From the Editor's Page
Another form of Aphrodite is found in the
celebrity feature with Lucy Lawless (pg. 54). Despite her
popular and pre- ferred image as Xena the Warrior Princess, the
real beau-ty of Lawless lies more in her ability to share love.
The true beauty reflected by her interview is discovered in her
deep appreciation and gratitude for her fans.
Main Article
Former Xena Warrior Princess is one hot mama!
Find out about her latest acting/singing career, everlasting
lesbian following and her upcoming Dinah Shore Weekend
performance
BY SHANON MCCABE
She was chosen Mrs. New Zealand in 1989, but Lucy Lawless is
probably better known for her breakout title role in Xena:
Warrior Princess, which ran for six consecutive seasons
(1995-2001), and from which Lawless developed a huge lesbian
cult following.
Currently, Lawless can be found on the critically acclaimed
television show remake of Battlestar Galactica, which is
currently filming in Vancouver.
After finishing runner-up on Celebrity Duets, Lawless has
started a singing tour. In January she performed the show "Lucy
Lawless: Come to Mama" at the Roxy to a sold-out crowd.
Lawless will also perform live at Girl Bar's Dinah Shore weekend
in March at the "Pure White Party" as an acknowledgment to her
lesbian following. Having once seduced her lesbian devotees by
sword, Lawless will now wow and tease more than 3,000 women in
white with song.
In an exclusive interview with dot Newsmagazine, Lawless shares
with us her warrior past, her musical charm and beautiful
presence, and her future in a very personable and appreciative
gesture to her fans.
dot Newsmagazine: How do you identify?
Lucy Lawless: I don't bother. I am fortunate to pass as
heteronormal. If you're straight, you're not forced to confront
a sexual identity.
dot: As a straight woman, how does it feel to have such a
huge lesbian cult following?
Lawless: Fine. I don't care who people love, as
long as they love. It's not like I am a major sex symbol at
home, though I could be when the children are around If doesn't
to me what people are or how they identify.
dot: Xena made you an international celebrity
and lesbian icon. What was it like to play a warrior woman when
you're really a domestic goddess?
Lawless: Man, you pulled that one out of the
fire. I am not worthy of domestic goddess, but it is a total
honor and a riot to be a Warrior Princess. It's better than
being perceived as the world's greatest housewife. I suck at
that stuff. I feel being portrayed as Xena is way more fabulous
than who I really am.
dot: Name the tune that best describes the relationship
between Xena and Gabrielle.
Lawless: "It's the Hard-Knock Life."
dot: Do you appreciate your gay and lesbian following, and
can you comment on it?
Lawless: I am going to sing at the Roxy and the
show is for my fans. My fans are coming to spend an evening with
me. Whatever I choose to sing is really about the relationship I
have with my fans, Singing at the show is like having an
intimate conversation with my fans. Many of the songs that I
perform for the show are written by women. I realize my most
profound influences are from women performers like Chrissie
Hynde, Etta James, Melissa Etheridge and Janis Joplin. Women
vocalists have impacted me far more than men. Dylan's hot. Bob
Dylan will always be hot. But, it is something about the way
women sing that resonates with me. At the end of the Roxy show,
I am going sing the Pretender's I'll Stand by You." For me, the
show is about my relationship with my fans and the song is a
promise-if you stick with your fans, they will stick with you.
dot: What is happening and upcoming with you
role D'Anna Biers on Battlestar Galactica?
Lawless: Can't tell you-she gets her comeuppance
in a very interesting way, 1 am thrilled with the way my
character ends up-very darkly humorous. Lucy has a peculiar
streak where her sense of humor is concerned. I thought it was a
very strong story line to cut off Xena's head, but the fans
hated it. I suppose it was very cruel to cut off Xena's head,
and now that darkness, which I find humorous, has sort of
followed me.
dot: What is D'Anna's hottest moment on Battlestar?
Lawless: For about two seconds, she has a menage a trois. But,
there was no swing in it on the day of filming.
dot: How is the character D'Anna similar to or different from
Xena? Or to Lucy Lawless?
Lawless: The tone of the two shows are so
different. I think they are driven by completely opposite drives
and impulses. They are poles apart. All of my characters are who
I could be given the circumstance. My job is to make the role of
the character real. How do I make this role real? Sometimes I
think, are you kidding me? You want me to do what? My job as an
actress is to bring it together even if the writing goes against
me. I have to pull it off. I have to make the role authentic.
dot: Is that your philosophy about life—make it authentic?
Lawless: It is important to me. I have no intention of
living someone else's idea of me. I have not signed on to any
long-range TV shows. I can't do something that is bad for me,
boring or that will make me be a pain in the ass to be around. I
am not interested in being miserable. It would be a huge
lose-lose situation, especially since I have small children. I
do what feels right to me. My gut has a very strong opinion. I
am allergic to being bored-or rather, I am happy.
dot: Now, that you are singing and performing as Lucy
Lawless, do people still typecast you as Xena?
Lawless: It is not a bad thing to be typecast as a single
female lead. I can't complain. Being Xena has done nothing but
good for me.
dot: What is the demographic for Xena?
Lawless: Large women in comfortable shoes-and I
love 'em. So many of my fans are brilliant-smart women that have
huge hearts and great ethics. I have come to really love them.
Have you heard of Lucy Lawless Feel the Love Week? My fans are
so amazing. In October, they take one week where they try to
enrich the community that they live in. It is in the spirit of
the Xena show. They have taken it and made it a movement for
spreading love. They have given meaning to my career. It's
incredible to see people care for strangers. I am totally
humbled by Feel the Love Week.
dot: Describe your experience on Celebrity Duets.
Lawless: So good. I was fortunate. Celebrity
Duets is not cutthroat behind the scenes like some of the other
shows. I am sure it would have been better TV if we were
bitchier. I would love to tell Marie Osmond—Mo, as I call
her—where to go. The best thing about it is I kicked my singing
phobia. Now I am doing the Roxy show. I am doing the "Rebel
Yell."
dot: What was your most graceful moment on Celebrity Duets?
Lawless: My most graceful moment was when I kicked the
microphone stand. When it comes to grace, I think it is
something divine. Grace is something that moves your body and
hits the audience too. When I was singing 'Tell Mama"-a song
from a list of my 10 favorite things to sing, a song that was
arranged just for me-was my most graceful moment. It just rocked
my world. It was like a drug. And it propelled me to do the Roxy
show.
dot: Did finishing runner-up on Celebrity Duets contribute to
your January concert at the Roxy? How? Why or why not?
Lawless: I just want to get out there and
perform.
dot: Describe your live concert singing experience in
comparison to singing on CD.
Lawless: It's different to perform live rather than on TV. But
my audience is supportive. I told all my fans to wear deodorant.
I don't want them smelling like a bunch of truckers.
dot: Beyond the Roxy, what are your singing career plans?
Lawless: I want to take the show to New York if it goes
well. I will keep the fire going, it's a raging fervor. I have
to go in that direction. Putting on a good show and feeling the
love-it's all about singing at this moment. I don't know how to
do anything else. I am just a performer. I am going to keep
plying my trade with as much enthusiasm as possible.
dot: Any other voice or singing plans? Acting?
Lawless: The ideal situation for me is acting and singing.
I'd like to go to Broadway or go to Vegas and do theater. I am
not in the position to do it right now. My children are very
young kids that need some stability. It has become untenable to
drag kids around. If I do something like that, it will have to
be in the summer. Their well-being is, paramount. I want them to
be well-adjusted adults. I am not hurting for fun. I'm still
having a lot of fun.
dotnewsmagazine.com
