Best known to global audiences as the hammer-wielding German warrior “Lugo” in Starz’s Spartacus, Barry Duffield is a British-born, Australia-raised, New Zealand–based actor whose screen presence blends physicality with wry, battle-tested charisma. His work across television and film includes Spartacus: War of the Damned and Spartacus: Vengeance, as well as appearances in Kiwi favourites like The Brokenwood Mysteries, AFK, and Street Legal. He’s also voiced villains in the Power Rangers universe, extending his range into animation and ADR.

Beyond acting, Barry is a prolific storyteller. He writes hard-edged thrillers and graphic-novel-leaning genre pieces under his DreamChaser Productions banner, with The Nowhere Man book series expanding his worldbuilding onto the page. The Nowhere Man: Dark Heart was released in print and later as an audiobook in 2025, continuing Barry’s gritty, character-driven saga.

On the screenwriting circuit, Barry’s projects have charted consistent traction. His WWII horror concept, Deadman’s Land, placed in the LA Screenplay Awards, and his earlier work drew quarter-finalist nods at Finale Draft’s Big Break (2013) and Scriptapalooza (2014). Barry also maintained a professional profile on Coverfly, where multiple projects were placements are tracked. Deadman’s Land was in the top 3%.

Born in Billingham, England and forged in Australia’s Northern Territory, Barry trained in New Zealand at South Seas Film & Television School before carving a path through cult favourites (Xena, Young Hercules), prestige historical epics, and home-grown dramas. The result: a career that moves easily between sword-and-sandals spectacle, contemporary crime, voice roles, and creator-owned IP — always anchored by the same thing that made Lugo a fan favourite: authentic grit with heart.