Spartacus: Blood and Sand actor Andy Whitfield, died on Sunday, September 11, in Sydney, Australia, Newspaper USA Today reports. The 39-year-old actor lost his battle to non-Hodgkin Lymphoma after an eighteen month battle with the disease.

Andy’s wife said in a statement that he died on a “sunny Sydney morning” in the “arms of his loving wife.” Andy was a small time actor until he was cast in the hit Starz series. In January, it was announced that Liam McIntyre would take over for Andy’s role in the series.