Lucy Lawless Discusses Her Potential Return to XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS
A few months ago, we learned that NBC would be rebooting Xena: Warrior Princess, and there has been some talk that Lucy Lawless would be a part of it in some capacity. During a recent interview with CBR, the actress said that she would be open to a return, if the show is faithful to the original. When she was asked about joining the series, she said:
"Too early to say because if they don't honour the original, you know the covenant with the fans, then I wouldn't touch it with a forty-foot flagpole. Too early to say. Their concern is that I would overshadow whoever was playing [the lead role], which may or may not be legit, but do I want to be used as some sort of warm prop for somebody else's show. What's in it for me?"
I don't see why they just don't bring Lawless back to continue her journey in a sequel type of series. That would make more sense to me, and I think fans would appreciate that more than a reboot. She goes on to explain:
"And if it wasn't honouring the intention of the show - like it's full of T&A, that immediately breaks the covenant with fans - that is not part of female empowerment, that is not part of self-realisation, it's not part of, you know, good over base instincts or everything that the show was about then yeah, I would not want to have a part of it."
I'm really glad to hear that she is sticking to her convictions and that she won't do it if it betrays the original in any way. Like all of the fans, though, she hopes that the series will be good:
"I think that character, and the relationship of Xena and Gabrielle, it's not done, we still need everything that was about, so I totally support them in making it. But how that is realized is a much bigger question. I hope it's great. I hope that the fans have that again. The TV series aside, what I would love to do is a little bit like Ash Vs. Evil Dead where you get the original cast together - get Renee O'Connor, me, Bruce and Ted Raimi - and do a spoof, do a comedy one-off movie. That would be so fun."
I would totally love to see that happen! I'm personally not expecting much from this new series. Without Lawless in the role as Xena, what the hell's the point?