Lucy Lawless Movies
Best known for her role as the fearsome Xena: Warrior Princess in the long-running series of the same name, athletic worldly beauty Lucy Lawless didn't achieve the fame in her native New Zealand that flooded her in the U.S. until much later in her career, due to the fact that the wildly popular adventure series didn't air there until long after it was a staple of American television.Born into water at her home in Mount Albert, Aukland, New Zealand, in 1968 to the mayor of that city, Lawless began acting early and frequently appeared in school plays in her youth. A active child of diverse interests and with many siblings, Lawless went on to study German, French, and Italian at Aukland University for a year before traveling through Europe with boyfriend and eventual first husband Garth. They worked odd jobs to finance their trip and eventually ending up in Australia. Working in a gold-mining camp in Kalgoorlie to finance the final leg of their journey, the couple was married in Australia in 1988 and soon returned home to bear a daughter.
Crowned Mrs. New Zealand the following year, the busy new mother got her first acting experience in Funny Business, a popular TV comedy troupe. Studying acting in Vancouver, Canada, at the William Davis Center for Actors Study, Lawless soon landed small roles in films (The End of Golden Weather [1991]) and television (For the Love of Mike [1991]), with her next regular job as of co-host on television's Air New Zealand Holiday. After appearing in The Rainbow Warrior in 1992, Lawless landed the role that would propel her to stardom and become her calling card into the new millennium.
Initially appearing in the role of Lysia in Hercules and the Amazon Women, Lawless went on to appear as Xena in three episodes of Hercules before spinning off into her own series in 1995. It was a physically demanding adventure series in which the sporty actress performed many of her own stunts; Lawless ironically broke her pelvis after falling off of a horse while preparing to make a grand entrance on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno in 1996. After a quick recovery, Lawless made her Broadway debut as Rizzo in Grease the following year. Her first marriage dissolved, Lawless was remarried to Xena producer Rob Tapert in October 1999, two years before the final episode of Xena. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2001
In the first episode of Xena: Warrior Princess' two-part finale, Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) are summoned to Japan, there to save the city of Higushi. Upon arrival, the ladies find the city in the clutches of a group of savage samurai, headed by evil samurai ghost Yodoshi (Adrian Brown). In order to rescue the villagers and free some 40,000 enslaved dead souls, Xena must do battle against Yodoshi -- but she herself must be dead to do it. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2001
In the concluding episode of Xena: Warrior Princess, Xena (Lucy Lawless) has agreed to the terms of battle set down by evil samurai ghost Yodoshi. In other words, she allows herself to be killed so that she can fight Yodoshi over the souls of some 40,000 murdered Japanese. The grieving Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) races against time to revive Xena by putting her ashes in a magic spring before the next sunset. Only one problem: Even if she manages to defeat Yodoshi, Xena must remain dead in order to undo the samurai's past evil. This episode's climactic disclaimer advises the viewer to hold out hope for a happier ending in the future. We're still waiting. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
In the concluding episode of Xena: Warrior Princess' own "Ring Trilogy," the battle pitting Xena (Lucy Lawless) against Norse god Odin and the Valkyries is over -- at least for the moment. Having lost her memory, Xena believes that she is Wealthea, bride of Norseman Hrothgar (John Leigh). Alas, if Xena doesn't recover soon, Gabrielle will remain in eternal sleep, surrounded by an impenetrable circle of fire with the sacred Rheingold ring by her side. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
In the second episode of Xena: Warrior Princess' own "Ring Trilogy," Xena (Lucy Lawless) recalls the creation of the powerful Rheingold ring and the "birth" of the Norse monster Grinhilda. Upon finally killing the monster, Xena discovers that she has actually destroyed Grinhilda's son, Grindl, and that her old nemesis is just as dangerously alive as ever. Meanwhile, Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) grows closer to the enigmatic Brunnhilda (Brittney Powell), who holds a secret that will determine the outcome of this adventure. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
In the first episode of Xena: Warrior Princess' own "Ring Trilogy," Xena (Lucy Lawless) heads to the land of Norse, there to destroy the beast Grinhilda, whom she inadvertently created during her warrior-princess days. The lovely, enigmatic Brunnhilda (Brittney Powell) explains to Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) how Xena's past misdeeds -- including a torrid affair with Norse God Odin (Alexander Petersons) -- has wrought terror upon the land. Gabrielle also learns of Xena's role in forging the all-powerful Rheingold ring. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
