Andy Whitfield was best known for his role as the main character Spartacus in the series Spartacus: Blood and Sand. The actor was born in Wales but it was Australia where he began his acting career and went on to rise to prominence for Spartacus. Whitman had initially moved to Australia to work as an engineer but after settling in Sydney, he took up acting and started appearing in several Australian television series.
The Welsh-Australian actor procured his first important role in the Australian film Gabriel which was released in 2007. In 2010, he obtained the titular role in the first season of Spartacus, Blood and Sand.
Unfortunately in the same year, he was diagnosed with stage IV non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He immediately began undergoing treatment in New Zealand and was declared cancer free. However, a few months later, a relapse occurred and he grievously passed away on 11 September 2011 at the mere age of just 39.
Even though Andy Whitfield was mostly popular for starring in and as Spartacus, there are several other TV shows and movies featuring him. In this article, we shall provide a list of such TV shows and movies that celebrate the legacy of the late actor.
- Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Nothing else could top the list of Andy Whitfield starrer TV shows and movies other than Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Blood and Sand, the first season of a three-seasons show was aired from January 22 to April 16, 2010. The series portrays the tale of the historical figure Spartacus,a Thracian gladiator who led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic from 73 to 71 BC.
Andy Whitfield plays the titular role and was to return for the same for the successive seasons. But unfortunately, his cancer caused him to step back from the role after the first season itself following which Liam McIntyre took up the mantle of Spartacus.
Spartacus: Blood and Sand consists of 13 episodes and was immensely eulogized following its premiere.
- McLeod’s Daughters
McLeod’s Daughters is an Australian drama television which was aired from 2001 to 2009. The series contains a total of 8 seasons and 224 episodes along with a telemovie.
The series is set in the countryside where two estranged sisters Claire and Tess are reunited after 20 years and inherit their family’s ranch after their father dies. The entire show showcases a huge cast including Andy Whitfield.
However, Whitfield features in the show as a guest star only in one episode and not in a prominent role. He appears as Brett Samuels in episode 4 of season 8 titled “Nowhere to Hide”.
P.S: Dustin Clare, who plays Gannicus in Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (a prequel to Spartacus: Blood and Sand) also features in McLeod’s Daughters in one of the main roles.
- Gabriel
Gabriel was the first film in Andy Whitfield’s filmography career. Whitfield plays the titular character of Gabriel in this Australian fantasy horror. The film presents the tale of Gabriel, an archangel who battles the fallen angels and fights evil in his attempt to bring light to Purgatory- a place where darkness rules.
The film was released in 2007 and was nominated for AACTA Award for Best Visual Effects or Animation.
Gabriel is directed by Shane Abbess.
- All Saints
All Saints was an immensely popular Australian drama series distributed by Seven Networks. Premiered back in 1998, the show includes 12 seasons and an aggregate of 493 episodes. It is a medical drama that explores the goings-on in Ward 17(also known as the Garbage Ward) which takes the overflow from the other wards in a busy hospital.
Andy Whitfield plays the role of Matthew Parkes in one episode of the show. He appears in episode 7 of season 2 titled “Opening Up” which was aired in 2004.
IMDb rates All Saints at 7.1 out of 10.
- The Strip
Next up in the list is another Australian drama series The Strip. The series consists of only one season containing 13 episodes.
The Strip was aired from 4 September to 27 November 2008 on Nine Network.
Andy Whitfield features in the show Charlie as Palmer in episodes 2 and 7. The Strip is rated with a decent 6.2 on IMDb.
P.S: Aaron Jeffery who played a prominent role in McLeod’s Daughters and was Andy Whitfield’s co-star stars in The Strip in the leading role.
- The Clinic
Starring Andy Whitfield in a prominent role, The Clinic is an Australian horror thriller directed by James Rabbitts. The film depicts the endeavors of Beth, a pregnant woman whose baby is taken from her after she is abducted, to get her child back.
Andy Whitfield plays the character of Cameron, Beth’s fiancé. The film was released in 2010 and was produced by The Little Film Company.
- Packed to the Rafters
Packed to the Rafters is a family-oriented comedy-drama television series. It includes 6 seasons and 122 episodes. It was created by Bevan Lee.
Andy Whitfield stars in the show as a guest star. He plays Nick Leigh in the first episode of season 1 titled “All in the Planning”.
The show was widely-acclaimed throughout Australia and went on to receive several accolades. It was awarded the Logie award and consistently remained among the top 5 shows of the year throughout its run.
It is rated 85% on JustWatch and 7.5 on IMDb.
- Be Here Now
Released posthumously in 2015, Be Here Now is a documentary on the life of Andy Whitfield. It displays the brave journey of the actor and his family during the time he underwent chemotherapy treatment for non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
It initially premiered at the 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival and was later released on Netflix as Be Here Now: The Andy Whitfield Story.
Directed by Lilibet Foster, the documentary has received overwhelming critical responses. It is rated with a pre-eminent rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and also boasts a rating of 8.5 on IMDb.
Bonus- Spartacus: Gods of the Arena
Spartacus: Gods of the Arena was a prequel series to Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Andy Whitfield does not act in the series but lends his voice in the last episode called “The Bitter End”.
