Andy Whitfield, Original Spartacus: Sand Star and Blood, Dead at39

Andy Whitfield, Original Spartacus: Sand Star and Blood, Dead at39 : Andy Whitfield, the British actor who starred on the 1st season of Spartacus: Blood and Sand, has passed away from non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He was 39. Whitfield was diagnosed with treatable Stage 1 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in March of 2010, but determined to be cancer-free two months later, However, Starz announced in September of that year that Whitfield would not be return for the show's 2nd season because he had to undergo “aggressive treatment” for a recurrence of the disease. Australian actor Liam McIntyre was named Whitfield's successor. In a statement released to the Associated Press, it was announced that a “beautiful young warrior,” passed away on a “sunny Sydney morning” in the “arms of his loving wife.” Our thoughts go out to his family and loved ones.