Xena - The Warrior Queen is a fantasy series created in 1995. It consists of six seasons. It has been broadcast in Russia since 1998.
The idea of this project arose after the show of the television series "Amazing wanderings of Hercules." But, unlike him, stories about Xena are not based on certain myths and legends. Rather, it is a combination of well-known facts with the stormy imagination of scriptwriters.
Film crew
The producers of the series were Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert, who were also the authors of the idea of films about Heracles.
Dozens of screenwriters worked on a project about a female warrior and her faithful friend Gabriel, including Chris Manheim, John Shulian, A.J. Stuart.
The producers of the series gave their artists the opportunity to try themselves in other qualities. For example, O'Connor became the director of several episodes in 1999 and 2001.
Almost the entire crew appeared in the first episode of the first season of Xena. During the filming, there were not enough extras, so all free cameramen, editors, make-up artists had to enter the frame when the scene of the battle between Xena and Draico was shot.
Xena
Many artists played their truly successful roles in the series Xena - The Warrior Queen. Actors, of course, gratefully recall this experience. And most of all it makes the leading woman.
It is worth noting that Xena is a rather controversial figure. In the series, she is clearly respectable and pure, but it is known that once selfishness, greed and evil were its main companions.
Actress Lucy Lawless happened to play this character in various guises. Basically, of course, it was Xena on the path of redemption. But there were a lot of flashbacks in the series, opening the veil of secrets of the past warrior.
The New Zealand artist managed to conquer millions of viewers' hearts with her game, thus raising the series "Xena - Warrior Queen" to the top of the ratings. Actors literally woke up famous.
However, few were able to go beyond the role of heroes of mythological stories. Actress Lucy Lawless did not play almost any major role after Xena. And among her latest film works, the historical character is again Lucretius, the wife of the founder of the gladiatorial school.
Gabriel
The role of Gabrielle went to the American Rene O'Connor, who received the first film experience at Disney. The series about Xena brought her resounding success. Rene constantly appeared on the front pages of the best women's magazines and even entered the list of the most intriguing celebrities.
However, all this did not help the girl to build a successful career. After the series closed, she created her own production company and released several films as a director, the money for which the Ebay auction helped her raise money. Renee sold several of her autographs and personal belongings.
In recent years, the actress prefers working in short films, and also continues to participate in the Xena series of fans' convention, performing with solo numbers.
Renee O'Connor has repeatedly stated that playing Gabrielle was very interesting, since she was not a static character. Throughout the series, the character of the heroine changed. Initially, the viewer saw her as a naive, sweet and simple-minded girl. But with each new test and adventure, it changed. Gabrielle became a confident, determined and strong woman. Perhaps the only trait that has been preserved is kindness.
Goddesses
More than once in the episodes of the series, the main inhabitants of Olympus appeared, because for the most part the plot is based on ancient Greek myths. Not all goddesses were friendly towards Xena and Gabrielle, but friends were among them.
One of them was the goddess of love Aphrodite. Her role was played by Alexandra Tydings. In fact, this character is the only actress in the film career. After the series was closed, Alexandra stopped acting.
Despite her selfish and difficult character, Aphrodite was merciful and kind to the girls. She sided with Xena during Twilight, not afraid to lose her divinity. However, later, thanks to the warrior, the goddess again ascended to Olympus.
Alexandra Tydings played the role of Aphrodite in the series "The Amazing Adventures of Hercules."
Another goddess who favored Xena was Celeste. She was the sister of Hades and therefore commanded death. The main character released her from the shackles created by Sisyphus.
Xena didn’t get along with the rest of the Olympians. She killed many during Twilight. Among them were Artemis, Athena and disharmony.
Gods
The most important god in Xena’s life is Ares. It was under his leadership that the woman participated in campaigns of conquest. It was to him that she owed her ability to stay in battle. But when their roads parted, they did not become enemies in the direct sense of the word. Ares dreamed that Xena would return under his care, but this did not happen. He sacrificed a lot to save the lives of Gabrielle and the daughter of Xena Eve.
Almost all the other gods of Olympus were killed during Twilight by either Xena or Heracles.
But this film is interesting in that not only ancient Greek gods, but also heroes of other mythologies are taken as a basis. That is why Xena happened to fight with the Iranian evil deity Dahak, from whom her daughter Gabriel Nadezhda was born, the Scandinavian fire god Loki and even with the powerful Odin.
The characters of many historical eras were combined in the series "Xena - the Queen of Warriors." The actors coped with their task perfectly and played real passions in the spirit of that time.
Friends
Despite the fact that in her past Xena envied Hercules and dreamed of surpassing him by force, now they have become comrades. Often, together with Gabriel and Iolaus, they had to fight evil.
Another friend of Xena and Hercules was Autolycus, the "king of thieves." It was performed by Bruce Campbell, known for his role as Raimi in The Evil Dead.
Among Xena's friends were also the unlucky warrior Joxer, the healer Eli, Lao Ma, with superhuman abilities, the merchant Salmonae from Greek mythology.
The series uses characters that actually existed in the story. For example, Xena was friends with the Queen of Egypt Cleopatra, and Julius Caesar and Xena were once supporters, but then their paths diverged.
One of Gabrielle and Xena's best friends was Amazon Efini. It was to her that Gabrielle transferred her title to princess. The role of the Amazon was played by Daniel Cormac.
Enemies
Xena crossed the road for many, with many she had different outlooks on life, and the perception of the world was different. This is probably why in almost every episode they tried to kill the main character.
To destroy Xena more than once wanted Hades, Athena, Dahak and other deities. But one of the main enemies is Callisto. Her whole life is dedicated to the revenge of the warrior who once burned her village. Callisto received immortality from the hands of Zeus's wife.
Xena and Gabrielle managed to defeat her and send her to hell, though later it was Xena who helped her become an angel and receive divinity.
A family
Despite the adventurous nature of the series, the family for the main character and her friend Gabrielle remains in the lead.
Gabriel has parents - Hekuba and Herodotus, as well as sister Leela and niece Sara. Gabrielle herself gave birth to a daughter, Nadezhda, from an evil deity, and afterwards was forced to poison her.
Darien Tuckle played the role of Xena's mother named Siren. Mephistopheles sent evil spirits to her, and the whole village declared Siren a witch, after which she was burned at the stake.
Xena had two children: a son, Solan, who was given up to raise a centaur, and a daughter, Eva, whose birth laid the foundation for the Twilight of the Olympic gods.
Few television projects are becoming popular and iconic, but the series Xena is the Warrior Queen, whose actors have become very famous, has become just that.