Lucy Lawless Interview SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA
On the Starz original drama series Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, the prequel for the popular Spartacus: Blood and Sand, actress Lucy Lawless plays Lucretia, a woman who is always supportive of her husband Batiatus’ (John Hannah) dreams, however wild the direction they threaten to grow. Though conscious of the role she’s expected to play as a proper Roman woman, she will discover that when the moment most needs it, she can do what is necessary to gain power.
During a recent interview to promote the prequel, Lucy Lawless talked about returning to a character that she thought was dead at the end of the show’s first season, the pleasure of seeing the early life of Lucretia, how much she hates doing action scenes, and the fact that she will be returning for Season 2, which is being called Spartacus: Vengeance, and will now feature Liam McIntyre in the title role. Check out what she had to say after the jump:
Here's a few highlights:
Since you’re married to one of the executive producers, has Rob told you what’s going to happen in Season 2 at all?
LAWLESS: It’s best not to know because you angst about it ahead of time. What good is that going to do for you? Or, you look forward to it and it doesn’t happen because they rewrite it. So, until it’s on the stage, what’s on the page doesn’t matter so much.
Do you consider this show a family business?
LAWLESS: What makes it easier is that I’m proud of this. I’m proud of my work and I’m proud of the finished product. I think Rob’s a brilliant producer and a brilliant boss. People bring 110% because he’s the kind of boss who sets them up. They’re not afraid to fail. They are not going to get shot down. They are going to take the best idea from whoever in the room has got it, so all the guns are pointed in the same direction and not at each other. That’s an environment of trust that he sets up in New Zealand. Chris Albrect and Starz have been so courageous. It’s great that Chris didn’t kill it because he could have, when he came in and took over. It’s like the leader of a pride of lions. The alpha male lion comes in and often kills the predecessor’s cubs. But, he had the foresight, the intelligence and the wisdom to go, “You know, this is working surprisingly well,” and he kept us alive. I, for one, am so very grateful to him and to his team.
So, no more performances at The Roxy?
LAWLESS: The energy to get them up and running was too much. Spartacus burned me out in a really good way. It just took everything I had. There was that terrible flu that everybody had for three months, and I had it for just about the entire shooting of the prequel. I was just not in good enough shape to do singing as well. It just didn’t present itself as an option. I’m a bit sad about that, but I’m too tired.
Did you always hate the action? (about Xena)
LAWLESS: Yes, I hated it, but I wasn’t in a position to say no. Very quickly, I realized that I can’t be cringing every time they come and say, “Lucy, would you like to go and learn your next fight?” I haven’t even finished filming the last one and I would have to go learn the next. I said, “You know what, guys? Instead of asking me, ‘Would you like to?,’ just say, ‘Lucy, the fight’s up.’ Then, it doesn’t require a response. It just requires me to do what I’m told.” If they say, “Would you like to?,” it makes me think, “No, I fucking hate that stuff!” If I have a choice, I don’t want to go. So. we very quickly realized that it’s better to just give me an order and then I’ll do it without thinking.
Did you really think there was a doubt that they’d find a way for you to be in Season 2?
LAWLESS: I’m in Season 2, but I probably won’t be in Season 3. They’re bringing me back for Season 2, but I fully expect to die. It’s just the best role, ever. My character gets a lot of air time.