Saxa Warrior Princess

Gladiator-lovers unite! Starz has announced today that Spartacus: Vengeance will be hitting US screens on Friday, January 27 at 10 PM. The series continues the storyline begun on Spartacus: Blood And Sand, which debuted in January 2010; picking up just a few weeks after the gladiators of the house of Batiatus killed their master and went on the run, sending Capua into uproar. With the rebellion raging and striking fear into the heart of the Roman Republic, Gaius Claudius Glaber and his Roman troops are sent to crush the growing band of freed slaves that Spartacus leads before it can inflict further damage. Spartacus is presented the choice of satisfying his personal need for vengeance against the man that condemned his wife to slavery and eventual death or making the larger sacrifices necessary to keep his budding army from breaking apart. The Starz promotional campaign promises the new show will "contain all of the blood-soaked action, exotic sexuality, and villainy and heroism that has come to distinguish the series, when the tale of Spartacus resumes in epic fashion."

The first series was a huge ratings hit but was put on hold when star Andy Whitfield was diagnosed with cancer and couldn’t continue. During the hiatus, Starz shot and aired the prequel Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena. All three installments were from the same creative team: Rob Tapert, Steven S. DeKnight, Sam Raimi and Joshua Donen. Whitfiield died on September 11, with Liam McIntyre stepping into the sandals of Spartacus with his full blessing. Returning cast members for the new series include Lucy Lawless as Lucretia, the wife of the slain Batiatus, Manu Bennett as Crixus, Peter Mensah and Nick Tarabay. Dustin Clare will also reprise his role as Gannicus from "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena."


One new face will be Ellen Hollman, who plays a "beautiful, vicious, intelligent, and fiercely passionate" female warrior called Saxa. She is described as a force to be reckoned with, on the battlefield or in the bedroom. It’s a hefty role for the actress best known for a side role in Skateland. She has never had a recurring role on a television series before but has credits consisting mainly of guest spots on series, including In Plain Sight, Rules of Engagement and Medium.