Warrior...Princess...Smash

Xena began life as a three-episode plot for Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. She led a vicious army across Greece, plundering and killing. Xena, in her thirst for power, even turned Hercules' friend Iolaus against the son of Zeus through seduction ("The Warrior Princess"). Eventually though, she is betrayed by her second-in-command and endures a horrifying expulsion from the army's camp - after which she renounces her evil ways and becomes determined to undo her past wrongs ("The Gauntlet"). She not only joins Hercules in his fight against her old army, but goes on to start a quest to redeem herself - through righting the wrongs she has performed, and doing further good deeds.
Produced by the same team as Hercules - Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert - and starring the statuesque New Zealander Lucy Lawless and Texan Renee O'Connor, Xena has captured a worldwide audience of fans who are enamoured with the show's inventive stories, Hong Kong action and sometime slapstick humour. The strong female role models and the relationship between the two main characters have also pleased critics.
A spin-off to any successtul TV series is a fickle beast; some make it (Frasier), some don't (Baywatch Nights, Knight Rider 2000). And some do so well that they could be considered as overtaking the original - just as it seems Xena: Warrior Princess has done.

Lucy Lawless Filmography
Air New Zealand (a morning TV show)
Various TV commercials in New Zealand
Funny Business (comedy skit show in New Zealand)
Ray Bradbury Theatre: "Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum.''
Peach (short film)
Rainbow Warrior (1992)
High Tide: "Shanghaied''(1994)
High Tide: "Dead in the Water" (1994)
Hercules and the Amazon Women (1994)
Hercules: "As Darkness Falls''(1995)
Hercules: "Outcast'' (1996)
Hercules: "The Warrior Princess'' (1995)
Hercules:"The Gauntlet" (1995 )
Hercules: "Unchained Heart'' (1995)
Something So Right (1997) (cameo as herself)
Hercules: "Judgement Day''
Hercules: ''Stranger in a Strange World" (1997)
Hercules: "Armageddon Now'' (1998)
Xena: Warrior Princess (series) (1996 - )

We love Lucy
Lucy Lawless was born Lucy Ryan in Auckland, New Zealand. The fifth of seven children (most of them boys), she first got involved in acting and singing in school musicals and plays. After attending Auckland University for a short period, she set off to see the world via Europe, finally coming to Australia when money ran low. There she worked briefly in a gold mining camp, and married her high school love Garth Lawless. They returned to Auckland where their daughter, Daisy, was born. They divorced in 1995. After many appearances in local commercials and television shows, she finally struck gold with an appearance in Hercules and the Amazon Women, playing a headstrong Amazon. It was a twist of fate however that saw Lucy step up to become the Warrior Princess - the actress originally cast in the role became unavailable. Reaction was so good to the character that the producers brought her back - and the legend was born.
"I think the show's popularity among women," says Lawless, "stems from the fact that Xena carries the message 'Yes I can' in both her actions and her demeanour. 'Yes I can,' all alone, with no visible means of male support... we haven't had this kind of role model in the popular media for quite some time, and not ever in episodic television."
On March 28 1998 Lucy married Xena executive producer Rob Tapert. Lucy is on record (SFX 44, November 1998) as saying that she would only continue in the role of Xena for "a couple more years" and that "I want to have more kids." Perhaps some day we may see Xena pushing a stroller...

Texan Blonde

Renee O'Connor first came to the attention of Xena executive producers Tapert and Raimi when she was cast as the young Deianeira in Hercules and the Lost Kingdom. In fact so impressed were they, that she was signed for a starring role in Darkman II: The Return of Durant. After other unrelated acting jobs, she arrived at a regular gig - as the young, fast-talking bad Gabrielle, Xena's companion.
"(She is) a romantic storyteller with a passion for adventure," says O'Connor.
Born and raised in Houston, Texas, O'Connor began acting at the tender age of 12, later attending Houston's High School of the Performing and Visual Arts. Her professional acting debut came in 1989 in the Teen Angel series. Her other credits include a guest appearance in the acclaimed series NYPD Blue.

