In these interviews, Nick Tarabay, Tenika Davis and showrunner Steven DeKnight sit down with us to discuss the excitement around the new Spartacus series, House of Ashur. The conversation ranges drastically from their dream walk out song in a modern gladiator fight, to the importance of diversity and creation of the new Gladiatress.
Showrunner Steven DeKnight (Spartacus, Daredevil) details the reasons why the show was necessary to revive and the effort that goes into making the show historically accurate. Interestingly, he had some great technical points to make about the wild advances that Unreal Engine 5 has brought to production, and how that has changed his team’s approach, despite keeping the same crew and shoot location from the prior seasons. Steven also explored why the show was changed to centre around the titular anti-hero Ashur, who had been killed off in prior seasons. He claims ‘I would cast him in anything’ as the main reason for wanting to bring Nick Tarabay back. Being the showrunner for another anti-hero in Daredevil, I had to ask him about how he felt his version of Daredevil would do if placed in a hypothetical combat arena, and even how he himself would do in a gladiator fight.
Lead actor Nick Tarabay discusses the interesting aspects of picking up where he left off with a fan favourite character, Ashur. He describes how the environment and on set feeling has changed from a very macho, testosterone-fuelled competitive environment, to a much friendlier one with the passing of time and addition of Tenika Davis. He also opens up about the dramatic moments in the show and the fierce amount of combat training he had to go through to get back into the arena.
Tenika Davis breaks down entering an established cast and crew as a series newcomer, and how she experienced acting a new type of character to the show, as a Gladiatress. She talks everything from her history with Taekwondo to her character Achilia’s affinity to Beyoncé. We also divulged into a discussion on diversity and representation in this ‘modern, fresh, new chapter’ of the show, and how important but also fun it can be to see a ‘black, female Gladiatress come into this world and kick ass.’
Spartacus – House of Ashur is on MGM+ NOW!
