Spartacus: House of Ashur Interviews: Nick E. Taranby, Graham McTavish, Claudia Black, & more talk Shakespearean arena drama

Before Father Time comes to reset the clock for another year, Starz and Steve DeKnight will unleash a return to form for Spartacus fans with Spartacus: House of Ashur. Launching events from a reconfigured timeline, House of Ashur retains all the blood, combat, sacrifice, and Shakespearean drama that made the original series a must-watch in the 2010s. To help celebrate the arrival of Spartacus: House of Ashur, we sat down with several of the show’s leading players, including Nick E. Taranby (Ashur), Tenika Davis (Achillia), Graham McTavish (Korris), Claudia Black (Cossutia), India Shaw-Smith (Viridia), and Jaime Slater (Cornelia), as well as Steven DeKnight, the show’s creator and executive producer.

While speaking with Nick and Steven, we touch on them reconnecting for House of Ashur after years of being apart. We also discuss the show’s overwhelming gore and estimate the amount of blood and guts used in the show. Nick also gives us a crash course on delivering the show’s intricate, Shakespearean dialogue. Finally, DeKnight reveals what it is about Rome, royalty, and gladiatorial combat that makes for such compelling storytelling.

We also spoke with Tenika Davis, who plays the world’s first gladiatrix, Achillia, in Spartacus: House of Ashur. While discussing her character, Tenika shares with us the thrill of playing a character with pre-existing strife, which fuels her powerful performance. We also delve into her chance to play a character who embodies all of the societal racism and misogyny that are rampant in the show, and how Achillia uses that negativity to exact revenge on those who cross her.

While speaking with Graham McTavish, we discuss Korris’ tender relationship with Opiter and what it is about their scenes that makes them so special. We also explore blending hyper-masculinity and charisma to create a memorable character that could easily become a curmudgeon, but does not.

When we talk with Claudia Black, India Shaw-Smith, and Jaime Slater, we discuss the thrill of playing someone from the elite, the best part about starring in a period piece, the show’s elaborate set design, and more.

Spartacus: House of Ashur premieres on December 5, 2025, with the first two episodes available to stream on Starz in the U.S. You can check out our review of the first five episodes here.

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