Interview #12: Rob Tapert! Co-creator, Executive Producer, Director, and Writer 🧠🎬🎣

Interview #16: Jay Laga'aia! Draco 🖤🎸🔥

This week Lou and Shell are catching up with the number one warlord, King of the Horde - Jay Laga’aia AKA the delightfully dark Draco! 🎶 😏⚔️   Jay, the iconic Kiwi-Aussie, takes us right back to “Sins of the Past” (S01E01), sharing what it was like stepping into the Xenaverse as the very first villain, including the very moment he saw Lucy Lawless in full Xena glory and knew this show was something special 😳🖤   We get a behind-the-scenes story from “A Comedy of Eros” (S02E22) 💋🏹 about an unfortunate fake beard and kiss situation 🤣 and we revisit his memories of “Lyre, Lyre, Hearts on Fire” (S5E10) 🎸🔥 where Jay gives that iconic heavy metal mash up of “Always Something There to Remind Me”⚡🎶🖤   This one is FULL of Xenaverse magic - just the way we like it ⚔️🖤✨   Follow Jay Laga’aia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaylagaaia/ [https://www.instagram.com/jaylagaaia/]   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578930248317 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578930248317]    Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xenawarriornutballs/ [https://www.instagram.com/xenawarriornutballs/]

Special Guest Side Quest: MaryD! Webmaster at AUSXIP 🌐📜🪶

*Lou, Shell, and MaryD have entered the 90s AUSXIP chat room*   This week we’re diving into the fandom itself with a true OG Xenite - MaryD! The absolute powerhouse behind AUSXIP 💻⚔️ Before socials, before streaming, there was AUSXIP… and MaryD was the Aussie legend running the show.   We yarn about the wild west days of the internet and her work creating the 25th anniversary book “Xena: Their Courage Changed Our World” 📜🪶. MaryD’s been doing the mahi (work) keeping us Xenites informed for 30 years, and fundraising hundreds of thousands of dollars through her annual AUSXIP charity auction! We get into the legacy, the chaos, and the aroha (love) for all things Xena 💪💜.    MaryD is Xena-verse icon - we ADORE her! 😌🔥   Wanna keep up with MaryD and all things Xena? Too easy: 🌐 AUSXIP: https://www.ausxip.com [https://www.ausxip.com]  📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AUSXIP [https://www.facebook.com/AUSXIP]  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ausxip [https://www.instagram.com/ausxip]   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578930248317 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578930248317]    Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xenawarriornutballs/ [https://www.instagram.com/xenawarriornutballs/]

Interview #15: Alexandra Tydings! Aphrodite - Goddess of Love 💘✨💋

OMG babes 💖✨ we are, like, SO excited because this week, we’re adding the divine Alexandra Tydings 💘👑 to the whānau!!! Aka Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love from Xena: Warrior Princess 💕 Tubular right?!   We go FULL Gaphrodite 💞🌈 yes babe, that kiss 💋💖 diving into Alex’s thoughts, angles, and all the deliciously sapphic vibes 😍💓It’s flirty, fabulous, and totally dripping in looooooooove 💕💅✨   …okay stepping out of our valley girl era for a sec, we go on a real journey in this chat - Alex is unbelievably smart and generous, and there’s truly something in here for every Xenite: from the origins of Joxer's theme tune, or working with Alexis Arquette and Kiwi Director Garth Maxwell on “The God You Know” S6E12, to wholesome memories of working with their big bro Ares, AKA Kevin Smith! 💖   We welcome the magnificent Goddess of Aroha | Love - Alex Tydings!    Show notes:    Follow Alex on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atydings/ [https://www.instagram.com/atydings/]    Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578930248317 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578930248317]    Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xenawarriornutballs/ [https://www.instagram.com/xenawarriornutballs/]

Interview #14: Michael Hurst! Iolaus and Director of “A Day in the Life” 💪⚔️💛 + SO MUCH MORE

Golden curls, heroic biceps, and a whole lot of Kiwi charm, this week we’re joined by Aotearoa legend Michael Hurst (ONZM) ✨   Xena fans will know Michael across the wider Xenaverse: from his iconic turn as the ever-loyal hero Iolaus in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys 💪⚔️, to popping up in Xena: Warrior Princess as Nigel and the delightfully grumpy ferryman Charon ⛵🔥. But his impact on the show goes far beyond what we see on screen. Michael also stepped behind the camera to direct some truly memorable episodes 🎬.   Most famously, he directed the fan-voted favourite “A Day in the Life” (S02E15) 🐟    The beloved episode that gave us fishing, bickering, and peak domestic subtext chaos between Xena  and Gabrielle ⚔️📜💛.    He also helmed unforgettable episodes like “A Tale of Two Muses” (S04E06), “Lifeblood” (S05E16), “Antony & Cleopatra” (S05E18), “Who’s Gurkhan?” (S06E4), and “To Helicon and Back” (S06E15).   In this episode we chat about the wild early days of the Kiwi screen industry 🎥, and what it was like helping shape one of the most beloved shows of the ’90s, both in front of the camera and behind it. It’s a joyful kōrero (conversation), full of laughs and stories, with one of the great creative forces of the Xenaverse 🌟.   Follow Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raunchy_twyford/ [https://www.instagram.com/raunchy_twyford/]    Keep up with Michael's work: http://michaelhurstnow.com/ [http://michaelhurstnow.com/]    Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578930248317 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578930248317]    Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xenawarriornutballs/ [https://www.instagram.com/xenawarriornutballs/]

Interview #13: Jennifer Te Atamira Ward-Lealand! Boudica and Zehra 🗡️🤎

In this interview, Lou and Shell find themselves sitting down with one of the biggest legends in Aotearoa’s creative industries: Jennifer Te Atamira Ward-Lealand (ONZM, CNZM). 👑🎭   The 2020 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year, honoured for her contributions to the arts and advocacy for Te Reo Māori, Jennifer reflects on her time in the Xena-verse.⚔️🥝    She stormed onto our screens as the fierce and formidable Boudica in “The Deliverer” (S3E4) and returned as Zehra in “The Play’s the Thing,” (S4E17) bringing gravitas and razor-sharp wit to every scene. 🛡️🔥   We talk about what it meant to bring a real-life warrior woman to life within this bold fantasy world, and her favourite memories working alongside the late great Kevin Smith - Ares 🗡️🖤   Regal, grounded, and gloriously sharp - Nutballs, you will understand after listening why we are still in awe.    Follow Jennifer on Instagram: @jen_wl_te_atamira [https://www.instagram.com/jen_wl_te_atamira/] 📸   Book tickets to see Jennifer in “Helen Clark in 6 Outfits” 7th to 26th April, Auckland, New Zealand: https://www.atc.co.nz/whats-on/2026-season/helen-clark-in-six-outfits [https://www.atc.co.nz/whats-on/2026-season/helen-clark-in-six-outfits]   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578930248317 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578930248317]    Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xenawarriornutballs/ [https://www.instagram.com/xenawarriornutballs/]