Renee O'Connor Filmography
Teen Angel (1989)
Match Point (1989)
Tales from the Crypt (c. 1989-90)
Danielle Steel's "Changes" (1991)
Sworn to Vengeance (1993)
Flood: Who Will Save Our Children (1993)
The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993)
Hercules and the Lost Kingdom (1994)
Darkman II: The Return of Durant (1994)
The Rockford Files: A Blessing in Disgtlise (1995)
Follow the River (1995)
NYPD Blue (1995)
Xena: Warrior Princess (1996 -)

Single, O'Connor is an active person enjoying horse riding, rock climbing and kick boxing. With her role becoming more physical as time has moved on, she has taken up a training regime to stay in shape.

Renaissance Men
Sam Raimi and partner Robert Tapert - partners in Renaissance Pictures, producers of Xena - have been making movies for more than twenty years, ever since their university days. It was the low budget horror flick Evil Dead that made them known as an up and coming force. Written and directod by Raimi, produced by Tapert and starring friend and business partner Bruce Campbell, it became a cult hit at the Cannes Film Festival. It was followed by The Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn and Army of Darkness (recognised, but not labelled, as Evil Dead III). A wildly imaginative filmmaking style, combined with a wicked sense of humour and a sixth-sense of thrill and chill, has established Raimi as a master in his field.
Raimi proved his ability in the fantasy genre with Darkman starring Liam Neeson. Switching between television and film became easy: from M.A.N.TI.S. to The Hudsucker Proxy, The Quick and the Dead to American Gothic. Robert Tapert meanwhile has acted as executive producer on most of the Renaissance projects, and is at ease switching between producer, director and writer on Hercu1es and Xena.
Raimi's most recent film is A Simple Plan, starring Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton.

Hong Kong Connection
One of the reasons that watching Xena is so much fun is the inventive action scenes, influenced by so many different cultures and eras. Executive Producer Robert Tapert is an avid fan of Hong Kong action films, with their fast, hard action and special effects. Some scenes in Xenahave been directly inspired by Hong Kong movies: Xena's torture at the hands of her men in "The Gauntlet", where she is forced to walk through a double line of men who strike her as she passes, is almost identical to the one in The Bride With White Hair.

The fight with Draco where each of them step on villager's heads to avoid touching the ground ("Sins of the Past"), and the ladder fight with Callisto ("Callisto") are similarly inspired. Xena's special abilities - incredible leaps that fly through the air, ability to catch fast moving objects, extraordinary strength - are also drawn from such films.
As has been shown in the latest season, and hinted at over the series, Xena was trained in the Far East. It is obvious that the East's influences don't just stop there.

The Subtext
It is near impossible to mention Xena: Warrior Princess in conversation without someone bringing up the relationship between Xena and Gabrielle. Even though both have had male love interests, frequent discussion regarding the character's sexual orientation have arisen. In fact, the show has a strong lesbian following.The suggestions of such a relationship however are not unintended. In an interview (Denver Post, 1996) Lucy Lawless stated: "We are aware and we're not afraid of (the lesbian element). This is a love story between two people. What they do in their own time is none of our business.'' In addition, executive producer Robert Tapert has added fuel to the debate by saying that the relationship is "whatever you want it to be."
It is obvious that the writers and staff of Xena take every opportunity to work over the relationship between the main character and her sidekick, either drawing them closer or developing a story arc, in particular one which carried over most of season three that nearly tears them apart (known among fans as "The Rift"). Very carefully, and most interestingly, the creators have allowed the audience to draw their own conclusions from the stories.

The Accident
Less known among casual viewers of Xena is that in October 1996, while rehearsing a segment for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the horse Lucy Lawless was riding fell. While the horse was uninjured, the star suffered multiple pelvic fractures.
At the end of November, Lawless returned to work - a full month earlier than expected.
The accident had an enormous effect on the second season of the show. Lucy's accident brought about a shuffle in the broadcast schedule, and guest stars such as Bruce Campbell (Autolycus), Ted Raimi (Joxer) and Karl Urban (Caesar/Cupid) were grabbed to fill in. Stories were quickly rewritten - the end of "Intimate Stranger", in which Xena is transported into Callisto's body was changed so that they would not be turned back, allowing Hudson Leick as Callisto to play Xena in the following episode, "Ten Little Warlords". The ending of "Destiny" was also changed; instead of returning to her body Xena remains dead, allowing "The Quest" to occur with Autolycus being taken over by Xena's spirit. Also filmed were several "fight-light" episodes.
Like Gillian Anderson's pregnancy which resulted in quick changes to The X Files, Lucy's accident shows how a production team can pull together when faced with a crisis so that the audience notices almost no change.

