ATX General FAQ File
------------------- Section III: About the actors
------------------
QUESTION 1. What can you tell me about Lucy Lawless, the actress who plays Xena? (Info,
Bio, and Fan Clubs)
ANSWER 1. A more detailed biography is available at the MCA website (http://www.mca.com/tv/xena).
Birthday: March 29, 1968
Birthplace: Mt. Albert, Auckland, New Zealand
Eye Color: Blue
Hair Color: Honey Blonde
Height: 5'10 1/2" (According to Lucy)
Significant Other: Married to Robert Tapert. Exec Producer of Xena
I know there is more info out there, but here is some to get you started...
Lucy Lawless is the fifth of seven children and is the oldest girl. Lucy got involved in
acting and singing early on in school musical and plays in what was mostly a convent
education. She graduated at the age of 17 and attended Auckland University briefly, but
soon left for Europe and went grape picking on the Rhine. Following that Lucy even worked
in a gold mining camp, in Australia! In Australia she married and then returned to
Auckland.
Lucy has one daughter, Daisy, born in 1988-9. And a son, Julius Robert Bay Tapert born on
the 16th Oct 1999.
For those of you who haven't heard Lucy speak in interviews, her natural voice doesn't
sound very much like Xena. She definitely has a New Zealand accent, and her voice is not
nearly so deep.
Lucy has a natural aptitude for languages and accents that enables her to sound southern
Californian. Check out her David Letterman interview, or see other interviews at Tom's
Xena Page (http://www.xenafan.com).
You'll find lots more info and get to actually hear her speak!
Yes, Lucy dyes her hair black for the show. You can see her natural hair in "Hercules
and the Amazon Women". Look for an Amazon on a horse. She's also the one who horses
around with Zeus (played by Anthony Quinn).
Lucy's BIO:
Television commercials in New Zealand
A Presenter for a New Zealand Tv Station Travel Show.
FUNNY BUSINESS: comedy troupe television show in New Zealand
RAY BRADBURY THEATRE IV -- T.V. show
Peach (one of the four pieces in the work: Women From Down Under)
Rainbow Warrior (1992): movie (now available on video)
HIGH TIDE: "Shanghaied" (1994) -- T.V. show
HIGH TIDE: "Dead in the Water" (1994) -- T.V. show
Hercules and the Amazon Women (1994) -- as Lysia, an Amazon
(NOTE: the above was a 2 hour Action Pack movie -- before the H:TLJ series began...)
H:TLJ: "As Darkness Falls" (1995) -- as Lyla, whose husband is the centaur Deric
H:TLJ: "Outcast" (1996): again as Lyla -- wife of Deric and mother to Kiefer
H:TLJ: "The Warrior Princess" (1995) -- our introduction to Xena
H:TLJ: "The Gauntlet" (1995) -- Xena's army turns against her
H:TLJ: "Unchained Heart" (1995) -- Xena's "conversion to good"
H:TLJ: "Judgement Day" (1997) -- Strife tricks Hercules into killing the Golden
Hind.
H:TLJ: "Strangers In A Strange Land" (1997) -- Naughty Xena in a Mirror
Universe.
H:TLJ: "Armageddon Now : Part 2" (1998) -- Evil alternate universe version of
Xena
THE BLACK STALLION -- T.V. show (I don't know which episode)
Grease: The Stage Musical (1997) -- Stage Musical, as Rizzo
Her vocal talents were also used in the Animated Movie Hercules and the Battle for Mount
Olympus.
For information on the XENA Fan Club, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
Official Xena: Warrior Princess Fan Club
411 N. Central Ave. #300
Glendale, CA 91203
e-mail address is outback@primenet.com
All mail for Lucy Lawless should be sent to the Official Xena: Warrior Princess fan club
at the above address
There was an unofficial Lucy Lawless fan club, but it has now closed.
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QUESTION 2. What can you tell me about Renee O'Connor, the actress who play's
Gabrielle? (Info, Bio, and Fan Club)
ANSWER 2. A more detailed biography is available at the MCA website (http://www.mca.com/tv/xena).
