Spartacus: House of Ashur Starts Production in New Zealand
STARZ has announced casting for its epic new series Spartacus: House of Ashur, which has started production in New Zealand. Outlander’s Graham McTavish (The Witcher, House of the Dragon) has joined the cast as Ashur’s Doctore, who trains the gladiators.
Tenika Davis (Jupiter’s Legacy, Cabinet of Curiosities) has joined the cast as the first female gladiator in the Spartacus universe, a fierce warrior driven to surpass her male counterparts and earn her freedom.
Jamaica Vaughan (Home and Away, 800 Words), Ivana Baquero (Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shannara Chronicles), Jordi Webber (Choose Love, Prosper), Claudia Black (The Nevers, Ahsoka), India Shaw-Smith (The Pines Still Whisper, Supernatural), and Leigh Gill (Joker, Game of Thrones) will also join Nick Tarabay (Spartacus, The Expanse) in the epic new saga as series regulars.
Graham McTavish plays Korris, a former gladiator who won his freedom in the arena and is now Ashur’s Doctore, training the gladiators in Ashur’s Ludus. Tenika Davis plays Achillia, a female gladiator driven to surpass her male counterparts.
Jamaica Vaughan plays Hilara, a young, elevated house slave deeply in love with Ashur. Ivana Baquero plays Messia, a house slave who loves Hilara. Jordi Webber plays Tarchon, a brash and headstrong gladiator.
Claudia Black plays Cossutia, a politician determined to keep Ashur in his place and is constantly plotting his downfall. India Shaw-Smith plays Viridia, Cossutia’s daughter. Leigh Gill plays Satyrus, the leader of the Brothers Ferox, gladiators from a rival Ludus.
Spartacus: House of Ashur will be a history-bending, erotic, thrilling, roller-coaster experience that builds on everything that made the original series a colossal hit. The series poses the question: what if Ashur, played by fan favorite Nick Tarabay, hadn’t died on Mount Vesuvius at the end of “Spartacus: Vengeance?”
And what if he had been gifted the gladiator school once owned by Batiatus in return for aiding the Romans in killing Spartacus and ending the slave rebellion?
Spartacus: Blood and Sand debuted on STARZ in 2010 and was followed by a prequel series chapter, Spartacus: Gods of the Arena in 2011, and two additional series, Spartacus: Vengeance in 2012 and Spartacus: War of the Damned in 2013.
Spartacus creator, writer, and executive producer Steven S. DeKnight (Daredevil) serves as showrunner and executive producer. Spartacus: House of Ashur is produced by Lionsgate Television for STARZ.
