Lucy Lawless

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9.5 Superb
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Biography

Recent Role:
Lucretia on Spartacus: Vengeance
Gender:
Female
Born:
3-29-1968
Birthplace:
Mount Albert, New Zealand
Birth Name:
Lucille Francis Ryan
"Her courage will change the world"-- Xena: Warrior Princess. Lucy was born Lucille Frances Ryan on March 29, 1968, in Mount Albert, Auckland, New Zealand; she was the 5th of 7 children, of Frank and Julie Ryan. Lucy enjoyed acting and appeared in many plays in high school. Later, she attended Auckland University and studied German, Italian and French for a year. As many young people from New Zealand do, she then headed for her O.E. (that's "Overseas Experience"). Lucy left college and headed for Europe where… More she and her boyfriend, Garth Lawless, traveled around Switzerland and Germany (to earn travel money, she picked grapes on the beautiful Rhine, "for about 3 seconds" she said later in a TV interview). Then Lucy and Garth headed to Australia to earn some more travel money; they found work with a gold mining company outside of Kalgoorlie, about 500 miles from Perth. Lucy and Garth were married in Australia in 1988, and then returned to New Zealand where Lucy had a daughter, Daisy. Lucy was chosen Mrs. New Zealand in 1989. She did a "really bad, cheesy commercial for travel" which led to her first real acting job in a New Zealand comedy troupe show called "Funny Business." Later, Lucy landed the job as co-host for Air New Zealand Holiday, a travel magazine. Lucy worked in numerous television and film productions. Finally, she got her breakout role of Lysia in Hercules and the Amazon Women (1994) (TV). Shortly thereafter, the producers needed someone to play Xena. Lucy, tall (5' 10-1/2"), athletic, with brown hair and blue eyes, was perfect for the part. But there was a snag: at first, the producers (what do they know?) did not want Lucy for the part of Xena-- after all, she had played a different character already. So, Lucy dyed her light hair a dark brown, making her look a bit different, and history was about to be made! Lucy, in her leather outfit and armed with her mighty Chakram, was thus cast in her signature roll of Xena in 3 episodes of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995)-- "The Warrior Princess"; "The Gauntlet" and "The Unchained Heart"-- that would lead to her own spin-off series, Xena: Warrior Princess (1995). Although "Xena" immediately got a huge fan following in America, ironically "Xena" was not being shown in her native New Zealand, so Lucy did not achieve her tremendous popularity in her homeland until a bit later. In October 1996, Lucy came to America to be on Jay Leno's Tonight show. She was to do a publicity stunt, making a grand entrance by riding a horse in the parking lot. The horse tripped on the cement, Lucy fell and broke her pelvis. (Ironically, for the entire 6-year run of "Xena," Lucy-- doing her own stunts and riding horses-- never received a serious injury.) After convalescence and another season of "Xena," Lucy returned to America for another visit; Lucy made her Broadway debut playing Betty Rizzo in "Grease" from September to October, 1997. Also Lucy (divorced from Garth in 1995) became engaged to "Xena" executive producer Robert G. Tapert at that time. They married in Santa Monica, California on March 28, 1998. On October 16, 1999, they had a son, Julius Robert Bay Tapert, born in New Zealand. Although Xena: Warrior Princess has been canceled after a fantastic 6-year run.

In 2005-2009, she had a recurring role in the television series, Battlestar Galactica. She played D'Anna Biers, a reporter with the Fleet News Service who worked on a critical documentary. She also landed recurring roles on CSI: Miami, The L Word, Flight of the Conchords and landed a starring role in Spartacus: Blood and Sand in 2009 as Lucretia, the wife of Lentulus Batiatus.

She is a member of the board of trustees of the StarShip Foundation and a 'climate ambassador' for the Greenpeace 'Sign On' campaign.

She also has experience in musical theater and she appeared on Broadway in a production of Grease, as the character of Betty Rizzo, in 1997. She was also a contestant on Celebrity Duets and made her onstage debut at the Roxy in Hollywood on 13 January 2007. She has since released 2 albums.

