Soon after being cast in '' Master and Commander '' , Pirkis was contracted to be represented by Hollywood talent agency ICM . The income he earned for the film was placed into a bank , making him wait until he turned eighteen . For his role , Pirkis received critical acclaim and won the Evening Standard British Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer and the Young Artist Award for Best International Performance by a Young Actor at the 25th Young Artist Awards . Pirkis was also nominated for Best Performance by a Youth in a Lead or Supporting Role – Male at the 4th Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards . Jeremiah Kipp of '' Slant Magazine '' praised Pirkis , writing that he " makes a winning impression as midshipman Lord Blakeney , a pugnacious one-armed lad who imitates the masculine bravado of Crowe and the bookish reserve of Bettany . " In 2005 , Pirkis made his television debut . Until 2007 , Pirkis played Gaius Octavian ( later to become Caesar Augustus ) in the BBC/HBO television series '' Rome '' . Many critics highlighted Pirkis and his character for praise . At the beginning of the first season , '' The Washington Post '' columnist Tom Shales remarked : " Played both knowingly and innocently by Max Pirkis , he gives the audience something it desperately needs ... a character to root for , or at least care about . " During the second series , Pirkis was replaced by Simon Woods in order for the show to depict an older version of the character
25th Young Artist Awards
25th Young Artist Awards
Max Pirkis