A Chat with Lucy Lawless, the Sweetest Warrior Princess in the Universe

Bandit: So, first of all, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me.

Lucy: Sure.

Bandit: I really appreciate it. So, how are you finding New York Comic Con so far?

Lucy: I find it that they need to have a loo situated for the guest because you’re standing in line and people are photographing you coming in and they’ve got phones underneath the stalls.

Bandit: Oh! No!

Lucy: It’s not real. It’s not a thing. But you know, you sort of waiting in line and you’ve got to get back to your phone and it’ll be great to have some sort of loo where we can go. But there isn’t.

Bandit: So, I have to say Xena is probably one of the most iconic of, I’d say of all time with regard to female characters.

Lucy: (laughs!) All-time?

Bandit: Yeah!

Lucy: It’s a bold claim.

Bandit: Well, everybody loves you. And you are, and Xena is nothing without you. So, did you think that, that role, when it first came on, as a cameo on Hercules and then to be your own show. Did you think it was going to be that big?

Lucy: I did because I was naive and had no idea how the world works and I just thought that’s naturally what happens. It’s not that I thank my lucky stars and go ‘Oh! My God! What, what an incredible serendipitous chain of events’.

Bandit: So, can we expect a Xena reunion anytime soon?

Lucy: A TV show or something?

Bandit: A TV show or something or…?

Lucy: That would be awesome. You know, they keep trying to push for it. Rob’s trying to figure out how to make it. Trying to reinvigorate it. Like, re-tell.

Bandit: Even like a PaleyFest Panel where all of you come together.

Lucy: I don’t even know what that is.

Bandit: The Paley Center for Media [has] big panels of television shows and sometimes they get all the cast and creators together for a night.

Lucy: Wow! Oh! My Gosh! Do you think after twenty years they’re still interested in that?

Bandit: Have you seen your lines here?

Lucy: Well, they’re not bigger than anyone else’s.

Bandit: Oh! They are quite big. I think that a Xena panel…

Lucy: Really? I can’t tell.

Bandit: So, would want to do that? Just sit down with everyone?

Lucy: Oh! Yeah! I’ve always loved those people. I’m gonna see Renee, and Adrienne Wilkinson, and all those girls again. I’ve loved Ted dearly. He’s a good friend. So, is Bruce. […] I’ve always wanted to do something with Ted, Bruce and Renee. That would be a really funny core group of actors. That’s, that’s my dream.

Bandit: You’ve done both good and evil characters. Is there any kind of side you prefer?

Lucy: Well, I like the juvenility of the characters. An evil character never thinks they are evil. I’m always horrified to hear people call Lucretia a villain because in her mind she was utterly justified. Everything she did was for love. For the love of her husband. So, I always look for the good things in the bad people and the bad things in the good people. That’s what makes them relatable.

Bandit: Most recently you were on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D as Isabelle Hartley. How did that role come about?

Lucy: They invited me. They had already written it and thinking ‘Oh! My God! Who are we going to cast?’ and they just ‘Well, why don’t we get Lucy? She’s in town’ and I was just happy to do it. I knew how it ended.

Bandit: So, going in you knew that she was gonna…

Lucy: Yes, so, I knew how the character was written already. Whether she really is dead? Well, we’ll see. And I bet that they’ve got a lot of characters to serve. It’s the truth. When you’ve got an ensemble you have to serve the ensemble, keep them alive. And when you bring in people like me, they’re gonna chew up the scenery a little bit. So, it doesn’t help the ensemble. So, you’ve gotta plan those things carefully when you’re a writer.

Bandit: And then finally. So, the new season of Parks and Recreation is coming up. And it’s gonna have a time skip. So, anything you can tell us about Diana and Ross’s relationship?

Lucy: No!

Bandit: Ohhh!

Lucy: Not a thing.

Bandit: So, beyond that now, ask you nothing?

Lucy: You mean they haven’t even begun airing it?

Bandit: No.

Lucy: You know, I can’t say.

Bandit: Don’t worry about it. Are you going to try and see anyone else while you are here at Comic Con.

Lucy: I love Will Shatner. He’s a buddy of mine and so is Jeremy Shada. The rest of the cast from Adventure Times here? I would love to see them, but it’s just a fleeting visit because I’m just in and straight out again.

Lucy: Lovely to meet you darling.

Bandit: Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

Author: Bandit

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