Angela is 5'2" tall, with blond hair and blue eyes. (edit) Angela's performance in the acclaimed New Zealand police drama earned Lawless with Kevin Smith in the title role earned her the 1999 New Zealand Television Award for Best Actress. She had a contract to reprise her character in two additional television movies. This, however, may be up in the air since Mr. Smith's sudden passing in February of 2002. (edit) Angela's interests apart from acting include art, graphic design, music, writing, travel and kickboxing. (edit) Angela is represented professionally by the Abrams Artists Agency of New York. (edit) Angela was one of the original cast members on New Zealand's longest running soap Shortland Street. (edit) Dotchin credits Lucy Lawless for "paving the way for other Kiwi girls" into the American television industry. It helped to get her lead roles on two series, Young Hercules and Jack of All Trades, as well as guest starring roles on Hercules and Xena. (edit) Angela met long time boyfriend Temuera Morrison when they worked together on Shortland Street. They eventually broke up, and though Angela doesn't go into the reasons, she points out that he is based these days in LA, and she is living in New Zealand. (edit) Angela says she doesn't mind when fans call her Kirsty (her "Shortland Street" character's name) because of course people know her better as her character, and the character will always be a part of her. (edit) Angela says the best thing about working in the series Lawless was that she got to be a Kiwi woman speaking with a Kiwi accent, rather than the American and British accents she used on Young Hercules and Jack of All Trades. (edit) Angela appeared with beau Temuera Morrison at the Hollywood premier of Vertical Limit, which starred fellow Kiwi Colin Moy. (edit) Angela takes Jodie Foster as her professional role model, since she wants to act, direct, and produce just as Foster does. (edit) Angela was one of the A-listers invited to the New Zealand premier of Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring. (edit) In the tenth anniversary poll of top ten favorite characters on Shortland Street by the New Zealand Herald, Angela was voted in at number eight. They said the reason for her popularity was, "Because, by her own admission, she perfected that 'sulk-faced pout'. And because she, like Kylie, survived a horror perm to become a glam chick with chic." (edit) Director Josh Becker said of Angela, "Angie Dotchin is astounding-she's beautiful from absolutely every angle and a terrific actor, too. She completely holds her own with Bruce, which ain't so easy." (edit) Angela was up for the role of Eowyn in The Two Towers, but did not get the part. There was a strong rumor going around the internet that she was going to be in the movie, however. (edit) Angela was given fencing training by Peter Bell (stunt coordinator for "Hercules" and "Xena") for her role of Emilia on Jack of All Trades. (edit) Angela describes a typical day on the set of Jack of All Trades as getting up at 4AM, then sitting down for 2 hours for makeup. Then I dresses, which takes about 15 minutes. They shoot from 7 till noon, break for lunch for 45 minutes, then shoot until 7PM, take off her costume and make it home by 8:30 unless she has to do voice work, which can take hours. Once home she works on her lines. And then she goes to sleep so that she can do it all over again the next day! (edit) They were casting for both shows of the Back2Back Action Hour, Jack of All Trades and Cleopatra 2525, and Angela was under consideration for both Emilia and Cleopatra. (edit) Angela's favorite Jack of All Trades episode is "Sex and the Single Spy". (edit)

Angela: (on leaving "Shortland Street") It was really difficult, like leaving home, leaving all the people, and it was all I knew. (edit) Angela: (on her roles for "Hercules" and "Young Hercules") How could you go wrong? It's like being a little kid, being able to overact as much as you want. And it seems to work ... nothing's real, it's all crazy. So you just go for it. (edit) Angela: Shortland Street gave me everything. It has set me up as far as handling things and the way I look at myself, what I want out of my life, the projects I want to do. Because it gave me a taste of everything - comedy, drama, everything you could imagine. (edit) Angela: What I've learned is that you've got to have huge goals. Think big, I reckon. That's my new motto. Think big, never sell yourself short in your life. I'd like to do a bit of everything- I just feel like life's a bit of a smorgasbord at the moment. (edit) Angela: (on switching from "Shortland Street" to "Young Hercules") I've really missed my crying scenes. You have to get really intimate with a character when you've got to go through those things and I haven't had the chance to do that for a while. (edit) Angela: (on acting) I'm quite happy with what I'm doing now. I can't see myself being happier. But sure, I've got really, really high goals for myself and I intend to get close to them, or reach them, and put all my efforts and energy into that. (edit) Angela: (when asked what it's like on the set of "Jack of All Trades") It's like high school all over again. Bruce [Campbell] is crazy. It's like having your big brother on the set. We have a great time and the crew loves the comedy.
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