Xena: Warrior Nutballs

He’s the co-creator, executive producer, writer, director and yes, an avid fisherman 🎣 - the one and only Rob Tapert (eeeeee!!!!!) joins us for a kōrero/chat about bringing Xena: Warrior Princess to life ⚔️

 

Rob takes us back to the very beginning, what drew him down to Aotearoa New Zealand, the magic of building something wildly ambitious on the other side of the world, and how a scrappy team of Kiwi and Aussie creatives managed to capture that once-in-a-lifetime lightning-in-a-bottle which turned Xena into a global pop culture phenomenon ⚡🌍

 

Yes, we do get him to say the words hard yakka 💪 as he reflects on the creative risks, and the secret ingredients which gave the show its heart, humour, and enduring queer legacy 🏳️‍🌈

 

Plus, in a moment we’ve been holding our breath for, Rob shares a candid and much-anticipated update on where things stand with that reboot script 👀

 

This one is candid, wholesome, and beautifully bittersweet (see what we did there?) and a rare chance to hear directly from the Kiwi-by-choice screen legend himself ❤️

 

Cast a line, Nutballs… this one’s a big catch 🐟✨

This interview we’re joined by the utterly hilarious kiwi Jodie Dorday ✨🎭

 

Xena fans will know Jodie best as Solari, the fierce Amazon warrior from “The Quest” (S2E13) and “A Necessary Evil” (S2E14). Yes, THAT Amazon, the one that serves Bruce Campbell as Autolycus, the kind of stink eye you feel in your bones 🔑☠️ 🤣

 

As a multiple-character actor on Xena: Warrior Princess, Jodie shares what it was really like jumping between roles on set. We dive into what it was like when Lucy Lawless returned for “The Quest” after her injury and the pressures of being a guest actor on a big international show ⚔️📺

 

Jodie is one of those true Kiwi lasses, charming, glamorous and outrageously funny - expect peak Kiwi humour as Jodie reminds us why she’s an absolute scene-stealer on screen and off 💥😂

 

Show notes:

 

- Jodie will be appearing in Small Town Scandal - here's a wee link for more details!  https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTyJ_-SD4PH/?igsh=ZjB1MnY5bjlwYWw0

We’re extending our whānau/family as we are joined by the one and only - Hudson Leick! The ultimate Xena: Warrior Princess villain, Callisto 💀⚔️ 

 

We dive deep into everything Callisto: from that iconic campfire scene with Gabrielle in “A Necessary Evil” (S2E14) 🔥🏕️, to exploring the sexual tension Callisto had with Xena ⚡💋 and her reaction to discovering Callisto would become the mother of Xena’s child 🤯. Hudson shares what it was like working in Aotearoa New Zealand, the connections she made on set, and the energy of filming in the ‘90s Xena-verse.

 

Most importantly though, we ask the question we have all been waiting to know the answer to:
👉 Did her famous black leather bikini cause her any chafing? 🖤👙

 

Hudson chats openly, thoughtfully, with genuine raw heart and reflection on her time in the show, while never missing a beat to make us laugh - she is a generous soul who makes you want to grow just by listening to her speak.

 

Far out, this is a special one whānau and we hope you enjoy as much as we did!✨🥰

 

Show notes:

 

Follow Hudson's on Instagram - this is where her 7-day yoga challenge will be held: https://www.instagram.com/HudsonLeick/

 

Learn about Hudson's yoga retreats, customised malas and bracelets as well as astronomical readings: https://www.hudsonleick.com/

This interview we’re joined by Kiwi legend Murray Keane AKA ‘Howar’ from fan-favourite episode “A Day in the Life” (Season 2, Episode 15) ⚔️📜

 

Shell and Lou dive deep into one of the best episodes of the entire franchise with Murray, he talks about working within the subtext (yes, everyone knew), working with Lucy Lawless, Renée O’Connor, Michael Hurst, and the hysterical Alison Wall who played Minya 🥰. Plus, Shell finally gets her long-overdue deep dive into the food on set 🍗🍞🍇

 

Murray also reflects on working on the original Hercules TV movies 🏛️⚡ which launched the entire franchise, alongside Lucy Lawless before she was cast as Xena 🤯

 

A well-established Kiwi director🎬Murray has had an enormous career working on some of the most iconic shows Aotearoa has ever produced 🌿📺

 

This is a proper, wholesome kōrerorero | conversation 💬❤️ and Murray knows exactly how to keep us laughing 😂✨

 

Show notes:

 

Murray mentions he was in a Meal Mates ad with Lucy Lawless - this is a very pixilated version of that ad! https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=meal+mates+biscuit+add+lucy+lawless&mid=7B07AA35F29A455CC9667B07AA35F29A455CC966&FORM=VIRE

This episode we chat with Tammy Barker, the legendary Aussie stunt double for Renée O’Connor | Gabrielle across Seasons 3, 4 and 5 💪

 

Tammy is the stunty who takes Gabrielle from the sweet, scroll-carrying bard 📜 to the fully fledged warrior, the “Battling Bard of Potidaea” ⚔️. This is the woman who did the hard yakka: the hits, the falls, the fire, even copping a broken nose at the end of (an extremely apologetic) Renée O’Connor’s staff in “Forgiven” (S3E14), all so Gabrielle’s evolution felt earned 🤕💥

 

Tammy was behind some of the most iconic moments in the entire series, including the infamous 'Gab Drag' in “The Bitter Suite” (S3E12) 🎶💔, and the blistering fire scenes in “Forget Me Not” (S3E17) 🔥😭

 

She reflects on what it was like working in the ’90s as a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed Aussie who crossed the ditch to chase her dreams in Aotearoa | New Zealand and suddenly finding herself in the middle of one of the most physical, groundbreaking TV productions of the decade 📺⚡️

 

Warning: this episode contains Tammy doing spins with her sais, at which point Lou and Shell absolutely fizz, fully, loudly, and with zero chill 🫠💖

 

It’s high-energy, behind-the-scenes gold, a love letter to stunt work 🎬, the unsung heroes who made the Xena action hit as hard as it did and just some good ol’ fashion Australia hard yakka! 💥⚔️

 

📸 Follow Tammy on Instagram: @tammybarker1