Viva Bianca's "Spartacus: Vengeance" character Ilithyia has certainly changed since we first met her. She has grown from a mischievous schemer into an upper-class married woman, with a trail of devastation lying in her wake. We last saw Ilithyia two years ago in "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" as she sealed the doors, closing the pesky Lucretia (Lucy Lawless) behind them.
Well, it seems that Ilithyia's best-laid plans didn't turn out quite as she wanted them to, and Lucretia is back on the scene -- more or less. The Huffington Post sat down to talk to Bianca about all aspects of "Spartacus: Vengeance," from the constant nudity, to Ilithyia's transformation, to working with Lawless.
First off, we here at HuffPost TV want to tell you your name is awesome. I get that a lot, actually! [Laughs] When I was a little girl at school I really wanted to be Katie or Sarah or Sophie. When you're a little girl at school you want to be like the other little girls.
So it's back to "Spartacus" -- time to take off your clothes again... [Laughs] Well, we do film scenes with our clothes on. But, you know, when we do take off our clothes, it's never entirely comfortable.
Do you ever get used to something like that? No, you really don't. You don't even really get used to doing scenes where you have to kiss, or be particularly intimate, with another person who's not actually your lover in real life. It's part of the job, and it's part of serving the story. When it comes to sex scenes and nudity, if the scene is relevant to the story and moves the story forward, then it's justifiable.
You look pretty comfortable, though. Kind of like: "Here I am!" Well, I am an actress. [Laughs] No, but these scenes have to be treated in the most clinical, strategic way possible. There is absolutely nothing sexy about them when you're shooting. There's a camera in your face, there are a hundred guys holding lights and booms. In between each take, you have your wardrobe people wrapping you in blankets. And let's not forget -- these guys you're acting with, they're like your brothers! You often end up laughing.
I don't know if I've ever seen sex done quite this way before on TV. It's a radical show and it's pushing the boundaries, but there's a lot of talk about the sensationalism of "Spartacus," mainly the sex and the violence. But I think the success of the show is grounded on the integrity of the story and the complexity of character development and relationships.
Especially your character, Ilithyia, who seems to go from one thing to another to another. Well, thank you! It's epic, right? She began as this brassy, mischievous, scheming princess character, but emerged from Season 1 as this villainess. Now, in Season 2, what's so lovely is I have the opportunity to play a more complex woman who's continually in a vulnerable state. Ilithyia has fallen from grace, and is desperately fighting for her livelihood and survival throughout Season 2.
Off to Capua again... Yes, she ends up in Capua, which is her worst nightmare. She has to really struggle to get what she wants again -- which is to get back to Rome and live the privileged life she wants, far, far away from the very recent memories of all that drama, treachery and devastation.
That scene was great, when you arrive in Capua and order the slaves to clean the blood off the walls. Despite the fact that Ilithyia can be so nasty and evil, there's something hilarious about her. I like it when she can be a bit camp.
We're also seeing a bit of emotion from her this season, too, right? There's a really nice moment when something happens to one of Ilithyia's longer-standing slaves and she cries. She shows an unexpected moment of compassion for one of the slaves, and I think it's quite a poignant moment.
Lucretia is back, and she's off her rocker. How does this affect the dynamics of the relationship between her and Ilithyia? Ah, yes. loopy Lucretia. I know a lot of people talked about this character relationship in Season 1, but it gets even more intense in this second season -- more complex and even more twisted. The very fact that Ilithyia finds Lucretia, and she's lost her marbles when she's supposed to be dead, is a huge thing. The plan was, when Ilithyia sealed the f**king doors at the end of Season 1, anyone related to that house, including Lucretia, would be finished. But that's not the case, and really, for the first half of "Vengeance," Ilithyia is very cautious of Lucretia; because she's loopy, it's difficult to know if she's lying or not about being crazy.
Yeah, it was infuriating not knowing if she was telling the truth or not! I think that's what makes the dynamic so great -- who knows which of them is telling the truth? [Laughs] We have this love/hate thing, and in "Vengeance" you really start to wonder if these two love each other or not. They're co-dependent.
