Spartacus: House of Ashur reveals the Julius Caesar recasting in a new fresh look

When STARZ announced Spartacus: House of Ashur, fans hoped Todd Lasance would reprise his role as Julius Caesar from the original series. But with Lasance tied up filming NCIS: Sydney, creator Steven DeKnight tearfully confirmed he was unavailable, so the role has now gone to fellow Australian actor Jackson Gallagher.

Gallagher’s Caesar isn’t yet the all-powerful dictator we know from history. At this point in the story, he’s more of a political mouthpiece for the Republic’s wealthiest man, Crassus, overseeing civic infrastructure and wielding influence through his marriage. That union, to Cornelia Cinna, played by DeKnight’s wife Jaime Slater, is a powerhouse alliance: Cornelia is richer, more politically connected, and essentially funding Caesar’s rise.

Speaking about Lasance's exit from the show, Steven DeKnight told Entertainment Weekly:

"We went 'round and 'round trying to get our schedules to align, but they were shooting basically at the same time we were. It broke all of our hearts, including his. We're crazy happy for him. We just really wished he could have come back. I know he wanted to do it, but, yeah, that's the problem with too much success."

The new photos showcase the dynamic political couple at the height of ambition and intrigue, setting the tone for a darker, more sensual power drama. DeKnight teases that Caesar and Cornelia are the "Sid and Nancy of ancient Rome" driven by ambition, lust, and danger

More details on Spartacus: House of Ashur

Spartacus: House of Ashur, debuting this fall on STARZ, flips the script with a gritty alternate timeline where Ashur survives his legendary betrayal and becomes master of a gladiator school amid fierce Roman politics and gladiatorial spectacle. Jackson Gallagher’s fresh portrayal of Caesar adds new flavor to the saga, even if he’s not wearing the laurel just yet.

This new casting underlines how House of Ashur is redefining familiar characters in unexpected ways. DeKnight provided a background to the show's premise as he said:

"A few years before our story starts, [Lucius], for all intents and purposes, fought off another guy trying to take over Rome. He was one of the most powerful figures in Rome. Cut to Caesar marries his daughter. They deeply, deeply love each other, but the cool thing about Cornelia is she's way richer than Caesar. In fact, she's basically funding Caesar in his life, and her name is much bigger than Julius Caesar. So everyone's all a flutter to meet Cornelia Cinna."

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For creator Steven DeKnight, Cornelia served as the gateway into exploring gender dynamics in Spartacus: House of Ashur. In a patriarchal Roman world, she stands out with her status and influence. Her story parallels the season’s first female gladiator, who’s battling to prove herself in Ashur’s brutal gladiator school.

Spartacus: House of Ashur is scheduled to be released in Fall 2025 on Starz.

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