Naevia Reborn

Slave leader Spartacus isn’t the only part on Starz’ cult hit that’s being recast for season two. Lesley-Ann Brandt, who played Lucretia’s “body slave” Naevia, decided to leave the show during its protracted hiatus. Producers have now found an actress to step into (and most likely out of) her robes, and Entertainment Weekly has exclusively revealed that Ghanaian American Cynthia Addai-Robinson is the new girl. You’ll recall that Naevia fell in love with gladiator Crixus during season one and was subsequently banished from the House of Batiatus. She is described as "representing all that Crixus still lives for, driving him to fight alongside Spartacus in mutiny against Rome in the hopes of one day finding her. Crixus longs to see her still alive, to rescue her from exile and be reunited in love and freedom."

British-born Addai-Robinson inherits the role from fan favourite Brandt, who played the character in both the Blood and Sand & Gods of the Arena seasons of the show. The South African announced back in February that she was leaving the show to secure a recurring role on the CBS crime procedural CSI: NY and to pursue other endeavors; including three upcoming indie feature films. Unofficially, her manager maintained that she could've been lured back if the price had been right. Steven Jensen told The Wrap that his client and Starz had parted ways because they couldn't settle on money. He added at the time, "She'd like to go back, but they really haven't gotten the number we're looking for." He said she would reconsider "if they step up." Starz is known as being less restrictive in its actors contracts, which allowed Jane Lynch to leave Party Down when she was cast in Fox’s Glee.

Addai-Robinson is best known for her turn as nurse Debbie Hurst on ABC’s short-lived sci-fi mystery series FlashForward has also appeared in shows like CSI: NY and and Numbers. Past credits for the theater graduate from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University include roles in Tina Mabry's acclaimed feature debut, Mississippi Damned, as well as in Luc Besson’s latin-flavored revenge thriller Colombiana, with Zoe Saldana. She’s repped by Pantheon Talent and Liebman Entertainment.

After Starz aired its successful Gods of the Arena prequel in January, and Spartacus season two is expected to return early next year along with newcomer Liam McIntyre replacing Andy Whitfield in the lead role. Spartacus Season 2 will premiere in 2012.