Andy Whitfield used his well-muscled physique to bring excitement to Starz Entertainment’s "Spartacus" series. The actor who battled foes onscreen was also battling cancer, and on Sunday the non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma he’d been battling since being diagnosed in March, 2010 took his life. While Whitfield was born in Wales, he lived in Australia and began his acting career by working in television. Among the shows he acted in early in his career were "All Saints" and "Packed to the Rafters." Whitfield also engaged in modeling.His big break came when he was cast in the Starz series, officially dubbed "Spartacus: Blood and Sand." The highly stylized show featured Whitfield as Spartacus, a man who is at the head of a rebellion against the Roman Empire. Whitfield had been undergoing treatment in New Zealand since last March, when he was first diagnosed. A few months later, it had been announced that he was cancer-free, but a relapse later in 2010 forced him off the show that was his breakthrough.
Whitfield’s wife, Vashti, issued a statement that confirmed the death of her husband, noting, "On a beautiful sunny Sydney morning, surrounded by his family, in the arms of his love 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 helped carry him to this point. He will be remembered as the inspiring, courageous and gentle man, father and husband he was."
