Lucy Lawless

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Lucy Lawless

MNZM
Lawless at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con
Born
Lucille Frances Ryan

(1968-03-29) 29 March 1968 (age 56)
Mount Albert, Auckland
,
New Zealand
OccupationActress
Years active1989–present
Spouses
Garth Lawless
​
​
(m. 1988; div. 1995)​
Robert Tapert

​
​
(m. 1998)​
Children3

Lucille Frances Lawless

Lucretia in the television series Spartacus: Blood and Sand and associated series. Since 2019, she has starred as Alexa in the television series My Life Is Murder
.

Lawless had recurring roles as Diane Lewis-Swanson on the

Countess Palatine Ingrid Von Marburg on the WGN America supernatural series Salem (2015). She also starred as Ruby on the Starz horror-comedy series Ash vs Evil Dead
(2015–2018).

Early life

Lucille Frances "Lucy" Ryan was born in the

Frank Ryan.[2] She is the fifth of six siblings (four brothers and one sister). She has described her family as "this big, sprawling Irish Catholic family",[3] and while filming in Ireland for the Discovery Channel in 2004, told Ireland on Sunday that her father's family originated in Quilty, County Clare, Ireland.[4]

Her first musical was at age 10

Auckland University in languages.[6] At 18, she went on her "overseas experience", travelling through Europe and Australia with her future husband, Garth Lawless.[5] At 21, she won the 1989 Mrs New Zealand competition.[7]

Lawless has said she suffered from bulimia as a child, but was able to overcome the illness.[8]

Career

Lawless's television debut was in the New Zealand sketch-comedy series, Funny Business. Then she studied drama at the

William Davis Centre for Actors Study in Vancouver, Canada.[5]

In 1994, Lawless appeared in Hercules and the Amazon Women, that became the television pilot for Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. In that episode, she played a man-hating Amazon named Lysia. She went on to play another character, Lyla, in the first-season episode "As Darkness Falls".

Xena: Warrior Princess

Main article: Xena: Warrior Princess
San Diego Comic-Con International
in July 2010

Lawless received her best-known role as a heroic warrior woman named

Robert G. "Rob" Tapert commissioned John Schulian to write. The character became a fan favourite. Vanessa Angel
was originally cast in the role, but she fell ill and was unable to travel to New Zealand for shooting. To differentiate between Xena and the similar Lysia, Lawless's hair, previously an ash blonde, was dyed black. She also wore a much darker costume. Lawless returned as Xena in two more episodes of the first season of Hercules, which portrayed her turn from villainess to a good, heroic character.

The character was popular enough that a spin-off series was created: Xena: Warrior Princess debuted on 4 September 1995. Xena: Warrior Princess, like its parent programme, was a huge hit and achieved high ratings and cultural significance, lasting six seasons. The series brought Lawless an immense amount of attention and she became an international celebrity.

While taping an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in October 1996, Lawless suffered a fractured pelvis when the horse she was riding lost its footing in the studio car park. She made a complete recovery, but several episodes of the second season of Xena were rewritten to focus on background characters to minimise the time Lawless was needed on set.[9]

LGBT rights icon

See also: Xena: Warrior Princess in popular culture

Xena's ambiguous romantic relationship with travelling companion

gay pride events such as the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.[16]

For her support of

LGBT rights, including her public support for same-sex marriage,[17] in 2017 Lawless was given the Star 100–Ally of the Year award at the Australian LGBTI Awards ceremony.[18][19]

Other work

Lawless first appeared on Broadway in September 1997 in the Grease revival, as the "bad girl" character Betty Rizzo. She wanted to play the lead role of Sandy and later stated her belief that the producers typecast her to play "bad girls" following her success as Xena. She said the Sandy character was very similar to her sheltered childhood, growing up in New Zealand with many protective older brothers.[20]

From 2005 to 2009, she had a recurring role in the television series

Humanoid Cylon
model Number Three.

