Andy Whitfield Passes Away of Lymphoma at 39

Sad news: Andy Whitfield, 39-year-old star of the popular cable series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," has died of lymphoma, the Associated Press reports. The Welsh-born actor passed away on Sunday in Sydney, Australia -- a year and a half after he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma; Whitfield debuted in the Starz network's "Spartacus" last year but was forced to forgo a second season because of his cancer diagnosis. "On a beautiful sunny Sydney spring morning, surrounded by his family, in the arms of his loving wife, our beautiful young warrior Andy Whitfield lost his 18-month battle with lymphoma cancer," his wife, Vashti, said in a statement. "He passed peacefully surrounded by love. ... He will be remembered as the inspiring, courageous and gentle man, father and husband he was."

RIP, Andy.