:Andy Whitfield

{{Infobox person

| name = Andrew Whitfield

| image = Andy Whitfield by Gage Skidmore.jpg

| imagesize =

| caption = Whitfield at San Diego Comic-Con, July 2010

| birth_date = {{birth date|1971|10|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Amlwch, Anglesey, Wales

| death_date = {{death date and age|2011|09|11|1971|10|17|df=y}}

| death_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

| occupation = Actor

| yearsactive = 2004–2011

| spouse = {{ubl|{{marriage|Vashti Whitfield|2001}}}}

| children = 2

}}

Andrew Whitfield (17 October 1971 – 11 September 2011) was a Welsh actor. He was best known for his leading role in the Starz television series Spartacus: Blood and Sand.[http://www.starz.com/originals/spartacus/videos/#/episode-201 Spartacus: Vengeance episode 201] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519070729/http://www.starz.com/originals/spartacus/Videos/#/episode-201 |date=19 May 2012–}} ending credits at 54:00 time mark

Early life and career

Andrew Whitfield was born on October 17, 1971, in Amlwch, Anglesey. Whitfield and his family came to live in Bull Bay, Anglesey, Wales in 1976.{{Cite web |last=Powell |first=David |date=15 March 2010 |title=Anglesey's Spartacus star Andy Whitfield battling cancer |url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/angleseys-spartacus-star-andy-whitfield-2760928 |access-date=3 August 2022 |website=North Wales Live |language=en}} He attended Ysgol Gynradd Amlwch and then Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones until the age of 18.{{Cite web |title=Spartacus: Our son's battle with cancer and rise to fame |url=https://www.northwaleschronicle.co.uk/news/15751257.spartacus-our-sons-battle-with-cancer-and-rise-to-fame/ |access-date=3 August 2022 |website=North Wales Chronicle |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Awdur |date=15 July 2021 |title=Andy Whitfield |url=https://cyngortrefamlwch.co.uk/andy-whitfield/ |access-date=3 August 2022 |website=Cyngor Tref Amlwch Town Council |language=en-GB}} He studied civil engineering at Sheffield Hallam University in England.University of Sheffield Alumni Office & Sheffield Hallam University Alumni Office in England. He moved to Australia in 1999 to work as an engineer in Lidcombe, before later settling in Sydney.{{cite news|url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2010/09/20/anglesey-born-star-pulls-out-of-spartacus-series-after-cancer-returns-55578-27300997/ |title=Anglesey-born star pulls out of Spartacus series after cancer returns |last=Crump |first=Eryl |date=20 September 2010 |work=Daily Post, North Wales News |access-date=25 April 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929165726/http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2010/09/20/anglesey-born-star-pulls-out-of-spartacus-series-after-cancer-returns-55578-27300997/ |archive-date=29 September 2012 }}{{cite news|url=http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/television/general/view.bg?articleid=1227317|title=Andy Whitfield: A warrior made|last= Amatangelo|first=Amy|date=22 January 2010|work=Boston Herald|access-date=25 January 2010}} He appeared in several Australian television series, such as Opening Up, All Saints, The Strip, Packed to the Rafters, and McLeod's Daughters.

Whitfield gained his first prominent role in the 2007 Australian supernatural film Gabriel.{{cite news|url=http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=1003647 |title=Aussie stars in sex and violence epic |date=25 January 2010 |work=Ninemsn |access-date=25 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128040124/http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=1003647 |archive-date=28 January 2010 |df=dmy }} He also starred in the 2010 television series Spartacus: Blood and Sand, which was filmed in New Zealand. Whitfield also appeared in the Australian thriller The Clinic starring opposite Tabrett Bethell (of Legend of the Seeker fame), which was shot in Deniliquin.{{cite news|url=http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/ecollywood/stories/ecollywood-glenn-close-dwayne-the-rock-johnson-eric-stoltz-lucy-lawless|title=Ecollywood: Glenn Close, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Eric Stoltz, Lucy Lawless and more|last=Miller|first=Gerri|date=21 January 2010|work=Ecollywood|access-date=25 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100123192118/http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/ecollywood/stories/ecollywood-glenn-close-dwayne-the-rock-johnson-eric-stoltz-lucy-lawless|archive-date=23 January 2010|url-status=dead}}

In August 2010, Whitfield teamed up with Freddie Wong and created a two-minute YouTube video named "Time Crisis", based on the video game series of the same name.{{YouTube|NKogQf9ooR8}} Whitfield made a brief, uncredited, voice-only appearance in the prequel miniseries Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, which premiered on 21 January 2011.{{cite web|title='Spartacus': 'Gods of the Arena' or gods of TV?|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2010/08/tca-press-tour-spartacus-gods-of-the-arena-.html|author=Kennedy, Gerrick D.|work=TCA Press Tour|date=7 August 2010 |via=Los Angeles Times|access-date=7 October 2010}}

A documentary titled Be Here Now premiered at the 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/2015-los-angeles-film-festival-793617|title=Los Angeles Film Festival Unveils Lineup|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=5 May 2015 |language=en|access-date=13 February 2020}} It follows Whitfield and his family as he undergoes chemotherapy treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.{{Cite web|url=https://www.beherenowfilm.com/the-film|title=The Film|website=coming-soon-dev|language=en|access-date=13 February 2020}} It was later released on Netflix as Be Here Now: The Andy Whitfield Story.{{Cite web|url=https://www.netflix.com/title/80061160|title=Be Here Now {{!}} Netflix|website=netflix.com|language=en|access-date=13 February 2020|archive-date=24 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224161632/https://www.netflix.com/title/80061160|url-status=dead}}