Lawless competed as one of the celebrity singers on the Fox reality TV show Celebrity Duets in 2006, finishing as the runner-up to winner Alfonso Ribeiro.[21]

Lawless has also performed as a voice actor in several animated features: In 2008, Lawless voiced the animated character of Diana Prince/Wonder Woman in the direct-to-video superhero animated film Justice League: The New Frontier, adapted from the DC Comics limited series.[22] In 2014, Lawless voiced the militaristic "Queen of the Ants" in the American animated television series Adventure Time on the Cartoon Network.[23]

In 2007, Lawless was to appear as one of the leads in the ensemble cast of the

Football Wives, based on the popular British series Footballers' Wives. The series did not continue past the pilot episode, but the network extended the options on its contracts with Lawless and the other actors slated to star in the series, including Gabrielle Union, Kiele Sanchez, Ving Rhames, and James Van Der Beek.[24][25]

Lawless returned to television on 10 November 2008 in a guest-starring role on the CBS television series CSI: Miami, in a Season 7 episode, "Cheating Death", playing a madam with connections to a murder and helping Horatio "H" Caine with his inquiries.[26]

In 2009, Lawless appeared in two episodes of the final season of

Crackle)'s new web series Angel of Death, written by Ed Brubaker, which debuted online in early 2009.[28] In 2009, Lawless guest-starred in the HBO series Flight of the Conchords as Paula, assistant to the Prime Minister of New Zealand.[29]

Lawless co-starred in the

Saturn Award as Best Supporting Actress for her role as Lucretia in Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Lawless reprised her role as Lucretia in Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, which chronicled life in the Ludus before Spartacus's arrival, and she also returned for the sequel Spartacus: Vengeance.[31]

Lawless provided the voice of Goldmoon for Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, a direct-to-DVD animated movie based on the novel of the same name. From 2012 to 2014, she had a recurring role on the NBC series Parks and Recreation as Diane, the love interest and eventual wife of Ron Swanson.

In 2014, Lawless guest starred in

Countess Palatine Ingrid Von Marburg in WGN America's Salem. Countess Marburg is presented as one of the last remaining survivors of the legendary line of ancient German witches. The series ended in 2017.[34] In March 2015, it was announced that she would be portraying the role of Ruby in Starz horror-comedy series Ash vs Evil Dead. The series ended in 2018.[35][36]

Lawless is currently[when?] playing Alexa Crowe, a private investigator in My Life Is Murder. The Acorn TV series began in 2019 and reached its third season in 2022.[37]

In 2023, Lawless co-wrote and directed Never Look Away, a film based on the life of New Zealand-born CNN camera operator Margaret Moth.[38]

Music

Roxy
, 2007

Lawless, who has a background in musical theatre, played Betty Rizzo on Broadway in a production of Grease in 1997.[39] She continued to sing during the run of Xena, even contributing dirge music of her own composition; this made it into the episode "The Path Not Taken" as the dirge "Burial", which she sang for the first time in the episode. Two musically-oriented episodes, "The Bitter Suite" and "Lyre, Lyre, Heart's on Fire", also showcased not only her singing but also that of some of her castmates. (See also List of Xena: Warrior Princess episodes for details.)

Lawless was encouraged to resume her singing career after being a contestant on

Roxy in Hollywood, a venue of 500 seats, on 13 January 2007, with a sold-out crowd for consecutive concerts.[40]

Charity work and activism

Lawless is a member of the board of trustees of the StarShip Foundation, the charity arm of the

Starship Children's Health which is part of the Auckland District Health Board.[41] It is set up to provide additional equipment, support and help to staff, patients and families.[42] She helps fundraising for the organisation. She recently[when?] sat for the New Zealand television series The Sitting,[43]
an arts series where celebrity portraits are produced during an interview session, with the portraits later auctioned for charity.

Since 2006, 21 September marks "Lucy Lawless Feel the Love Day/Week". The day, organised by the Official Lucy Lawless Fan Club, begins a week of charitable acts and donations by fans in honour and support of Lawless.[44][45]

In May 2009 Lawless became a "climate ambassador" for the Greenpeace "Sign On" campaign.[46]

In February 2012, she and six other Greenpeace activists boarded an oil drilling ship at

Shell Todd Oil Services had sought from the activists. Following the sentencing, Lawless said: "I consider it a great victory that the court has struck down the reparation demand from Shell, which I think was absolutely ludicrous."[50]

Personal life

Robert Tapert
in 2018

In 1988, she became pregnant from her boyfriend Garth Lawless while working with him in the Australian

Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, that year, then returned to New Zealand where their daughter was born. They divorced in 1995.[51]

On 28 March 1998, Lawless married Xena's executive producer, Pacific Renaissance Pictures CEO

Robert Tapert. They have two sons.[52]

