Regular readers know we've been touting Starz's new show Spartacus: Blood and Sand for quite some time because it features an intriguing gay character. Not to mention plenty of beefcake, and of course, since it also has Lucy Lawless.

But over the weekend, one of our staffers tumbled across the info that the show also includes an out actor in one of the major secondary roles. That would be New Zealand actor Craig Parker whom many genre fans will also no doubt recognize from his roles in Lord of the Rings as Haldir and in the television series Legend of the Seeker where he plays Darken Rahl.

In Spartacus, the 39-year-old Parker plays the Roman general Claudius Glaber who causes no end of trouble for our hero played by Andy Whitfield.

It appears Parker first publicly discussed being gay in an interview with New Zealand's Sunday Herald back in 2008. Regarding his sexuality, the very private Parker told reporter Shannon Huse that as a gay man, he doesn't care what people say about his sexuality and that:

It's jut not an issue for me. I just don't get why an actor would want to reveal their secrets, hopes and fears to a magazine or newspaper. I know what the magazine gets out of it, but not the person. If you are doing publicity to increase your self-confidence then you are really in trouble. It's important to keep some privacy. Your friends and family are the people you reveal yourself to. They are the ones who should have real access to you.

I'm glad Parker decided to reveal this much about himself, as it is always great to have another out actor in the world, especially one playing Roman general who knows how to fight (even if he isn't the nicest guy in the world.)

Here are some more pics of Parker.

As Haldir in Lord of the Rings

As Darken Rahl in Legend of the Seeker

And as the lead in a New Zealand show called Diplomatic Immunity