Diksha Sundriyal
Starz’s ‘Spartacus: House of Ashur’ takes the audience back into the violent and sexy world of Ancient Rome, this time following the story from the perspective of Ashur. He had been a villain despised for the role he played in trying to curb the rebellion kick-started by Spartacus. However, in ‘House of Ashur,’ he gets a chance to redeem himself by presenting his side of the story. However, he is not the only villain from Spartacus to receive a do-over. Julius Caesar also played a critical role in defeating Spartacus’ forces, and he returns in the spin-off series to continue his rise to power. However, there is a significant change, as he looks very different from how he was in the original series. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Scheduling Conflict Led to Recasting Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar first appears in the story of ‘Spartacus’ in its third and final season, ‘War of the Damned.’ He infiltrates Spartacus’ army as a Roman spy and becomes instrumental in weakening his defenses, ultimately leading to his and his army being left out in the cold. Back then, the role was played by Todd Lasance, who brought Caesar’s cunning and ruthlessness to light. When the show ended in 2013, Lasance moved on to other projects. Over the years, he has appeared in several major TV shows, including playing Julian on ‘The Vampire Diaries’ and Edward Clariss/Rival on ‘The Flash.’ In 2023, he was cast in the leading role of Jim Dempsey in ‘NCIS: Sydney,’ which he continues to portray even now. So, when ‘Spartacus’ creator, Steven DeKnight, asked him to return as Caesar for ‘House of Ashur,’ the actor found himself unable to find a way out of the tightly packed schedule.
DeKnight revealed that they “went ’round and ’round trying to get [their] schedules to align, but they [NCIS: Sydney] were shooting basically at the same time we were.” Despite Lasance’s desire to return to DeKnight’s version of Ancient Rome, his schedule simply did not allow him the opportunity to expand upon Caesar’s story. Meanwhile, DeKnight knew that the infamous Roman figure would play an important role in Ashur’s world. In the time period that the show covers, Caesar was not the man the world eventually came to know him as. However, having married Cornelia, he was primed to increase his influence, which means that he needed to have a significant role in ‘House of Ashur’, particularly in terms of the political machinations that remain an integral part of the show’s core. With no chance of Lasance’s return, a different actor needed to be cast in the role.
Jackson Gallagher Infuses Julius Caesar with Charm and Cunning
Australian actor Jackson Gallagher plays Julius Caesar in ‘Spartacus: House of Ashur.’ While the actor takes the baton from Todd Lasance, he presents his own interpretation of the character, unencumbered by what was seen in ‘Spartacus: War of the Damned.’ Gallagher hadn’t initially thought about being an actor. In fact, he was all set to join the medical community. However, an unexpected chain of events led him to get a role in a children’s TV show called ‘The Saddle Club,’ turning his trajectory in a different direction. He left his medical career and dedicated himself to acting. Over the years, he has appeared in a diverse range of movies and TV shows, including ‘Home and Away,’ ‘The Doctor Blake Mysteries,’ ‘Glitch,’ ‘Wentworth,’ ‘Neighbours,’ and ‘NCIS: Sydney.’
Since Caesar is a military general and a warrior who indulges in a lot of bloodshed in ‘House of Ashur,’ Gallagher had to get into shape to meet the physical demands of the role. Like the rest of the cast, he likely joined the boot camp before filming began and trained in several forms, including the use of weapons, to portray the fighting prowess of his character better. Apart from acting, he is also an avid traveler, loves watches, and has a keen eye for all types of art. The one that he particularly enjoys is photography. He views it as a complementary art to acting, enabling him to understand the approach towards a character better and connect with their humanity.
Through both acting and photography, he gets to be “with other people in their world, in their environments, to absorb and learn, and try and capture that.” Acting also allows him the chance to learn new skills for his roles and to see people in a different light. He noted that “through that interest in other people, you inevitably learn more about yourself.” This is one of the reasons why he loves acting and is dedicated to honing his craft and portraying complex and layered characters who not only challenge his acting muscles but also help him become a better human through the act of reflection.
Read More: Spartacus: Is the Movie Inspired by True Historical Events?
You must be logged in to post a comment.