Do you and Lucy ever throw down? Like, Australia vs. New Zealand? Oh, yes. Aussies are so much cooler. No... but really, Kiwis are awesome people, and working with Lucy has been one of the best parts of this job. She's a pleasure to work with, a ton of fun, and she's really good at breaking the tension on set. She really shines in this role, too.
We discover Ilithyia is pregnant in this second season. Did that affect the way you played the character? I noticed you holding your stomach when big things were going down. Oh! You noticed! This is going to be a very key storyline -- the baby and her relationship with her baby. Ilithyia has grown up so much, and now she's a woman with a baby inside of her, I think it helps the character grow in complexity and wisdom. Even the baddies on "Vengeance" have many dimensions, potentially even more than the goodies! In Season 1, her currency was sex and beauty, and in Season 2, the baby is her ultimate trading card.
And what about your marriage to Glaber? Is that a marriage of convenience or is there real love there? We find Ilithyia and Glaber in episode 1 in Rome, with full optimism about their future; they're having a baby, they're in Rome, the past is behind them. We've also just found out that Glaber got a promotion. Very quickly, of course, the s**t hits the fan and they're ordered to Capua. Their marriage is challenged from the minute they arrive there.
You have so many different relationships to manage! I know, right?! [Laughs] Enemies, friendships, frenemies!
"Spartacus: Vengeance" starts up again on Jan. 27 on Starz in the U.S., and on Jan. 29 on The Movie Network and Movie Central in Canada.
For more of the year's new TV shows, click through the slideshow here:
"Oprah's Next Chapter"
Starring: Oprah Winfrey What It's About: "Oprah's Next Chapter" will take Oprah outside the TV studio for a series of in-depth conversations with celebrities ranging from Steven Tyler to Deepak Chopra. Series premieres Sun., Jan. 1, 9 p.m. EST on OWN
"Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off"
Starring: Rachael Ray, Guy Fieri, Aaron Carter, Coolio, Cheech Marin and more What It's About: Food Network stars Rachael and Guy face off as team leaders, each mentoring a group of celebreality all-stars from Coolio to Summer Sanders. Series premieres Sun., Jan. 1, 9 p.m. EST on Food Network
"Angry Boys"
Starring: Chris Lilley What It's About: The comedy's 12-episode first season follows five different storylines with performer Chris Lilley taking on six distinctly unique roles: twins Daniel and Nathan Sims who live on an outback farm; former surfing world champion turned surfing gang leader Blake Oakfield; a black American rapper named S.mouse; a Japanese mother Jen Okazaki, who manages her skateboarder pro son; and juvenile corrections officer Ruth Sims (aka Gran). Yeah, it's pretty funny. Series premieres Sun., Jan. 1, 10 p.m. EST on HBO
"It's a Brad, Brad World"
Starring: Brad Goreski What It's About: If you DIE for Rachel Zoe and her drama-filled titular "Project" on Bravo, you're probably already bananas for her fan favorite former assistant Brad Goreski. Yes, Rachel and her husband Rodger tried to work a mean smear campaign, but come on -- Brad's love of color, funny quips and penchant for bowties are too major not to love. His new series tells his side of the story as he attempts to blaze his own trail in the styling industry. Series premieres Mon., Jan. 2, 10 p.m. EST on Bravo
"Work It"
Starring: Ben Koldyke, Amaury Nolasco, Rebecca Mader What It's About: Lee Standish and Angel Ortiz can't find work anywhere. When a job lead comes with a catch -- the company wants to hire female sales representatives -- they decide to do whatever needs to be done to get the gig and begin cross dressing for the job. Hijinks ensue and LGBT rights groups aren't pleased. Series premieres Tues., Jan. 3, 8:30 p.m. EST on ABC
"Celebrity Wife Swap"
Starring: Gary Busey, Ted Haggard, Tracey Gold, Carnie Wilson, Flavor Flav, Mick Foley, Niecy Nash, Tina Yothers What It's About: Yep, it's "Wife Swap," but with stars. Celebrities swap spouses with other stars, living one week under the host family's rules before switching it up and taking control. Gary Busey switches with Ted Haggard, Niecy Nash swaps with Tina Yothers ... you get the idea. Series premieres Tues., Jan. 3, 9 p.m. EST on ABC