Illness and death

In March 2010, Whitfield was diagnosed with stage IV non-Hodgkin lymphoma and began undergoing immediate treatment in New Zealand.{{cite magazine|last=Ausiello |first=Michael |title='Spartacus' delayed as star Andy Whitfield undergoes cancer treatment |url=http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/03/09/spartacus-star-andy-whitfield-has-cancer/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100311235713/http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/03/09/spartacus-star-andy-whitfield-has-cancer/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 March 2010 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=7 October 2010 }} This delayed the production of season two of Spartacus: Vengeance. While waiting for Whitfield's treatment and expected recovery, Starz produced a six-part prequel, Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, with only a brief voiceover from the actor. Although declared cancer-free in June 2010, a routine medical check in September 2010 revealed a relapse{{cite web|url=http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/212186/20110912/non-hodgkin-s-lymphoma-killed-spartacus-actor-andy-whitfield.htm#.UC2YIs-uliU |title=Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma Killed 'Spartacus' Actor Andy Whitfield |date=12 September 2011 |publisher=au.ibtimes.com |access-date=17 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421053301/http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/212186/20110912/non-hodgkin-s-lymphoma-killed-spartacus-actor-andy-whitfield.htm |archive-date=21 April 2012 |df=dmy }} and Whitfield was compelled to abandon the role.{{cite magazine|url=https://deadline.com/2010/06/spartacus-star-andy-whitfield-is-cancer-free-ready-to-return-to-the-starz-series-45699/|title='Spartacus' Star Andy Whitfield Is Cancer-Free & Ready To Return to the Starz Series|date=8 June 2010|magazine=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=12 September 2011}}{{cite web |url=http://community.starz.com/t5/Spartacus-Blood-and-Sand/Official-Starz-statement-regarding-Andy-Whitfield/td-p/65282 |title=Official Starz statement regarding Andy Whitfield |date=19 September 2010 |publisher=Starz |access-date=12 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903132849/http://community.starz.com/t5/Spartacus-Blood-and-Sand/Official-Starz-statement-regarding-Andy-Whitfield/td-p/65282 |archive-date=3 September 2011 |df=dmy}}{{cite web|url=http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/TV/2010/09/17/Ailing-Whitfield-leaves-Spartacus/UPI-94701284782165/|title=Ailing Whitfield leaves 'Spartacus'|date=17 September 2010|publisher=upi.com|access-date=11 September 2011}} Starz recast Australian actor Liam McIntyre as Whitfield's successor.{{cite web|url=http://starz.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1052|title=Liam Mcintyre Chosen To Play Title Role in New 'Spartacus'|date=17 January 2011|publisher=Starz.mediaroom.com|access-date=11 September 2011}}

On 11 September 2011, Whitfield died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Sydney, Australia, 18 months after his initial cancer diagnosis.{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/5608742/Spartacus-star-Whitfield-dies-aged-39|title=Spartacus star Whitfield dies, age 39|date=12 September 2011|publisher=Stuff.com.nz|access-date=12 September 2011}}{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/spartacus-star-andy-whitfield-39-dies-in-sydney/story-e6frfku0-1226134662983|title=Spartacus star Andy Whitfield, 39, dies in Sydney|date=12 September 2011|work=News.com.au|access-date=12 September 2011}}

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" \|+ Film
scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| Title ! scope="col" \| Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| Notes
align="center"\| 2007 ! scope="row" \| Gabriel \| Gabriel \|
align="center"\| 2010 ! scope="row" \| The Clinic \| Cameron Marshall \|
align="center"\| 2015 ! scope="row" \| Be Here Now \| Himself \| Released posthumously

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+ Film

scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Title

! scope="col" | Role

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes

align="center"| 2007

! scope="row" | Gabriel

| Gabriel

align="center"| 2010

! scope="row" | The Clinic

| Cameron Marshall

align="center"| 2015

! scope="row" | Be Here Now

| Himself

| Released posthumously

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" \|+ Television
scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| Title ! scope="col" \| Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| Notes
align="center"\| 2004 ! scope="row" \| All Saints \| Matthew Parkes \| "Opening Up" (season 2, episode 7)
align="center"\| 2008 ! scope="row" \| The Strip \| Charlie Palmer \| Episodes 2 and 7
align="center"\| 2008 ! scope="row" \| Packed to the Rafters \| Nick Leigh \| "All in the Planning" (season 1, episode 10)
align="center"\| 2008 ! scope="row" \| McLeod's Daughters \| Brett Samuels \| "Nowhere to Hide" (season 8, episode 4)
align="center"\| 2010 ! scope="row" \| Spartacus: Blood and Sand \|Spartacus \| Lead role, 13 episodes
align="center"\| 2011 ! scope="row" \| Spartacus: Gods of the Arena \| Spartacus (voice only, uncredited) \| "The Bitter End" (episode 6)

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+ Television

scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Title

! scope="col" | Role

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes

align="center"| 2004

! scope="row" | All Saints

| Matthew Parkes

| "Opening Up" (season 2, episode 7)

align="center"| 2008

! scope="row" | The Strip