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Lucy Lawless

Highest Rated: 100% Mothers of the Revolution (2021)

Lowest Rated: 11% Boogeyman (2005)

Birthday: Mar 29, 1968

Birthplace: Mount Albert, Auckland, New Zealand

With a physical presence (at almost 6' tall) and tough-as-nails demeanor, the statuesque Lucy Lawless rose from unknown actress to international star as "Xena: Warrior Princess" (Syndicated, 1995-2001). A native New Zealander with a flair for adventure, Lawless' physical presence and natural on-screen charisma proved successful for the actress in starring and supporting roles in both film and television. Joining the ensemble cast of the Sci Fi Channel's cult hit "Battlestar Galactica" (2004-09) in 2005, Lawless stood out as Cylon number three, D'Anna Biers, finding international success on the small screen once again. Born Lucille Frances Ryan on March 29, 1968 in Mount Albert, Auckland, New Zealand to father Frank Ryan, the Chairman of Finance and former mayor in Auckland, and mother Julie Ryan, Lawless grew up the fifth of seven children in the Auckland suburb of Mount Albert. Lawless first took up an interest in acting in secondary school, performing in school plays and musicals. After attending an opera in France at the age of 15, she developed a passion for singing and began to take voice lessons. After graduation, Lawless went on to attend Auckland University for a year where she studied foreign languages, including French, German and Italian. Dropping out of college to travel, Lawless went to Europe with her high school sweetheart, Garth Lawless. The pair returned to Australia, where they worked for a gold-mining company in the Western Australia town of Kalgoorlie. Upon finding out that Lawless was pregnant, the pair quickly married and returned to New Zealand where their first child, Daisy, was born on July 15, 1988. Lawless began to pursue acting seriously, auditioning for commercials and television series. Making her television debut in 1989, Lawless joined the cast of the New Zealand comedy series "Funny Business" (1987-89). Relocating to Vancouver, British Columbia for a year in 1990, Lawless studied acting at the William Davis Center for Actors Study. Returning to New Zealand in 1992, Lawless was asked to co-host the travel magazine show "Air New Zealand Holiday" which allowed the actress to travel around the world. She began to land a number of small roles in local New Zealand television and film productions and soon began to appear in international productions, including the film "Rainbow Warrior" (1992) opposite Jon Voight and Sam Neill. Lawless' first major break came in 1994; after landing a supporting role in the TV movie "Hercules and the Amazon Women" (1994) opposite Kevin Sorbo, Lawless made two guest appearances on the internationally syndicated series that followed, "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" (1995-98). Though British actress Vanessa Angel had been cast in the role of Hercules' female counterpart, Xena, Lawless was asked to step in to the role after Angel was unable to take on the role. Initially a three-part storyline, Lawless' performance as Xena impressed the producers of the series. A syndicated spin-off series, "Xena: Warrior Princess" (1995-2001) was developed and debuted in 1995 to a major cult following. Lawless not only convincingly embodied Xena's combative, tough-as-nails demeanor, she was also adept at balancing the series' more emotional scenes and had fun with the are-they-or-aren't-they? relationship between Xena and her sidekick Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor). This dynamic, of course, drew a large lesbian following. As Lawless' career began to take off however, her marriage fell apart. Divorcing in 1995, Lawless soon became involved with "Xena" executive producer Robert Tapert. The pair went on to marry in 1998. Using "Xena" as a strong foundation, Lawless began to build on her career. She made her Broadway debut in 1997 as Rizzo in the revival of "Grease." Upon completion of her six-year starring role on "Xena" in 2001, Lawless guest-starred as Shannon McMahon, a super soldier who claims to have driven the missing Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) into hiding on the cult sci-fi drama "The X-Files" (1993-2002). Demonstrating a knack for snappy one-liners and physical comedy, Lawless was next seen in a cameo in the superhero blockbuster "Spider-Man" (2002), which was directed by her friend and "Xena" executive producer Sam Raimi. She also starred as the sexy-but-scary dominatrix Madame Vandersexxx in the comedy "EuroTrip" (2004). Joining the cast of cult TV hit "Battlestar Galactica" (2004-09) in 2005, Lawless found herself back in the spotlight. Initially introduced during the series' second season as D'Anna Biers, a journalist allowed unprecedented access to Galactica's crew, Lawless' character was soon revealed to be a Cylon spy and quickly became integral to the series' plot. Appearing in an eight-episode arc spanning seasons two and three, Lawless' Cylon character was deactivated and put into stasis during the series' third season. As the only character capable of identifying the 'Final Five' Cylons however, Lawless made a return during "Galactica's" fourth and final season in 2008. After costarring in the family fantasy "Bedtime Stories" (2008) and making a number of guest appearances on various TV shows, Lawless returned to series television as Lucretia on the series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" (Starz 2010) and its followups "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena" (Starz 2011) and "Spartacus: Vengeance" (Starz 2012). Lawless then joined the cast of "Parks and Recreation" (NBC 2009-2015) in a recurring role as Ron Swanson's love interest Diane Lewis. She also appeared in the miniseries "Top of the Lake" (IFC 2013) and co-starred in the first series of Australian drama "The Code" (ABC 2014- ). A recurring role in supernatural drama "Salem" (WGN America 2014-17) was followed by Lawless returning to TV full-time on the comedy horror series "Ash Vs. Evil Dead" (Starz 2015- ) opposite Bruce Campbell.

