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Archive-name: tv/xena-wp/Actors
Posting-Frequency: Bi-weekly or whenever Last-modified: 15th February 2000 Version: 3.1.2.3 Copyright: (c) 1997-2000 Paul A Hilling Copyright: (c) 1997 Edward T. Smith Copyright: (c) 1997 A. J. Firebaugh Copyright: (c) 1996 Michael L. Martinez Maintainer: Paul Hilling (p.hilling@bigfoot.com) URL: http://www.bigfoot.com/~p.hilling/atx-faq.htm URL: http://members.xoom.com/AtxFAQ/atx-faq.htm See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge NOTE: This document is not intended to infringe upon MCA or Universal Studios or Studios USA in any way. ================================================================= Portions of this document are Copyright (C) 1996 by K. Wieczerza and used by permission. This file may be freely copied and redistributed. All I ask is that it remains whole and intact and that this notice is not altered. ================================================================= This document is intended to provide answers to certain questions that come up regularly on the alt.tv.xena news group. People who are new to the news group are encouraged to read this document before posting questions to alt.tv.xena. Michael Martinez originally created this FAQ in accordance with the prevailing traditions and customs of the Internet, which place high value on the free dissemination and exchange of information. It has since been trashed and rearranged it into multiple smaller documents. This is a living document. As new information is made available by the producers of XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS I'll try to update this file. Also, corrections will be made as I discover them or I am informed about them. Please feel free to notify me of any errors that you find. Paul Hilling <p.hilling@bigfoot.com> ================================================================= This FAQ is available via ftp from: ftp://ftp.rtfm.mit.edu To get a copy of this FAQ by e-mail, send an e-mail to p.hilling@bigfoot.com with "ATX-FAQ REQUEST" in the subject. ================================================================= This document uses the following conventions: Names of television shows are given in ALL CAPS. Names of episodes are given in "quotes". X:WP is an acronym for XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS. H:TLJ is an acronym for HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS. X is sometimes used for "Xena", especially in making reference to both Xena and Gabrielle (as "X and G"). LL is sometimes used for "Lucy Lawless". ROC is sometimes used for "Renee O'Connor". ATX refers to the newsgroup Alt.Tv.Xena ================================================================= ================= Table Of Contents ================= Section III: About the actors 1. What can you tell me about Lucy Lawless, the actress who plays Xena? (Info, Bio, and Fan Clubs) 2. What can you tell me about Renee O'Connor, the actress who play's Gabrielle? (Info, Bio, and Fan Club) 3. Has Lucy Lawless always been a martial artist and/or naturally athletic? 4. Do the actresses do their own stunts? 5. What can you tell me about Hudson Leick? (Callisto) 6. What about Kevin Smith? (Ares) 7. What about Ted Raimi? (Joxer) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Section III: About the actors ----------------------------------------------------------------- QUESTION III.1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What can you tell me about Lucy Lawless, the actress who plays Xena? (Info, Bio, and Fan Clubs) ANSWER III.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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- QUESTION III.2 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What can you tell me about Renee O'Connor, the actress who play's Gabrielle? (Info, Bio, and Fan Club) ANSWER III.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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- QUESTION III.3 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Has Lucy Lawless always been a martial artist and/or naturally athletic? ANSWER III.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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- QUESTION III.4 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Do the actresses do their own stunts? ANSWER III.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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- QUESTION III.5 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What can you tell me about Hudson Leick? (Callisto) ANSWER III.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). ----------------------------------------------------------------- QUESTION III.6 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What about Kevin Smith? (Ares) ANSWER III.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). ----------------------------------------------------------------- QUESTION III.7 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What about Ted Raimi? (Joxer) ANSWER III.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). ----------------------------------------------------------------- Aethelrede <aethelrede@worldnet.att.net> Amita Guha <amita@amarex.com> A. J. Firebaugh <Bluesong@aol.com> Hudson Leick Fan Club (http://www.hudsonleickfan.com) K. Wieczerza -- aka "Kicker" <wieczek@telalink.net> Kevin Smith Official Fan Club (http://www.inetworld.net/zepgirl2/fanclb.htm) Kym Masera Taborn <ktaborn@lightspeed.net> Michael Martinez <michael@xenite.org> Pat Casciano <pcascian@niagara.rivier.edu> Paul Hilling <p.hilling@bigfoot.com> R. Carter <rcarter@indirect.com> Renee O'Connor's Official Web Site (http://rampages.onramp.net/~rocweb/) Ron Murillo <tegan@uclink4.berkeley.edu> Ted Turocy <arbiter@nwu.edu> Tim Smith <tim.smith@omnidssi.com> Ted Raimi International Fan Club (http://www.tedraimifan.com) Whoosh (http://www.whoosh.org) (My thanks goto all of the other contributors not listed) The original FAQ was written by Ted Turocy (arbiter@nwu.edu) and K. Wieczerza -- a.k.a. "Kicker" (wieczek@telalink.net). Kicker maintained the original FAQ on her web site, http://www.telalink.net/~wieczek/Xwpfaq.html, which now says something like: NOTE: This FAQ (by Kicker) has been turned over to the people at WHOOSH! The new URL is http://whoosh.org/faq/index.html. This version of the FAQ has been written and formatted specifically for distribution on the Usenet. Why are these documents is so long? I don't know, except we're quite involved with the show and believe in what we do or some such thing :-) ---------------------------END OF FAQ---------------------------- -- Paul Hilling :- Alt.Tv.Xena FAQ Maintainer Alt.Binaries.Multimedia.Xena-Herc FAQ Maintainer New to ATX? Read the FAQ @ http://www.bigfoot.com/~p.hilling/atx-faq.htm [Paul's Gabby Grotto http://www.bigfoot.com/~p.hilling/xena.htm] No computer components were harmed during the creation of this e-mail, however several billion electrons were abused to ensure its safe delivery. User Contributions:
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Alt.Tv.Xena FAQ, (Part 3/5): About the actors
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Alt.Tv.Xena FAQ, (Part 3/5): About the actors
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