The BUZZ – BuzzWorthy Radio is gearing up for a new era as the brilliant and iconic Claudia Black stopped by to discuss her role in the upcoming STARZ series, Spartacus: House of Ashur. This new chapter in the franchise sees Ashur surviving the events of the original series and clawing his way up the ranks of Roman power. Black, known for her unforgettable performances in Farscape and Stargate SG-1, portrays Cossutia, a formidable Roman noblewoman with ambition in her blood.
Cossutia is a character built on complexity and strategy—traits that Black dove into during our conversation. She shared her interpretation of this calculating Roman matriarch:
“She’s a woman of means. She’s also a senator’s wife. However, she is also aging, and in all patriarchies, women who age become irrelevant. Cossutia now has to find a suitable match for her glorious daughter, because not only will she secure not only her daughter’s future but hers as well.”
As our discussion deepened, Black revealed that her path to the role was surprisingly effortless—no audition required.
“This role came to me as an offer. I did not have to audition for it. Thirty years in the business, guys, they tend to throw you a bone. And what a juicy bone this was.”
She went on to explain that Twitter/X actually played a surprising part in how the opportunity landed at her feet. It’s a story fans won’t want to miss.
In addition to talking about House of Ashur, Black broke down her craft—from why comedy is harder than crying in voiceover acting to how she approaches characters built on sharp wit and layered motivations.
The full episode with Claudia Black is now available to stream and download on Spotify or by clicking the player above.
Spartacus: House of Ashur premieres December 5th on STARZ.
