In the lead-up to tonight's premiere of Spartacus: Vengeance, four of the show’s returning cast, Manu Bennett (Crixus), Nick Tarabay (Ashur), Craig Parker (Gaius Claudius Glaber) and Dan Feurriegel (Agron), spoke with reporters about the new season of Starz's hit sword-and-sandals drama.
It was clear from the conversation that the actors get along with each other, something Bennett attributed to the fact that they all enjoy the series. But when it came to the question of who’s the biggest prankster on the set, there was some disagreement, with Tarabay suggesting if a camera captured what the actors do behind the scenes, it would be a comedy.
Parker said such an atmosphere was necessary, however.
"While these characters are doing terrible things to each other, as actors we are playing with each other," he said. "We're having the great joy and pleasure of working on great scripts with great actors. So the humor does become very black and very twisted, but it definitely has to be there, I think."
The new season picks up in the aftermath of the bloody escape from the House of Batiatus in Spartacus: Blood and Sand, with the gladiator rebellion striking fear into the heart of the Roman Republic. But as the revolt takes hold, Gaius Claudius Glaber and his troops are sent to Capua to crush the growing band of former slaves, leaving Spartacus with a choice: satisfy his thirst for vengeance or make the sacrifices necessary to keep his fledgling army together.
Asked about new leading man Liam McIntyre, all four admitted the chemistry changed with his addition to the cast. However, they had nothing but praise for the actor, whom they described as humble and goodhearted — something they said was also true of the late Andy Whitfield. "Liam came on to our set with a very open heart, and I think there’s something very Spartacus about that," Bennett said. "Liam is a very humble person and has gifted us all with his openness. And that reads itself into the role."