Birthday: February 15, 1971
Birthplace: Katy, Texas, U.S.A.
Eye Color: Green
Hair Color: Blonde
Height: Almost 5'4" (according to ROC)
Significant Other: None of our business
The following is intended as a brief sketch at best...
Renee began studying acting in Houston at the age of 12. She enjoys jazz dancing,
horseback riding, and many other sports. She is single and lives full-time in Auckland,
New Zealand. She visits various states and cities while she is in the U.S., especially
with her family in Houston and Austin, Texas.
Renee does not wear blue contacts. Depending on how the lighting is done, her eyes, can
look blue. (This is from a statement Renee made.)
Also, the proper spelling of Renee is with the acute over the last letter (a.k.a. the tick
or single quote). Yes, Renee has a tick. Given that this is basically an ASCII document,
we can't get too fancy so we are leaving Renee's tick out of these documents.
Renee's BIO:
TEEN ANGEL (1989): Disney Channel's Mickey Mouse Club serial
MATCH POINT (1989): Disney Channel's Mickey Mouse Club serial
Black Snow (1989)
TALES FROM THE CRYPT: "The Switch"(1990)
Danielle Steel's 'Changes' (1991)
FBI: The Untold Stories (Blue Fibre) (1992)
FBI: The Untold Stories (The Millionaire Murders) (1992)
Sworn to Vengeance (1993)
Flood: Who Will Save Our Children? (1993)
The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993)
Hercules and the Lost Kingdom (1994): playing the young Deianeira!
Darkman II: The Return of Durant (1994)
The Rockford Files: A Blessing in Disguise (1995): T.V. movie
Follow the River (1995): a made for T.V. movie
NYPD BLUE: "Oscar, Meyer, Weiner." T.V. series episode
H:TLJ: "Judgement Day" (1997) -- In which Strife tricks Hercules into killing
the Golden Hind.
H:TLJ: "Strangers In A Strange Land" (1997) -- As the executioner in a Mirror
Universe.
H:TLJ: "Armageddon Now : Part 2" (1998) -- As a critic of the evil alternate
universe version of Xena
H:TLJ: "For Those Of You Just Joining Us" (1999) -- Playing Sunny Day
Her vocal talents were also used in the Animated Movie "Hercules and the Battle for
Mount Olympus".
The most up to date listing can be found at the Official Renee O'Connor website (http://rampages.onramp.net/~rocweb/).
According to Renee, due to time constraints, Her part in "The Switch" ended up
on the cutting room floor.
You can write too Renee at the following address
Renee O'Connor
P.O. Box 180435
Austin, TX 78718-0435
Renee's fan club has unfortunately had to close, but Renee's Official website (http://rampages.onramp.net/~rocweb/)
remains. The web site contains a plethora of information about ROC including interviews
and childhood photographs, and is updated occasionally.
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QUESTION 3. Has Lucy Lawless always been a martial artist and/or naturally athletic?
ANSWER 3. Lucy learned some basic kung fu moves, sword, and staff work from Douglas
Wong in a brief visit to Los Angeles in 1995. MCA says "Though she had practised yoga
for some time, Lucy had no special training in martial arts, sword play, or stunt work
when she landed the role of Xena." The MCA site goes on to say that she did have some
experience riding horses as a teenager. Lucy herself though is quoted in the Starlog
Yearbook (1996) as being bemused at landing such a physical role. That in school her
nickname was Unco -- short for uncoordinated! She says that she is warming up to that
aspect of the role and really enjoying it.
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QUESTION 4. Do the actresses do their own stunts?
ANSWER 4. Lucy herself has said "If you don't see my face, there's a good
chance it isn't me doing the stunt". Stunt double are used for the gymnastic and more
difficult horseback riding scenes. Lucy in particular is doing more and more these days.
Enough, as one of the people involved with the show said, to be quite impressive and make
one occasionally a little nervous.
Lucy was injured on October 8, 1996 while filming a skit for THE TONIGHT SHOW. She was
riding a horse across a parking lot in full Xena gear. The horse, though shod for
pavements, slipped and fell. So, Lucy HAS been doing some of her stunts, but that changed
a bit after her accident. Lucy had said on ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT (in January 1997) that
she would return to doing her own stunts, but at her own pace.