"Jane By Design"
Starring: Erica Dasher, Nick Roux, Andie MacDowell What It's About: Jane is your average teenage girl who has some serious adult-sized problems. In an effort to help her family's financial problems, she applies for a job in retail, but everything gets a little loopy when she's accidentally mistaken as an adult and lands a job in a hip retail company. Now Jane must balance being a high school student and a working professional, while keeping her identity a secret. Series premieres Tues., Jan. 3, 9 p.m. EST on ABC Family
"The Firm"
Starring: Josh Lucas, Juliette Lewis, Callum Keith Rennie, Molly Parker, Natasha Calis What It's About: Need a new NBC legal drama with the "Law & Order" franchise disappearing before your eyes? Thankfully, "The Firm," based on John Grisham's best-selling novel, is an antidote. Lucas stars as attorney Mitchell McDeere (the role originated by Tom Cruise in the 1993 film version) in the series, which picks up McDeere's story about a decade after the novel and film left. Since we left him, Mitchell has had a difficult time, working at a firm that operated as a front for the Chicago mob. And now, he's out of the Federal Witness Protect program and trying to evade new threats and haunting past dangers. Series previews Sun., Jan. 8, 9 p.m. EST; series premieres Thurs., Jan. 12, 10 p.m. EST on NBC
"House of Lies"
Starring: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell, Ben Schwartz What It's About: In this dark comedy set in the corporate world, management consultants have a grand ole time charging corporate clients millions for sketchy, incomprehensible advice. Nice work, if you can get it. Series premieres Sun., Jan. 8, 10 p.m. EST on Showtime
"Caged"
Starring: MMA fighters and their families in Louisiana What It's About: MTV is taking a step away from the shore and heading to rural Louisiana. The network's newest docu-series will give an honest and powerful view into the world of passionate amateur MMA fighters and the women in their lives, both inside and outside of the cage. Expect MTV's signature flare for the dramatics, but this one's a little more heartfelt and honest than its predecessors. Series premieres Mon., Jan. 9, 10 p.m. EST on MTV
"24 Hour Catwalk"
Starring: Alexa Chung hosts and judges, along with designer Cynthia Rowley, fashion editor Derek Blasberg, media consultant James LaForce What It's About: Like "Chopped" but with fashion, "Catwalk" attempts to grab a "Project Runway"-lite audience, i.e. those looking for something that's merely a week-by-week commitment. Each episode finds four designers trying to reimagine a mystery garment; the two best go head-to-head with complete collections designed in just a day. Series premieres Tues., Jan. 10, 10 p.m. EST on Lifetime
"Are You There, Chelsea?"
Starring: Laura Prepon, Chelsea Handler, Jack McDorman, Lauren Lapkus, Lenny Clarke, Ali Wong, Mark Povinelli What It's About: Based on Handler's best-selling book, "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea," the show follows Prepon as a fictional version of Handler, Chelsea Newman, a working-class, opinionated young woman. Handler also stars as Sloane, Chelsea's older sister. Series premieres Wed., Jan. 11, 8:30 p.m. EST on NBC
"Rob"
Starring: Rob Schneider, Cheech Marin, Claudia Bassols What It's About: When Rob, a lifelong bachelor, marries a woman from a close-knit Mexican family, he struggles to win their respect and figure out the finer points of their culture. Series premieres Thurs., Jan. 12, 8:30 p.m. EST on CBS
"The Finder"
Starring: Geoff Stults, Michael Clarke Duncan, Mercedes Masöhn, Maddie Hasson What It's About: Centered around a man with a remarkable talent for helping people find the unfindable, this "Bones" spin-off promises to feature some familiar faces in guest roles; first up, John Francis Daley in episode five. Thankfully, they've also replaced Saffron Burrows, who was the most off-putting part of the pilot. Series premieres Thurs., Jan. 12, 9 p.m. EST on Fox Correction: An earlier version of this story referred to Saffron Burrows' "terrible attempt at a British accent." Then we learned that she is British, which just makes us wonder what accent she was trying to do.
