Andy Whitfield Explained

Andy Whitfield
Birth Name:Andrew Whitfield
Birth Date:17 October 1971
Birth Place:Amlwch, Anglesey, Wales
Death Place:Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation:Actor
Yearsactive:2004–2011
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 .[1]

Early life and career

Whitfield and his family came to live in Bull Bay, Anglesey, Wales in 1976.[2] He attended Ysgol Gynradd Amlwch and then Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones until the age of 18.[3] [4] He studied civil engineering at Sheffield Hallam University in England.[5] He moved to Australia in 1999 to work as an engineer in Lidcombe, before later settling in Sydney.[6] [7] 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.[8] He also starred in the 2010 television series , which was filmed in New Zealand.[8] Whitfield also appeared in the Australian thriller The Clinic starring opposite Tabrett Bethell (of Legend of the Seeker fame) which was shot in Deniliquin.[9]

In August 2010, Whitfield teamed up with Freddie Wong and created a 2-minute YouTube video named "Time Crisis", based on the video game series of the same name. Whitfield made a brief, uncredited voice-only appearance in the prequel mini-series , which premiered on 21 January 2011.[10]

A documentary titled Be Here Now premiered at the 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival.[11] It follows Whitfield and his family as he undergoes chemotherapy treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.[12] It was later released on Netflix as Be Here Now: The Andy Whitfield Story.[13]

Illness and death

In March 2010, Whitfield was diagnosed with stage IV non-Hodgkin lymphoma and began undergoing immediate treatment in New Zealand.[14] This delayed production of season two of Spartacus: Vengeance.[14] 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[15] and Whitfield was compelled to abandon the role.[16] [17] [18] Starz recast Australian actor Liam McIntyre as Whitfield's successor.[19]

On 11 September 2011, Whitfield died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Sydney, Australia, 18 months after his initial cancer diagnosis.[20] [21]

Filmography

Film
YearTitleRoleNotes
2007GabrielGabriel
2010The ClinicCameron Marshall
2015Be Here NowHimselfReleased posthumously
Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
2004All SaintsMatthew Parkes "Opening Up" (Season 2, episode 7)
2008The StripCharlie PalmerEpisodes 2 and 7
2008Packed to the RaftersNick Leigh"All in the Planning" (Season 1, episode 10)
2008McLeod's DaughtersBrett Samuels "Nowhere to Hide" (Season 8, episode 4)
2010SpartacusLead role, 13 episodes
2011Spartacus (voice only, uncredited)"The Bitter End" (Episode 6)

Notes and References

  1. http://www.starz.com/originals/spartacus/videos/#/episode-201 Spartacus: Vengeance episode 201
  2. Web site: Powell . David . 15 March 2010 . Anglesey's Spartacus star Andy Whitfield battling cancer . 3 August 2022 . North Wales Live . en.
  3. Web site: Spartacus: Our son's battle with cancer and rise to fame . 3 August 2022 . North Wales Chronicle . en.
  4. Web site: Awdur . 15 July 2021 . Andy Whitfield . 3 August 2022 . Cyngor Tref Amlwch Town Council . en-GB.
  5. University of Sheffield Alumni Office & Sheffield Hallam University Alumni Office in England.
  6. News: Anglesey-born star pulls out of Spartacus series after cancer returns . Crump . Eryl . 20 September 2010 . . 25 April 2011 . dead . 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/ . 29 September 2012 .
  7. News: Andy Whitfield: A warrior made. Amatangelo. Amy. 22 January 2010. Boston Herald. 25 January 2010.
  8. News: Aussie stars in sex and violence epic . 25 January 2010 . . 25 January 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100128040124/http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=1003647 . 28 January 2010 . dmy .
  9. News: Ecollywood: Glenn Close, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Eric Stoltz, Lucy Lawless and more. Miller. Gerri. 21 January 2010. Ecollywood. 25 January 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100123192118/http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/ecollywood/stories/ecollywood-glenn-close-dwayne-the-rock-johnson-eric-stoltz-lucy-lawless. 23 January 2010. dead.
  10. Web site: 'Spartacus': 'Gods of the Arena' or gods of TV?. Kennedy, Gerrick D.. TCA Press Tour. 7 August 2010 . Los Angeles Times. 7 October 2010.
  11. Web site: Los Angeles Film Festival Unveils Lineup. The Hollywood Reporter. 5 May 2015 . en. 13 February 2020.
  12. Web site: The Film. coming-soon-dev. en. 13 February 2020.
  13. Web site: Be Here Now Netflix. netflix.com. en. 13 February 2020. 24 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171224161632/https://www.netflix.com/title/80061160. dead.
  14. Ausiello . Michael . 'Spartacus' delayed as star Andy Whitfield undergoes cancer treatment . https://web.archive.org/web/20100311235713/http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/03/09/spartacus-star-andy-whitfield-has-cancer/ . dead . 11 March 2010 . . 7 October 2010 .
  15. Web site: Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma Killed 'Spartacus' Actor Andy Whitfield . 12 September 2011 . au.ibtimes.com . 17 August 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120421053301/http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/212186/20110912/non-hodgkin-s-lymphoma-killed-spartacus-actor-andy-whitfield.htm . 21 April 2012 . dmy .
  16. 'Spartacus' Star Andy Whitfield Is Cancer-Free & Ready To Return to the Starz Series. 8 June 2010. Deadline Hollywood. 12 September 2011.
  17. Web site: Official Starz statement regarding Andy Whitfield . 19 September 2010 . Starz . 12 September 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110903132849/http://community.starz.com/t5/Spartacus-Blood-and-Sand/Official-Starz-statement-regarding-Andy-Whitfield/td-p/65282 . 3 September 2011 . dmy.
  18. Web site: Ailing Whitfield leaves 'Spartacus'. 17 September 2010. upi.com. 11 September 2011.
  19. Web site: Liam Mcintyre Chosen To Play Title Role in New 'Spartacus'. 17 January 2011. Starz.mediaroom.com. 11 September 2011.
  20. Web site: Spartacus star Whitfield dies, age 39. 12 September 2011. Stuff.com.nz. 12 September 2011.
  21. News: Spartacus star Andy Whitfield, 39, dies in Sydney. 12 September 2011. News.com.au. 12 September 2011.

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