Andy Whitfield (Blood and Sand) Dies

[LordCrumb]

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment...d-dies-aged-39

BREAKING NEWS: Andy Whitfield, the 39-year-old star of the New Zealand-made 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.

[lobo81865]

I saw that as well. Very sad He was good in the Spartacus role, and I heard he was a good guy too. R.I.P.

[OrlandoEastwood]

Aw. That's sad.

[Secretagentnumber6]

Very sad news. Haven't seen much of Spartacus but what I did see, he was terrific in it. A great loss.

[formula_nebula]

That sucks! Was hoping for his return in Spartacus. Too young to die. RIP Andy.

[sfmarine]

What a shame...his career just took off and then he was diagnosed with cancer.

[Ranger-R]