"Napoleon Dynamite"
Starring: Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez, Tina Majorino and the rest of the film cast What It's About: An animated version of the 2004 indie hit, the series follows Napoleon, an awkward teenager, and his misadventures in high school. Series premieres with two episodes on Sun., Jan. 15 at 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. EST on Fox
"Alcatraz"
Starring: Jorge Garcia, Sam Neill, Sarah Jones What It's About: A San Francisco cop (Jones) stumbles across a vast, time-traveling conspiracy involving Alcatraz prisoners. Garcia, whom we've missed a lot since "Lost" went off the air, plays an Alcatraz expert she consults about the island prison's secret history. Series premieres Mon., Jan. 16, 8 p.m. EST on Fox
"Betty White's Off Their Rockers"
Starring: Betty White and a gang of mischievousness senior citizens What It's About: Betty White and friends pull hidden-camera pranks on younger people and hilarity ensues. Series previews Mon., Jan. 16, 9:30 p.m. EST; series premiere TBD on NBC
"Lost Girl"
Starring: Anna Silk, K.C. Collins, Kris Holden-Ried What It's About: Described as a "sexy supernatural drama series," the SyFy show stars Silk as Bo, a succubus who feeds off sexual energy. As part of the Fae race, Bo must choose whether to follow a path of light or darkness as she searches for the truth about her origins, living among humans, but trying to resist her darker urges. Series premieres Mon., Jan 16, 10 p.m. EST on Syfy
"Remodeled"
Starring: Paul Fisher What It's About: Now that "America's Next Top Model" is out of cycle, The CW is bringing a new reality series to the catwalk. "Remodeled" goes behind the scenes of the modeling industry. Veteran Paul Fisher -- who once represented Naomi Campbell, Carla Bruni, and more high-profile models -- embarks on a new venture: The Network. Fisher's goal? To help small town agents from being screwed by the big agencies by bonding them together. Series previews Tues., Jan. 17; time slot premiere Wed., Feb. 1, 9 p.m. EST on The CW
"Unsupervised"
Starring: The voices of David Hornsby, Justin Long, Kristen Bell, Fred Armisen What It's About: An animated comedy about two optimistic best friends, Gary and Joel, attempting to navigate the unpredictable landscape of teenage life without any parental supervision. Series premieres Thurs., Jan. 19, 10:30 p.m. EST on FX
"Touch"
Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, David Mazouz, Danny Glover, Gugu Mbatha-Raw What It's About: This preternatural drama follows widower Martin Bohm (Sutherland) as a single father, who -- despite serious efforts -- cannot connect, physically or emotionally, with his mute 11-year-old son Jake (Mazouz). But when he learns Jake has the amazing ability to see things no one else can see and actually is communicating (only with numbers), everything changes. Series previews Mon., Jan. 25, 9 p.m. EST; series premieres Mon., Mar. 19, 9 p.m. EST on Fox
"Bering Sea Gold"
Starring: Crews of four different gold dredging ships What It's About: This documentary series from the producers of "Deadliest Catch" follows the seafaring inhabitants of Nome, Alaska, as they dredge the ocean to try and retrieve the vast quantities of gold being deposited into the Bering Sea by melting glaciers. Series premieres Fri., Jan. 27, 10 p.m. EST on Discovery
"Luck"
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte, Jason Gedrick What It's About: In this David Milch drama about the colorful characters who inhabit a horse racing track, Hoffman stars as an ex-con who, like everyone else in "Luck," is hoping for a big score. The Michael Mann-directed pilot got a generally positive reception when it aired in December, but this is Milch we're talking about, so who knows if this high-profile drama will turn out to be more "Deadwood" than "John From Cincinnati." Series premieres Sun., Jan. 29, 9 p.m. EST on HBO
"Key & Peele"
Starring: Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele What It's About: Comedians Key and Peele star in this offbeat comedy, utilizing filmed sketches and live stage segments to share their irreverent view of the world. Series premieres Tues., Jan. 31, 10:30 p.m. EST on Comedy Central