Astronomer

the Greek goddess of lawlessness.[55]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1990 Within the Law Verity
1990 A Bitter Song Nurse 1 Short film
1991 The End of the Golden Weather Joe's Girl
1996 Peach Peach Short film
1997 Hercules & Xena: Wizards of the Screen Xena Short film
1998 Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie Xena Voice role
2000 Ginger Snaps Announcer on School's PA System Uncredited[citation needed]
2002 Spider-Man Punk Rock Girl Cameo
2004 EuroTrip Madame Vandersexxx
2005 Boogeyman Mary Jensen
2006 The Darkroom Cheryl
2008 Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight Goldmoon
2008 Justice League: The New Frontier Wonder Woman Voice role
2008 Bedtime Stories Aspen
2009 Bitch Slap Mother Superior
2010 Lez Chat Construction Worker Short film
2018 The Breaker Upperers Client
2019 Mosley Bera[56] Voice role
2021 The Spine of Night Tzod Voice role
2022 Minions: The Rise of Gru Nun-chuck Voice role

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1989 Funny Business Various Unknown episodes
1990 Shark in the Park Kim Hughes Episode: "Double or Quits"
1991 For the Love of Mike Helen Episode: "1.6"
1992 The Ray Bradbury Theater Liddy Barton Episode: "Fee Fie Foe Fum"
1992-1994 Marlin Bay TV series
1993 The New Adventures of the Black Stallion Sarah McFee Episode: "Riding the Volcano"
1993 The Rainbow Warrior Jane Redmond Television movie
1993 Typhon's People Mink Tertius Television movie
1994 High Tide Undercover policewoman Episode: "Shanghied"
1994 Hercules and the Amazon Women Lysia Television movie
1995 High Tide Sharon List Episode: "Dead in the Water"
1995 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Lyla 2 episodes
1995–1998 Xena Recurring role, 6 episodes
1995–2001 Xena: Warrior Princess Lead role
1997 Something So Right Herself Cameo, Season 1 EP 23
1998 Saturday Night Live Herself/host/Various Episode: "Lucy Lawless/Elliott Smith"
1999 The Simpsons Herself/Xena (voice) Episode: "Treehouse of Horror X"
2000 Celebrity Deathmatch Herself (voice) Episode: "The Return of Lucy Lawless"
2001 Just Shoot Me! Stacy Episode: "The Auction"
2001 The X-Files Shannon McMahon 2 episodes
2003 Tarzan Kathleen Clayton Recurring role, 7 episodes
2003 Warrior Women with Lucy Lawless Herself 5 episodes
2004 Less than Perfect Tracy Fletcher Episode: "Ignoring Lydia"
2005 Two and a Half Men Pamela Episode: "It Was 'Mame', Mom"
2005
Locusts
 		Maddy Rierdon Television movie
2005 Vampire Bats Maddy Rierdon Television movie
2005–2009 Battlestar Galactica
D'Anna Biers
 Recurring role, 16 episodes
2006 Veronica Mars Agent Morris Episode: "Donut Run"
2007 Burn Notice Evelyn Episode: "False Flag"
2007 Curb Your Enthusiasm Herself Episode: "The TiVo Guy"
2007
Football Wives
 		Tanya Austin Unsold TV pilot
2008 CSI: Miami Audrey Yates Episode: "Cheating Death"
2009 The L Word Sgt. Marybeth Duffy 2 episodes
2009 Flight of the Conchords Paula Episode: "New Zealand Town"
2009 Angel of Death Vera Episode: "Help"
2009; 2022
RuPaul's Drag Race
 		Herself Guest Judge
RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under
2010 Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Lucretia
 Main role, 13 episodes
2011 Spartacus: Gods of the Arena Main role, 6 episodes
2011 American Dad! Stacy (voice) Episode: "A Piñata Named Desire"
2011 No Ordinary Family Helen Burton 4 episodes
2012 Spartacus: Vengeance Lucretia Main role, 10 episodes
2012–2014 Parks and Recreation Diane Lewis Recurring role, 10 episodes
2013 Top of the Lake Caroline Platt 2 episodes
2014–2015 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Isabelle Hartley
 2 episodes
2014
The Code
 		Alex Wisham Recurring role (season 1), 6 episodes
2014 Adventure Time General Tarsal (voice) Episode: "Dentist"
2015–2017 Salem Countess Marburg Recurring role, 15 episodes
2015–2018
Ash vs. Evil Dead
 		Ruby Knowby Main role, 27 episodes
2016 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Hiidrala (voice) Episode: "The Cosmic Ocean"
2017 The Changeover Miryam Carlisle Television movie (Sci Fi New Zealand)
2019–present My Life Is Murder Alexa Crowe Main role
2020 Star Wars Resistance Aeosian Queen (voice) 2 episodes
2020 Big City Greens Mimi O'Malley (voice) Episode: "Cricket's Tickets"
2021 Mr. Corman Cheryl Episode: "Funeral"