Still traveling through Africa, Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) set upon the task of rescuing Joxer's son, Virgil (William Gregory Lee). It seems that the poor boy has fallen into the clutches of the Djindar tribe, who have a nasty habit of feasting upon their captives. All the while, Gabrielle continues to grieve over the accidental killing she committed in the previous episode "Legacy." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
After barely surviving a sandstorm, Xena (Lucy Lawless) tries to end a war between two hostile African tribes. It is her argument that unless the tribes bury the hatchet and work together, they will both be overwhelmed by the invading Romans. Meanwhile, Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) agonizes over accidentally killing an unarmed man, her grief-stricken musings consisting mainly of flashbacks from previous Xena: Warrior Princess episodes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
In the second of the series' musical episodes, Xena (Lucy Lawless) tries to negotiate a truce between the Amazons and the warlord Draco (Jay Lagai'aia). To that end, she proposes a Battle of the Bands, with songs rather than swords used to determine the outcome. Meanwhile, Xena's mom, Cyrene (Darien Takle), gets the matchmaking urge, and Joxer (Ted Raimi) again crosses paths with his disreputable brother, Jace. Highlights include a group of archaic villagers singing "The Telephone Hour" from Bye Bye Birdie and Xena's down-and-dirty lyre rendition of her TV series' theme song. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
Messianic shaman Eli (Tim Omundson, making his final series appearance) incurs the wrath of Ares (Kevin Smith) when he preaches against the warlike ways of the Olympian Gods. Though they do their best to protect Eli, Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) fail in their mission. But can it be that Eli's demise was all part of a divine master plan -- one which also involves Xena's unborn child? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
The sixth season of Xena: Warrior Princess opens with Xena (Lucy Lawless) emerging triumphant from her battle against the Olympian Gods. One of the few deities who managed to escape Xena's wrath is former God of War Ares (Kevin Smith), now a mere mortal at the mercy of the relentless Furies, who hope to drive both Ares and Xena crazy as compensation for the destruction of the Olympians. Meanwhile, former warrior Eve (Adrienne Wilkinson) follows the path previous trod by her mother, Xena, setting out to atone for the sins of her past. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
En route to her home town of Amphipolis in the company of her daughter, Eve (Adrienne Wilkinson), and her friend Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), Xena finds that it has become literally a ghost town, populated by corpses, wraiths, and ghouls. In trying to find out what had happened, Xena and her friends are besieged by all manner of horrors, not the least of which is a swarm of flesh-eating maggots. Meanwhile, watching from their heavenly perch, two archangels observe Xena dispassionately and discuss what may become her ultimate destiny -- ascending to the hellish throne of Mephistopheles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
Upon learning that she may inherit the throne of Hell from Mephistopheles, Xena (Lucy Lawless) vows to do everything she can to avoid this "honor." Alas, she is already taking on demonic characteristics, and her heart is growing harder with each passing day. Will the devilishly handsome angel who calls himself Lucifer (Alex Mendoza) be able to talk Xena into fulfilling her destiny? And why has Virgil (William Gregory Lee), sweet-tempered son of Joxer, suddenly turned so sour? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) heads off to the North African land of Poteidaia, there to rescue her kidnapped niece, Sarah (Tandie Wright), from the warlord Gurkhan (Calvin Tuteao). Unfortunately, Gurkhan is something of an archaic Saddam Hussein: Not only has he managed to elude everyone who's ever tried to nab him, but no one is certain what he looks like, or even if those who claim to be Gurkhan are telling the truth. Figuring that the cards are stacked against Gabrielle, Xena (Lucy Lawless) slips her a mickey and attempts to track down Gurkhan herself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
It is has been 25 years since Xena (Lucy Lawless), her daughter, Eve, and her companion, Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), disappeared from the face of the earth. Since that time, the ladies' friend Joxer (Ted Raimi) has regaled his children and grandchildren with stories of Xena's adventures -- and of his own courage in the thick of battle. Now, an aged Joxer has come across the last scroll left behind by Gabrielle, detailing the final confrontation between Xena and the Olympian Gods, who were forsworn to kill Eve lest she fulfill the prophecy of their destruction. As Joxer reads the document, he realizes with startling suddenness that Xena and Gabrielle may not be dead -- as everyone (including himself) has assumed all these many years. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