"I Just Want My Pants Back"
Starring: Peter Vack, Sunkrish Bala, Kim Shaw What It's About: MTV's new scripted comedy series "I Just Want My Pants Back" is based on David J. Rosen's novel of the same name. It follows the misadventures of a group of hipster friends as they navigate post-college life in Brooklyn. The post-grad protagonist, Jason Strider, dreams of being a music journalist, but has absolutely no idea how to get there. It's not until a one-night stand steals his heart -- and his pants -- that he begins a quest to get his beloved jeans, hopefully the girl ... and the dream job. Series premieres Thurs., Feb. 2, 11:00 p.m. EST on MTV
"Smash"
Starring: Debra Messing, Anjelica Huston, Jack Davenport, Katharine McPhee, Megan Hilty What It's About: NBC calls this show, which is set among the schemers and strivers of Broadway, a "musical drama." We're calling it one of 2012's best pilots, and we very much hope this show can deliver on what that smart first hour promised. Series premieres Mon., Feb. 6, 10 p.m. EST on NBC
"The River"
Starring: Bruce Greenwood, Leslie Hope, Paul Blackthorne What It's About: A celebrated wildlife expert disappears on a trip through the Amazon, and when his family goes after him, things get very strange. Perhaps that's not surprising, given that one of the executive producers of this spooky drama is Oren Peli, the mastermind behind the "Paranormal Activity" film franchise. Series premieres Tues., Feb. 7, 9 p.m. EST on ABC
"Comic Men"
Starring: The staff and customers of Kevin Smith's comic shop, Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash What It's About: Kevin Smith, a geek hero, is bringing cameras into his iconic New Jersey comic shop. Formerly known as "Secret Stash," the show will feature the staff dynamic and the weekly customers. Series premieres Sun., Feb. 12, 10 p.m. EST on AMC
"Life's Too Short"
Starring: Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Warwick Davis What It's About: Described by Gervais as a cross between "The Office" and "Extras," "Life's Too Short" is a fake documentary that follows Davis, a 3'6'' actor, as he works tries to find a niche in show business. The show is slated to feature cameos from stars like Johnny Depp and Steve Carell. Series premieres Sun., Feb. 19, 10:30 p.m. EST on HBO
"Awake"
Starring: Jason Isaacs, Laura Allen, Wilmer Valderrama, Steve Harris, Michaela McManus What It's About: We've seen TV characters lead double lives before, but never like this. Detective Michael Britten wakes up after a tragic accident to a new reality where his wife didn't survive and he's now a single dad. When that day is done, he wakes up again to another reality where his wife is alive and they're dealing with the loss of their son. With two different people to mourn, he's struggling to come to grips with, but not willing to let go of either reality with two different therapists. All the while, he's working two different police cases with two different partners. This one will be a mind-bender for sure ... one that's smarter than the average network show. Series premiere Thurs., March 1, 10 p.m. EST on NBC
"GCB"
Starring: Leslie Bibb, Kristin Chenoweth, Annie Potts What It's About: This Darren Star-produced series comes in on the high heels the "Desperate Housewives" of Wisteria Lane are leaving behind. Soon, scripted housewife drama will have a new address on ABC: Dallas. Though "GCB" is less fun than the show's original "Good Christian Bitches" title, one viewing of the series proves that the bitchiness is still in full effect. When former high school mean girl Amanda (Bibb) returns home after a few hardships, she's forced to revisit all of her former enemies, who are now happily living larger-than-life lives, pretending to be holier-than-thou in Big D. Series premieres Sun., Mar. 4, 10 p.m. EST on ABC
"Fashion Star"