Video games

Stage

  • 1997: Grease! – On Broadway, NY USA
  • 2002: The Vagina Monologues – Auckland, NZ
  • 2005: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes – Seattle, USA
  • 2011: BARE For Christchurch – Auckland, NZ
  • 2013: Chicago The Musical – Hollywood Bowl, LA, USA
  • 2013: Chicago The Musical – Auckland, NZ
  • 2014–2015: Sleeping Beauty and Her Winter Knight – Pasadena, CA, USA
  • 2017: Pleasuredome The Musical – Auckland, NZ[57]

Discography

Albums
  • Come 2 Me
  • Come to Mama: Lucy Lawless in Concert: The Roxy Theater in Hollywood
Concert DVDs
  • Come to Mama: Lucy Lawless in Concert: The Roxy Theater in Hollywood
  • Gimme Some, Sugar: Lawless, NYC
  • Lucy Lawless Live in Chicago: Still Got The Blues
  • Lucy Lawless Live at The Roxy Theater: Ho Down
  • Lucy Lawless Live in Concert: Welcome to the Pleasuredome
Other songs
  • "Little Child" on
    Unexpected Dreams
    – Songs From the Stars
  • "4 All of Us" with Pauly Fuemana (OMC)
  • "Little Child" on The Starship Christmas Album 2012 –
    Starship Foundation

Honours

In the

Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to entertainment and the community.[58]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Production Result
1997
Saturn Award
 Best Genre TV Actress Xena: Warrior Princess Nominated
2010
Golden Nymph
 Outstanding Actress – Drama Series Spartacus: Blood and Sand Nominated
2010
Saturn Award
 Best Supporting Actress on Television Spartacus: Blood and Sand Won
2016 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Best Supporting Actress on Television Salem Nominated