The show was changed due to Lucy's accident. The ending for "Intimate Stranger"
was re-written so that "Ten Little Warlords" could immediately follow that show,
even though it was not scheduled for filming. Another obvious change is "The
Quest," which features Bruce Campbell as the King of Thieves. In "The
Quest," Xena invades The King of Thieves mind. Lucy has only a very small role in
"The Quest."
It's also noticeable in some already-aired episodes, such as "Intimate Stranger"
that the actresses are sometimes placed in wire harnesses which enable them to do some of
the terrific flips and rotations the show is so famous for. In other cases stunt doubles
appear to be doing the work.
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QUESTION 5. What can you tell me about Hudson Leick? (Callisto)
ANSWER 5. Xenites have generally fallen in love with Hudson. Although most prefer
to keep Lucy in the title role, many hope to see Hudson again in future episodes of XENA:
WARRIOR PRINCESS, and some hope she eventually gets her own show.
Her "real" name is Heidi Leick (pronounced Like). She changed her stage name to
Hudson. As Hudson said in an interview, Heidi Leick sounded too much like the name of a
porn star.
She is really a brunette.
Xenites have reported seeing Hudson episodes of "Law and Order", "Melrose
Place", and "University Hospital". She was on a couple of episodes of
"Touched By An Angel" in February, 1996.
Check XENA ONLINE RESOURCES for a list of web sites that are either devoted to
Callisto/Hudson or at least include her. You can find XENA ONLINE RESOURCES (http://www.xenite.org/xenaonln.htm).
Hudson's fan club also maintains a popular website (http://www.hudsonleickfan.com).
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QUESTION 6. What about Kevin Smith? (Ares)
ANSWER 6. Kevin Tod Smith is a native New Zealander, born March 16, 1963 in
Auckland.
He was in a band named "Say Yes to Apes" from 1983-1986, playing the only guitar
in the band and singing lead. The band made 3 albums and had a loyal following, but he
qualifies his music as being "very underground".
Kevin also played rugby for a period of time for various teams. However, he suffered an
unfortunate head injury which ended his rugby career. He has held a great variety of jobs.
He met his lovely wife Suzanne in 1979 when he was just 16 years old. They were married in
1986 and have three handsome young sons, Oscar (born in 1991), Tyrone (born 1993) and
Willard (born Oct 97).
Suzanne is largely responsible for getting Kevin started in acting. She signed him up for
an Elvis impersonator contest in 1987. "It was actually a touring musical play about
Elvis called 'Are You Lonesome Tonight'," he says. "I auditioned for the 'young
Elvis' role. I got to be his understudy (I played JoJo the bodyguard). The play collapsed
in financial and artistic ignominy in my hometown of Christchurch....excellent!!!"
After this Kevin went on to play several roles in New Zealand television, stage and film,
including Othello, Arsenic and Old Lace, Desperate Remedies, City Life, and Marlin Bay,
for which he was awarded a New Zealand Film and Television Award for Best Supporting Actor
in 1995.
Thanks to Suzanne's efforts and Kevin's hard work and talent, we now get to see him on a
regular basis as "Ares" in Xena: Warrior Princess and as "Iphicles",
Hercules' half-brother in Hercules: the Legendary Journeys.
BIO graciously provided by the Kevin Smith Official Fan Club, (all rights reserved). More
information see the Kevin Smith fan club website (http://www.inetworld.net/zepgirl2/fanclb.htm).
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QUESTION 7. What about Ted Raimi? (Joxer)
ANSWER 7. Ted Raimi is from Detroit Michigan and is Sam Raimi's younger brother. He
has previously been in a large number of films including DARKMAN, PATRIOT GAMES, and CLEAR
AND PRESENT DANGER. He was also in the television series SEAQUEST which is now airing on
the Sci-Fi Channel. If you would like further information, please visit the new web page
of the Ted Raimi International Fan Club (http://www.tedraimifan.com).
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