Guest Stars
Ted Raimi (Joxer)
Younger brother of producer director Sam, Ted used to watch his brother making films and so much want to be involved. He is widely known to most TV audiences for his role in SeaQuest DSV. He has played opposite Harrison Ford in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger, and guested on such TV shows as Alf, Twin Peaks, Alien Nation, American Gothic and of course Hercules. He is also an accomplished writer and musician.

Kevin Smith (Ares)
A native to New Zealand, Kevin had his first taste of fame in a band named "Say Yes to Apes", on guitar and singing lead. He also played rugby for various teams, until an injury put him out of the game. Married with three sons, he credits his wife Suzanne with starting his acting career by signing him up for an Elvis impersonator contest. After this were roles on New Zealand TV, stage and film. He won a New Zealand Film and Television Award in 1995.

Hudson Leick (Callisto)
Born in 1969 in New York, Leick worked as a model before attending acting school. At the age of 20, she starting acting at the Community Theatre in Rochester, New York. She also worked on a series of after school showcases called "Sexual Considerations", focusing on teen issues. Her other credits include guests on :Law & Order, Melrose Place, Touched by an Angel and roles in the films Dangerous Cargo, After the Game and Denial.

Karl Urban (Caesar/Cupid)
Another native New Zealander, Urban was exposed to the film industry at a young age - his mother worked at a production company. He wrote, directed and acted in plays while at school, but did not seriously pursue acting until after finishing school. Guest parts in local TV shows kept his interest up until his break with Hercules and Xena. Urban keeps acting on TV, film and stage.

Bruce Campbell (Autolycus)
Born in 1958 in the same hospital as pal Sam Raimi, acting was in Campbell's blood - his father spent his spare time in community theatre. After starring in The Evil Dead, he has worked almost continuously in film or TV, including roles in American Gothic, Homidice: Life on the Streets, Army of Darkness and Escape from LA. He also produces and directs.

PORCELAIN PRINCESS: Individually numbered of only 2,500 worldwide.

Merchandise
A major part of promotion for film and television today is merchandise, and Xena is no exception. From mail order businesses or over the World Wide Web, Xenites can purchase a wide variety of items; from action figures, trading cards, comics, mugs, pictures, jewellery, figurines, busts, t-shirts and a role playing game, right up to a full size chakram - especially made by the Xena prop department. This is in addition to the videos currently available - in Australia, we have the "Xena Trilogy" of Hercules episodes, while in the US Xenites can purchase every episode in special "Season Packs". These packs are rumoured to be appearing in Australia later this year.

The Fans
Xena fans are a varied lot, from a wide variety of backgrounds. Often one fan will have a different reason for watching the show than the next. The action, the adventure, the comedy, the relationships - they all draw people into the show. There is an official fan club, and many unofficial ones, for both the show and most of its actors. Endless web sites are dedicated to the show, varying from the general (Whoosh! http://whoosh.org is one of the best) to the more specific (Xena Subtext Frequently Asked Questions http://members.aol. com/daxwtesq/FAQ/FAQ.htm).
Xena: Warrior Princess has become a world-wide hit. From its location filming in New Zealand, and Renaissance's head quarters in Universal City, California, it has spread across the globe, attracting people of all ages and both genders to watch this reformed - but still dangerous - warrior woman fight to not only right her wrongs, but help others along the way.
The show has many powerful messages about relationships, honour and accounting for past misdeeds. It also has a light touch, bringing smiles to many faces with its humour. As the Whoosh! website puts it: "Perhaps the best way to describe Xena: Warrior Princess is as a fantasy/action series with a riveting relationship between the two main characters, which appeals to many people in many different ways." And that can't be a bad thing.

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