References

  1. ^ "Lucy Lawless – La biographie de Lucy Lawless avec Voici.fr" (in French). Voici.fr. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Lucy Lawless Film Reference biography". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  3. ^ "ESSENTIAL LUCY". Lucy Lawless. AUSXIP. 2 April 2012. Archived from the original on 15 September 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  4. ^ Gaffney, Siobhan (2004). "Grainne Mhaol". Ireland on Sunday.
  5. ^ a b c "Biography". NZ On Screen.
  6. ^ "Lucy Lawless On Her Family Crisis, Her Precious Children and Celebrity Life in LA". The Australian Women's Weekly. May 2006. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Lucy Lawless, Mrs New Zealand 1989". Te Ara.
  8. ^ "Lawless Bulimic No More". People. 17 May 1999. Archived from the original on 8 September 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  9. ^ "60 SECONDS: Lucy Lawless". Metro.co.uk. 29 May 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  10. ^ a b "Lucy Lawless on the "Xena" revival, her new show and seizing life with both hands". Women in the World in Association with The New York Times – WITW. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  11. ^ "AUSXIP Lucy Lawless – Lesbian News 2003". Lucylawless.net. 21 July 2012. Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  12. ^ "AUSXIP Lucy Lawless | Lesbian News 2003". Lucylawless.net. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  13. ^ "An interview with Lucy Lawless – AfterEllen". AfterEllen. 7 January 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  14. ^ McCroy, Winnie (22 June 2011). "Girl on girl action becomes passé". Villagevoice.com. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  15. ^ "Lucy Lawless and lesbians bring the sexy to the "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" trailer. AfterEllen.com". Archive.is. 27 July 2009. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  16. ^ "Lucy and Renee in Sydney in 1999 – Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras". Ausxip.com. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  17. ^ "Lucy Lawless goes glamorous for LGBT rights in San Francisco – AfterEllen". AfterEllen. 16 July 2007. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  18. ^ AOL Staff. "'Xena: Warrior Princess' star Lucy Lawless looks totally different now – see the stunning pics!". AOL.com. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  19. ^ "Star100 – Ally of the Year". AUSTRALIAN LGBT AWARDS. Archived from the original on 20 May 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  20. ^ "Lucy Lawless – Rizzo – Grease – Pics Scans Images". Lucylawless.info. 8 August 2004. Archived from the original on 8 August 2004. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  21. ^ "Inside TV Podcast: Lucy Lawless and Liam McIntyre". Ew.com. 27 January 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  22. ^ "Lynda Carter and Beyond: The Celebs Who Have Played Wonder Woman". People. 1 June 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  23. ^ "'Adventure Time' video: Lucy Lawless as the Ant Queen!". Ew.com. 24 November 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  24. ^ ABC's 'Football Wives' Still Alive Archived 25 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine, zap2it.com, 28 June 2007.
  25. ^ "Football" still in ABC's game, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 June 2007
  26. ^ Simon, Jane (10 August 2009). "CSI: Miami – Five, 9pm". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  27. ^ a b "Lucy Lawless – NZ On Screen". Nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  28. Tubefilter News. Archived from the original
    on 6 December 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
  29. ^ ""EVIL DEAD" Series Adds Lucy Lawless; Becomes Full-Fledged Raimi Reunion". FANGORIA®.
  30. ^ "Bruce Campbell: Lucy Lawless joining Ash Vs. Evil Dead". Blastr. 9 March 2015.
  31. ^ "Lucy Lawless Joins Ash vs. Evil Dead". Dread Central. 9 March 2015.
  32. ^ Abrams, Natalie (21 July 2014). "Exclusive: Lucy Lawless Heading to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." TVGuide.com.
  33. ^ "Declassifying 'Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.': One Door Closes – News – Marvel.com". marvel.com.
  34. ^ Petski, Denise (14 January 2015). "[WATCH] Salem Season 2 Teaser – – Deadline". Deadline.
  35. ^ "Bruce Campbell's Ash returns to fight 'Evil Dead'". USA TODAY. 29 October 2015.
  36. ^ ""Ash vs Evil Dead" Casts Lucy Lawless as Ash Hunter!". bloody-disgusting.com. 9 March 2015.
  37. ^ Mendelsohn, Jon (10 February 2022). "'My Life Is Murder': Lucy Lawless' Murder Mystery Series Renewed for Season 3 on AcornTV". Collider.com.
  38. ^ "Lucy Lawless' Debut Feature Never Look Away to Premiere at Sundance". New Zealand Film Commission. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  39. ^ "AUSXIP Lucy Lawless Grease! Lucy Lawless on Broadway". Lucylawless.info. 28 September 1997. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
  40. ^ Butler, Brendan (14 January 2007). "Lucy Lawless: Goodbye Warrior Princess, Hello Rock Star". Cinema Bend. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  41. ^ "Board of Trustees". starship.org.nz.
  42. ^ "Home". Starship.org.nz. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
  43. YouTube
  44. ^ "Lucy Lawless Feel The Love Week – Doing Charitable Acts in Honour of Lucy Lawless". Lucy Lawless site. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  45. ^ "Feel the Love 2013". Official Lucy Lawless Fan Club. 20 October 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  46. Greenpeace New Zealand
    . Retrieved 19 March 2011.
  47. ^ "Lucy Lawless boards oil drilling ship". 3news.co.nz. February 2012. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012.
  48. Television New Zealand
    . 27 February 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  49. ^ Perry, Nick (14 June 2012). "Actress Lucy Lawless Pleads Guilty to Trespass". ABC News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 15 June 2012.
  50. ^ "Lucy Lawless sentenced, and the warrior princess is thrilled". Los Angeles Times. 7 February 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  51. ^ Schneider, Karen S. (8 April 1996). "Xena-Phile". People. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  52. ^ "There's something about: Lucy Lawless, Actress". NZ Herald. 1 November 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  53. ^ O'Neill, Sean (8 August 2005). "Your top 10 names for the tenth planet". New Scientist. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  54. ^ "Messages from Lucy". Lucylawlessfanclub.com. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  55. ^ Tytell, David (14 September 2006). "SkyandTelescope.com – Homepage News – All Hail Eris and Dysnomia". Skytonight.com. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  56. ^ "Mosley". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  57. ^ "Cast and Crew". Pleasuredome. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  58. ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2004". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 7 June 2004. Retrieved 30 May 2020.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lucy Lawless.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Lucy Lawless.
Preceded by
Susan Eisenberg (2001–2006)
 Voice of
Wonder Woman
2008 		Succeeded by
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