battle sequence in 3D – a first for a TV on Blu-Ray™ release! Executive produced by Rob Tapert, Sam Raimi, Joshua Donen and Steven S. DeKnight, this exhilarating season follows Gannicus, the charismatic gladiator aspiring to become Champion of Capua and of the House of Batiatus. With political ambitions and poised to overthrow his father and take control of the House, a young Batiatus will freely betray anyone to ensure his gladiators are in the highest demand. With his loyal and calculating wife Lucretia by his side, they will stop at nothing to deceive the masses. Joining returning stars, John Hannah as Batiatus, Peter Mensah as Oenomaus and Lucy Lawless as Lucretia, are new cast members Dustin Clare as Gannicus, Jaime Murray as Gaia and Marisa Ramirez as Melitta. With content too hot for cable TV, behind-the-scenes featurettes, deluxe packaging and an amazing 3D battle scene from the final episode, SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA is sure to have fans of the show cheering, while capturing the attention of all those uninitiated into the world of Spartacus – thumbs up, indeed!     Read More Archives