On May 6th to a crowd of 4,000 enthusiastic fans in Pasadena, Xena took her last bow with
her series scheduled to air its last episode the week of June 18th. Lucy Lawless
(Xena)
and Renee O’Connor (Xena’s trusty sidekick Gabrielle) made their first convention
appearance together sharing for a full two hours with the fans.
Their joint appearance started with Renee being asked by Xena Fan Club President Sharon
Delaney if she would treat the audience to a song. Knowing the couple of musicals Xena
producers have done over the years and Renee’s fledgling attempts at singing, the crowd
was all ears.
Renee started with a throatily, competent version of the disco hit “Last Dance” when her
partner in crime Lucy Lawless joined her on stage to duet. Lucy was in shorter messy
hair, plaid punk-style shorts, skull and cross bone shirt with shoes she stole from her
turn in Sam Raimi’s “Spiderman” as a wild punk chick. Renee looked radiant in a blue
spandexy shirt and a slight paunch from her five-month old pregnancy.
Here are some excerpts from their time on stage where Sharon Delaney asked many insightful
questions from both herself and the fans. I was writing frantically and gleaning what I
could while sitting more than a football field away from the stage.
Sharon opened with questions about the early days of the show.
Renee seemingly appeared surprised when Lucy announced that the part of Gabrielle was
specifically developed for Renee. Lucy said that although Renee went through the audition
process she was always the first pick for the part in the mind of the producers.
Lucy recalled that those early days were so hectic she barely had an opportunity to talk
to this new actress (Renee) who was joining her. Then she heard Renee loved jazz and
bought her a CD of women jazz musicians to break the ice.
Renee commented that “Lucy set the tone for the work ethic and relationships among the
crew…”
“But we’ve always been a two star show,” Lucy affirmed to the thunderous applause of fans
of both characters.
While talking about the early days, Sharon asked how Lucy liked working with Anthony Quinn
when she was in her early 20’s. Lucy said, “Anthony Quinn was hot. At 72, he kissed like
a 24 year old.”
A lengthy discussion ensued about the craft of acting and directing some of which I will
include in my next article possibly. The convention took place in Pasadena (a stone’s
through from Hollywood), thus a nice percentage of the crowd was interested in such
things.
Sharon asked Lucy and Renee if they learned any skills from their character, which they
use in real life. Renee drew roars: “I use that bull whip every night.” Here’s more of a
transcript:
Sharon: What was you favorite costume?
Lucy: Renee’s beaded go go costume.
(Renee said she loved her geeky costume as the step sister in “If the Shoe Fits” with the
sad teeth and water sprout hair.)
Sharon: What was your least favorite costume?
Lucy: We loved them all.
Sharon: How about when they put the rats all over your body?
Renee: How about the crucifixion outfits?
Lucy: You knew when you put those sacky costumes on you were in for a bad day.
Sharon asked about the evolution of Gabrielle’s costume.
Renee: It keeps getting smaller.
Lucy: But not your boobs. (No one in the audience disagreed.)
Sharon announced that an upcoming episode called “Many Happy Returns” is about Xena and
Gabrielle playing practical jokes on each other… something which they have fun doing in
real life.
Lucy: Renee keeps trying to play these lame practical jokes on me. Putting crumbs on my
seat. She’ll put slime on the door handles and a rat in the toilet.
Renee: It never works because Rob grabs the door handle (first)…
Sharon asked what they took with them on their last filming day.
Renee: My bathrobe & moon boots (from “Lyre, Lyre”)
Lucy: I took my costume (the old one) and my chakram.
Sharon asked them if they would let their hair go back to their natural style/color. Lucy
indicated that she would let her hair go back to its natural brown color and had obviously
already cut some length from her hair. Renee said she wasn’t sure.
Sharon asked if they Lucy or Renee had come up with any ideas for episodes themselves.
Lucy: Renee had an idea for an episode.
Renee: It was about the seven virtues being at war with each other. I worked on it a lot,
did a beat sheet, gave it to Rob, but no one understood it.
Sharon: How did Gabrielle “see” Xena at first?
Renee: I think she just wanted the breast plates.
Lucy: They didn’t fit at the time.
Renee: Gabrielle always tried them on when Xena went to sleep at night.
Then when they got onto the subject of the “relationship…”
Renee: The relationship between these two is a first…. It was amazing.
Renee & Lucy: It’s about love.
Lucy: The subtext is completely fine. But I don’t want to make it a grunty little joke.
(loud applause) Whether you want to see them as straight or gay, it’s about two characters
who love each other.
Lucy and Renee mentioned that they ended up reading a poem by Sappho in “Many Happy
Returns.” Lucy recalled that they read this poem on a beautiful day at Bethel’s Beach.
Lucy commented that Xena was probably confused by the fact it didn’t rhyme.
As for the series closer, Lucy and Renee offered some fascinating and possibly revealing
hints: “heart-wrenching,” “shocking moments,” “a real sense of closure,” “the character
(Xena) comes full circle,” “staff member who viewed a rough cut cried the whole time.”
Lucy summed it up, “Can’t say that I liked it, but I LOVED it.”
No Xena movies are planned in the next five years says Lucy. Editor Rob Field mentioned
that there’s been some talk about DVDs.
And Darien Tackle, who played Xena’s mom Cyrene, finally settled the dubious issues of
Xena’s parentage: “It was the milkman.”
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"Last Dance for Xena"
