From: daviderl31@yahoo.com   
      
           The second-season DVD of ''Xena: Warrior Princess'' hit stores in   
   September, but Lucy Lawless isn't strapping on her leather breastplate for a   
   reunion of the syndicated series. Instead the New Zealand-based actress has   
   signed on to a different action series, the WB's ''Tarzan'' (premieres   
   Sunday, Oct. 5 2003 at 9 p.m.) -- but as the Lord of the Apes' refined aunt   
   Kathleen, introduced in episode 2, she's leaving the grunt work to star   
   Travis Fimmel. EW.com talked to Lawless, 35, about why she's happy to pass   
   the sword (for now), her plans for a new TV series, and all those reunion   
   rumors.   
      
           Now that you're on ''Tarzan,'' tell us: Could Xena whip Monkeyboy's   
   butt or what?   
      
           I'm gonna have to go with Xena there, but don't tell Travis I said   
   that or he might hit me. Xena has her dirty tricks and a lot more   
   experience. I think he'd just be standing there like a monkey scratching his   
   butt and Xena would be kicking it all over the place.   
      
      
           As Tarzan's high-class, newspaper-publisher aunt, you don't get to   
   kick much of anyone's butt. Do you pine for an action scene?   
      
           I love that I just mince around and look good now. Some of the girls   
   on set were saying, Oh, it must be hard going from having a really   
   action-oriented character to doing what you're doing now! And I said, Are   
   you kidding? This is the greatest thing in my life! I get to wear modern,   
   really gorgeous clothing and it's so civilized I can't believe my luck. I   
   just sit in the limo and go ''tee-hee-hee''!   
      
      
           So what was it like to return to your natural light-brown hair color   
   and lose the ''Xena'' bangs?   
      
           All the crew here on ''Tarzan'' were really excited that the woman   
   who played Xena was going to be on the show, and they kept looking for me.   
   They didn't realize I'd been there for three days and that they just didn't   
   recognize me. I don't look the same, and I always have to go through that   
   conversation of ''I can't believe you played Xena!'' I don't mind the   
   average person on the street saying it -- they're just being sweet -- but   
   people in the industry know actors don't look like their characters, don't   
   they?   
      
      
               Other than some ''X-Files'' episodes and a cameo in   
   ''Spiderman,'' we haven't seen much of you since ''Xena'' went off the air   
   (in 2001). Where have you been?   
      
           I had another baby [with husband and ''Xena'' producer Robert G.   
   Tapert], and that took quite some time. I've got three kids now, so to live   
   in New Zealand and spend as much time with them as possible has been   
   invaluable. I probably should have been capitalizing on ''Xena'' [Lawless   
   recently sued Universal Studios for breach of contract, claiming the company   
   owes her 5 percent of ''Xena’s gross receipts], and making strategic moves   
   for the future of my career -- but sometimes you've just got to choose life.   
   I highly recommend it.   
      
      
           Speaking of strategic moves... Any details on your future with the   
   WB?   
      
           Initially I was asked to come in and read for the part [on   
   ''Tarzan'']...and that led to a couple more meetings and a development deal.   
   I'm trying to find a project to do with them, because they're young and hip   
   and smart. Whatever it is, it will always have comic elements, though it   
   won't be an all-out comedy. I'll produce and star, but you'll have to get   
   back to me in a couple of months.   
      
      
           In the meantime, you've worked on the commentary to the ''Xena''   
   season 2 and 3 DVDs (season 3 will be released Jan. 4). Stir up any fond   
   memories?   
      
           Watching the DVDs was so charming. I don't generally like to watch   
   myself, but I was amazed at how well they stood up, especially the comedies.   
   I got to do the commentary with Renee O'Connor [''Xena'' sidekick Gabrielle]   
   and Rob [Tapert], and it was lovely to see Renee. We're like sisters, in   
   that even if we don't talk all the time, we're very close. But looking back,   
   I have to say the second-season episode ''Warrior... Princess... Tramp'' was   
   one of the highlights of my life. I got to play two characters, and one of   
   them, Meg, represents a certain side of my personality that keeps popping   
   out. She has a heart of gold, really, but she can't keep herself out of   
   trouble.   
      
      
           Since you're feeling a little nostalgic, are you warming up to the   
   idea of a reunion?      [A reunion show, not a convention-type of reunion]   
      
           There's always a lot of chatter about that, but I think it's just   
   too soon. And possibly by the time it does come along, they'll want somebody   
   else to play Xena because I'll be 60 years old or whatever. But I'll play   
   Xena's grandmother.   
      
      
                       [ I never heard if Lucy ever got any 'gross receipts'   
   money owed to her.  I also heard that a few years later both she and Rob,   
   and maybe Renee, sued Universal for not being paid for the DVD commentaries.   
   As far as I know, they never got paid for doing those either.]   
      
   David   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)