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  •  
    10 Perfect
    Lucy Lawless is by far one of the greatest actresses the business has ever known. She is a woman with many skills, and still has much to offer as an actress. hide show

    Lucy Lawless is by far one of the best actresses to enter show business! Not only does she have great looks and outstanding acting skills, but she has a great singing voice, not every actress has those attributes. Growing up, I watched her and Renee O'Connor all the time on Xena: Warrior Princess with my Dad. Not only did I love seeing her character kick ass on screen, but I was amazed by the chemistry between Lucy and Renee O'Connor on the show. Portraying that kind of chemistry on screen is a hard skill to pull off. Not many could possibly pull off what she did on screen as Xena. I love watching her progress as an actress and can't wait to see what she does next.

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    kprsfan Added Apr 17, 2011 All my reviews
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    10 Perfect
    What can i say about Lucy Lawless!! Beautiful and Talented in many ways! "She has many skills" I have liked her since her days on Xena. hide show

    Lucy is not only a gifted actress she is also a very talented singer too! She should of won Celebty Duets!! The chemistry between Renee Oconnor and her on Xena is so unbeleivable. I am so glad that they have stayed friends long after the show has ended. She has even been in the stands of Dancing with the Stars cheering on her friend. I would give just about anything to meet her. She even has her own webpage which when not busy goes on there. I can just sit and watch on tv all day or i am looking under you tube for her. Love ya Lucy

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    lizjaclyn Added Apr 18, 2008 All my reviews
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    10 Perfect
    Tell me what comes to mind when you hear the name Lucy Lawless 'Xena' *ding dong* She played an all legendary warrior Princess on everyones' favourite show Xena. Here is where we grew to love Lucy Lawless. hide show

    I watched every single episode of Xena until the dramatic ending. I fell in love with her character and her relationships with other people. Lucy lawless is truly a wonderful person, which made me amazed to see her on pro-Xena shows. Such Like Tarzan and Veronica Mars. She is truly unique and an all time legend. I would always place her in my most favorite characters of all time. She is truly one of a kind and decnt person at heart. She has been placed in the minds of anyone 'A beautiful person and a wonerful heart" Lucy Lawless. "Her courage would change this world" as was quoted before.

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    lexacliche Added Jan 23, 2008 All my reviews
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    10 Perfect
    You go girl! hide show

    Lucy Lawless is one of my favorite actresses of all time! I know her mostly from her role as Xena: Warrior Princess (My God she's talented!) and since then, she's taken the acting world by storm, making Xena a household name and doing lots of shows I like (The simpsons, two and a half men). She is also very versed in theatre and arts, and Bill Clinton is her biggest fan. She played Rizzo in the musical, Grease, ,and she's now got a recurring role in the hit television series: Battlestar Galactica. I have heard nothing but good things about this show and Lucy Lawless' acting. I'd like to close by saying: "Her courage has changed the world!" All Xena fans should understand this quote.

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    zeofan1 Added Nov 18, 2007 All my reviews
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    10 Perfect
    One of the most charasmatic, talented (and very underrrated actress) in the bussiness, and played the best female hero in history thus far. hide show

    Lucy Lawless is one of the most talented (but sadly underrated) actresses to appear on the screen. She expresses feelings so wonderfully without words - she really is an emotion-evoking actress. We know what she is thinking as clearly as if she has told us in two pages of detailed dialogue, yet she never says a word. Whether its comedy, drama -- Lucy can do it all. I always ask myself; how can the same person who just scared the beejubus out of me [when she plays Xena], can make me laugh so hard with her mannerisms as Meg or Annie Day?

    When Lucy plays Xena [among other chacters], she completely abandons her natural Kiwi (New Zealand) accent. The voice she uses for Xena is deep and chilling, and completely unique. The character of Xena is very androgynous in personality (if that makes any sense), and she definetely does not fit the stereotypical "tough" female we're so used to see these days. No sexy walks; no swing of the hips, no bland one-liners, no cliche's. I remember Lucy asked the writers to allow Xena to do whatever they'd have a man do, and it shows in her acting and portrayal.

    I've never seen a female actress portray such power, command, rage, anger and fury the way she does. Surprisingly though, Lucy's personality is nothing like Xena in real life. Goofy and fun, she is more like Meg.

    I wish her many sucess on her recent roles, and she's doing well already with Battlestar Galatica.

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    p4poetic Added Apr 12, 2006 All my reviews
 

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