Thawed out from the block of ice that has imprisoned them for 25 years, Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) embark upon a search for Xena's daughter, Eve. Alas, the world that Xena and Gabrielle once knew has changed, and not for the better. For one thing, the land is in the thrall of war god Ares (Kevin Smith) and his current lover -- warrior princess Livia (Adrienne Wilkinson), the Bitch of Rome. William Gregory Lee makes his first series appearance as Virgil, the son of wannabe warrior Joxer (Ted Raimi) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
Having discovered that the much-feared warrior princess Livia (Adrienne Wilkinson) is actually her own daughter, Eve, Xena (Lucy Lawless) embarks upon a search for the girl, following the path of destruction left in Eve's wake. Meanwhile, war god Ares (Kevin Smith), who has already promised to make Livia the Empress of Rome, prepares to strike up an unholy bargain with Livia. And the aged Joxer (Ted Raimi) is forced to confess that the self-aggrandizing war stories he has been telling his son, Virgil (William Gregory Lee), for the past 25 years have not been entirely accurate. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
Xena (Lucy Lawless) squares off against the Olympian gods in a battle to the death, with the survival of both sides in the balance. At the same time, Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) swears to avenge the death of Joxer (Ted Raimi) at the hands of Xena's daughter, Eve, and never mind that Eve has cast off her evil former identity as Livia, the Bitch of Rome. And Gabrielle's own departed daughter, Hope, makes an appearance -- in a manner of speaking. This was the final episode of Xena: Warrior Princess' fifth season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
Knocked unconscious while swimming, Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) awakens to find herself in a watery world populated by mermen and mermaids. She herself has grown fins in place of her legs, and has now assumed the identity of Crustacea, the wife of merman Hagar (Ted Raimi) and the mother of three bratty piscatorial youngsters. Meanwhile, a pair of scaly villainesses who closely resemble Gabrielle's earthly nemeses Aphrodite and Discord hatch a plot against her. This anachronism-packed comic episode may remind the viewer of such theatrical features as Splash and Overboard. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
At the suggestion of Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), baby Eve is slated to undergo the Right of Caste. This bizarre and potentially painful ritual will determine if Eve is worthy of becoming an Amazon princess. Meanwhile, Eve's mother, Xena (Lucy Lawless), is kept busy trying to save the Amazon village from being besieged and literally devoured by a pack of male cannibals. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) is faced with a momentous decision: She can either leave the Amazon village and embark on future adventures with Xena (Lucy Lawless) and baby Eve, or she can stay behind and reign as the Amazon Queen. Jealously coveting the queendom herself, scheming Amazon Cyane (Shelley Edwards) sets up a scenario to prove that Gabrielle is unworthy. It seems that poor Joxer (Ted Raimi) has been arrested for spying on a group of Amazon bathing beauties, and the penalty for his crime is the loss of an eye -- a sentence that must be carried out by Gabrielle. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
Someone has murdered Queen Cleopatra (Josephine Davison), and it is up to Xena (Lucy Lawless) to find the killer. Thus it is that, when a rolled-up carpet is delivered to Marc Antony (Jon Bennett), out pops Xena, alluringly disguised as the Queen of Egypt. Meanwhile, Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) must tangle with Antony's mortal enemy Brutus (David Franklin) -- who knows only too well that the real Cleopatra is dead. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
During a bout of writer's block, Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) tells Aphrodite (Alexandra Tydings) about her "little" adventure. Specifically, she recalls how she and her horse Argo were shrunken to bite-size by the depressed -- and very short -- Lachrymose (Jon Gadsby), the God of Despair. Meanwhile, the pregnant Xena (Lucy Lawless) whose mood swings have reached the red-alert level, tries to get through an entire day without blowing her top. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
Kevin Sorbo makes a guest appearance in his familiar role as legendary muscleman Hercules. Teaming up with old friends Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), Hercules tries to prevent Zeus (Charles Keating) from killing Xena's unborn child -- a move borne of Zeus' fear that the baby will fulfill the prophecy that the Olympian gods will be destroyed by "a child not begotten of man." Meanwhile, Xena heads down to the Underworld in search of the Helmet of Invisibility -- and in the course of her nether travels, she is reunited with her deceased son, Solan (Nicko Vella). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
- 2000
The birth of Xena's baby, Eve, is greeted with a strangely familiar series of rituals, including gifts from a trio of Magi. Meanwhile, the Olympian Gods, determined that the baby will not fulfill the prophecy that will bring about their doom (and angered over the reason demise of Zeus), set about to destroy both mother and daughter. As for Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), she has her hands full seeking out an antidote to save the poisoned Joxer (Ted Raimi). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, (more)
