Remember Xena? This Is How Lucy Lawless Looks at 57

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Lucy Lawless is famous for playing Xena in Xena: Warrior Princess, but her career has been full of surprises and memorable experiences. Originally from New Zealand, she started her acting journey on the comedy show Funny Business. She then further developed her talent at an acting school in Vancouver, Canada, which eventually led to her big break.

Lucy Lawless first gained attention in 1994 with a role in the TV movie Hercules and the Amazon Women, which later became the popular series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. In that initial appearance, she played Lysia, a strong and assertive Amazon warrior who distrusted men. She also had a smaller role as Lyla in the first season of the series before landing the part of Xena, which launched her to stardom.

I first encountered Xena in that amazing episode, “The Warrior Princess,” back in 1995. It’s funny to think that Vanessa Angel was originally supposed to play her, but unfortunately, she wasn’t well enough to come to New Zealand for filming. Lucy Lawless really made the role her own, though! She actually dyed her hair black – it was ash blonde before – and they even changed her costume to make sure everyone knew this wasn’t the same character she’d played before. It was a brilliant move, and it really helped establish Xena as this powerful, iconic warrior.

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The show quickly made Lucy Lawless famous around the world. Xena: Warrior Princess first aired in September 1995 and became a huge hit for six seasons, leaving a significant mark on popular culture. Her strong and powerful performance as the warrior Xena made her well-known everywhere, leading to many opportunities for acting roles and public events.

Filming wasn’t always smooth sailing, though. I remember hearing about a scary accident back in 1996 when Lucy Lawless fell off a horse while appearing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and actually fractured her pelvis! Thankfully, she made a full recovery, but the writers had to get creative and adjust things to limit how much she was on screen for a while. It’s funny, Lucy even said later that all the media coverage of the accident actually boosted the show’s ratings – talk about a silver lining!

Following her success on Xena, Lucy Lawless continued acting in a variety of projects. She performed as Betty Rizzo in the Broadway production of Grease and lent her voice to animated series like Justice League: The New Frontier and Adventure Time. On TV, she appeared in several popular shows with recurring roles on Battlestar Galactica, Parks and Recreation, Salem, and Ash vs Evil Dead. Lawless also played Lucretia in Spartacus: Blood and Sand, a performance that won her a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2011.

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Throughout her career, music has always been important to Lucy Lawless. She wrote songs for episodes of Xena and started performing again after placing second on Celebrity Duets. In 2007, she successfully performed a sold-out solo concert at the Roxy in Hollywood. Lawless is also a talented director and filmmaker; her 2024 documentary, Never Look Away, tells the story of New Zealand photographer Margaret Moth.

Lucy Lawless became a role model for the LGBT community thanks to the close relationship between her character, Xena, and Gabrielle on the show. She’s a strong supporter of LGBT rights and has actively participated in Pride events, even receiving an award for her allyship in 2017. Beyond LGBT advocacy, Lawless also dedicates her time to environmental causes with Greenpeace, supports the StarShip Foundation, and contributes to various charities, frequently using her public profile to highlight important issues.

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Lucy Lawless has been happily married to producer Robert Tapert since 1998, and they have two sons together. They currently live in California. While her iconic role as Xena brought her fame, exciting opportunities, and a voice for important causes, it also required her to be incredibly strong, both physically and in overcoming being seen as only that one character.

Playing Xena had a huge impact on Lucy Lawless’s life and career. The role made her famous worldwide and opened doors for her to pursue opportunities in television, music, and charitable work. Importantly, Xena inspired many fans – especially women – with her powerful and courageous personality.

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Lucy Lawless has proven she’s much more than just the actress who played Xena, successfully transitioning from New Zealand television to Hollywood. She actively supports causes important to her and continues to explore new creative opportunities. It’s evident that her role as Xena had a profound and lasting impact, extending far beyond her career and into her personal life.

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2026-03-18 12:15