India Shaw-Smith
India Shaw-Smith is a British actor known for playing Viridia in Spartacus: House of Ashur and Penny in The Pines Still Whisper.
Biography
India Shaw-Smith played Roman noblewoman Viridia in Spartacus: House of Ashur, the Starz series whose first season concluded in 2026.
Her route to the role includes childhood theatre work, LAMDA training, a touring production of Emma and lead creative work on The Pines Still Whisper.
Known for
Career highlights
- Early Theatre
Theatre work began early
Shaw-Smith has said she worked professionally at Chipping Norton Theatre as a child before later training at LAMDA.[2]
- Pines Lead
- Emma Stage
She played Emma Woodhouse on stage
Shaw-Smith led a touring production of Emma during the 250th anniversary year of Jane Austen's birth.[2]
- Viridia Breakout
- Series Status
The series was cancelled after one season
Starz cancelled House of Ashur in May 2026, while Lionsgate Television was reported to be shopping the programme elsewhere.[7]
Good to know
She approached the dialogue as heightened language
Shaw-Smith described the House of Ashur dialogue as Shakespearean in tone and tracked how Viridia's speech changed with her relationships.[3]
The arena scenes were large productions
She recalled days with about 300 supporting performers working across the arena set.[2]
No second season is confirmed
Reporting that a producer is shopping a series is not confirmation of a revival or a new platform.[7]
Birth
India Shaw-Smith was born in December 1994 in Oxford, England.[5][6]