Starring: Elle Macpherson, Jessica Simpson, John Varvatos, Nicole Richie What It's About: 12 designers will compete for a multi-million dollar contract to launch their clothing line in America's largest retail stores, while viewers at home will be able to buy the winning designs each week. Series premieres Tues., Mar. 13, 9 p.m. EST on NBC
"Missing"
Starring: Ashley Judd, Sean Bean, Cliff Curtis, Adriano Giannini, Nick Eversman, Tereza Voriskova What It's About: Becca Winstone's (Judd) son goes missing while studying abroad, sending the worried mom across Europe to track him down. The former CIA agent must put all her skills to the test to save her beloved son. Series premieres Thurs., Mar. 15, 8 p.m. EST on ABC
"Frozen Planet"
Starring: Alec Baldwin (narrator), David Attenborough (host) What It's About: From the team behind "Planet Earth," this seven-part series offers an unparalleled look at our world's polar regions, utilizing groundbreaking camera techniques for footage shot both above and below the ice in some of the most remote and treacherous landscapes known to man. Series premieres Sun., Mar. 18, 8 p.m. EST on Discovery
"Scandal"
Starring: Kerry Washington, Henry Ian Cusick, Columbus Short, Guillermo Diaz, Katie Lowes What It's About: Shonda Rhimes' latest finds drama outside the operating room. "Scandal" revolves around Olivia Pope (Washington), a whipsmart, extremely connected PR fixer in D.C. She's so good, she used to work for the president ... now, he just begs her to come back on a weekly basis. In between White House scandals, Olivia and her team deal with other high-profile clients who find themselves in very messy situations. Series premiere Thurs., April 5, 10 p.m. EST on ABC
Affluent Americans may want to double-check how much of their bank deposits are protected by government-backed insurance. The rules governing trust accounts just changed.
Former NBA guard Darius Morris has died at the age of 33. He played for five teams during his four NBA seasons. Morris played college basketball at Michigan.
Jason Fitz, Charles Robinson and Frank Schwab talk about which quarterback rooms concern them and which they find interesting heading into the 2024 NFL season.
Teams have made their big splashes in free agency and made their draft picks, it's time for you to do the same. It's fantasy football mock draft time. Some call this time of year best ball season, others know it's an opportunity to get a leg up on your competition for when you have to draft in August. The staff at Yahoo Fantasy did their first mock draft of the 2024 season to help you with the latter. Matt Harmon and Andy Behrens are here to break it all down by each round and crush some staff members in the process.
It’s key to note that we’re not saying the “best team” or “best roster.” Instead, we’re talking about the best confluence of factors that can outline a path for survival and then success.
With free agency and the draft behind us, what 32 teams look like today will likely be what they look like Week 1 and beyond for the 2024 season. Matt Harmon and Scott Pianowski reveal the post-draft fantasy power rankings. The duo break down the rankings in six tiers: Elite offensive ecosystems, teams on the cusp of being complete mixed bag ecosystems, offensive ecosystems with something to prove, offenses that could go either way, and offenses that are best to stay away from in fantasy.
Jake Mintz & Jordan Shusterman discuss the Padres-Marlins trade that sent Luis Arraez to San Diego, as well as recap all the action from this weekend in baseball and send birthday wishes to hall-of-famer Willie Mays.
In the most anticlimactic way possible, Nintendo on Tuesday confirmed years of rumors: The Nintendo Switch 2 console is on the way. "We will make an announcement about the successor to Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year," wrote Shuntaro Furukawa, the president of Nintendo, on X. Rather, Furukawa wanted to warn users not to expect the actual announcement in next month's Nintendo Direct livestream.
Budgeting apps can help you keep track of your finances, stick to a spending plan and reach your money goals. These are the best budget-tracking apps available right now.