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Highest rated movies

100% Mothers of the Revolution Watchlist
100% Queering the Script
Watchlist
97% 79% Double Dare
Watchlist
93% Never Look Away Watchlist 81% 62% The Spine of Night Watchlist 71% 68% The Changeover Watchlist 70% 89% Minions: The Rise of Gru Watchlist 60% 80% Mosley Watchlist 46% 75% Eurotrip Watchlist
29% 29% Bitch Slap
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
93% No Score Yet Never Look Away Director,
Screenwriter,
Producer
- 2024
70% 89% Minions: The Rise of Gru Nunchuk (Voice) $369.5M 2022
81% 62% The Spine of Night Tzod (Voice) - 2021
100% No Score Yet Mothers of the Revolution Self - 2021
60% 80% Mosley Bera (Voice) - 2019
100% No Score Yet Queering the Script Unknown (Character) - 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Soldiers Without Guns Narrator - 2019
71% 68% The Changeover Miryam Carlisle (Character) - 2017
29% 29% Bitch Slap Mother Superior (Character) $17.4K 2009
No Score Yet 23% Angel of Death Vera (Character) - 2009
27% 55% Bedtime Stories Aspen (Character) $110.0M 2008
No Score Yet 71% Justice League: The New Frontier Wonder Woman (Voice) - 2008
No Score Yet 20% Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight Goldmoon (Voice) - 2008
No Score Yet 39% The Darkroom Cheryl (Character) - 2006
No Score Yet 26% Vampire Bats Maddy Rierdon (Character) - 2005
11% 21% Boogeyman Mary Jensen (Character) $46.4M 2005
No Score Yet 47% Locusts Maddy Rierdon (Character) - 2005
46% 75% Eurotrip Madame Vandersexxx (Character) $17.7M 2004
97% 79% Double Dare Self - 2003
No Score Yet No Score Yet I'll Make You Happy Self - 1999
No Score Yet 69% Hercules & Xena -- The Battle for Mount Olympus Xena (Voice) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior Jane Redmond (Character) - 1992

TV

Credit
No Score Yet 92% My Life Is Murder Alexa Crowe (Character),
Executive Producer
2019 2021-2022 2024
93% 90% Parks and Recreation Unknown (Character),
Unknown (Guest Star)
2012-2014 2024
No Score Yet No Score Yet My Life is Murder Series 3 Bonus Alexa Crowe (Character),
Executive Producer
2022
92% 45% Star Wars Resistance Aeosian Queen (Guest Voice) 2020
No Score Yet 50% The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Guest 2015 2019
99% 95% Ash vs Evil Dead Ruby (Character) 2015-2016 2018
No Score Yet 100% Robert Kirkman's Secret History of Comics Guest 2017
82% 77% Salem Countess Marburg (Character),
Unknown (Guest Star)
2015-2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet Last Call With Carson Daly Guest 2016
100% 29% The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore Guest 2015
95% 91% Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Isabelle "Izzy" Hartley (Guest Star) 2014-2015
100% 94% Adventure Time Gen. Tarsal (Guest Voice) 2014-2015
64% No Score Yet Spartacus Lucretia (Character) 2010-2012
No Score Yet No Score Yet Spartacus Lucretia (Character) 2010-2012
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Chew Guest 2012
71% 82% No Ordinary Family Helen Burton (Guest Star) 2011
No Score Yet 90% American Dad! Stacy (Guest Voice) 2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Wendy Williams Show Guest 2010-2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet Angel of Death Unknown (Character) 2009
94% 98% Flight of the Conchords Paula (Guest Star) 2009
95% 94% Battlestar Galactica D'Anna Biers (Character),
Unknown (Guest Star)
2005-2009
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Bonnie Hunt Show Guest 2008
No Score Yet 65% CSI: Miami Unknown (Guest Star) 2008
92% 90% Curb Your Enthusiasm Herself (Guest Star) 2007
88% 95% Burn Notice Evelyn (Guest Star) 2007
92% 80% Veronica Mars Unknown (Guest Star) 2006
65% 66% Two and a Half Men Pamela (Guest Star) 2005
No Score Yet No Score Yet Less Than Perfect Unknown (Guest Star) 2004
25% No Score Yet Tarzan Unknown (Character) 2003
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Bernie Mac Show Unknown (Guest Star) 2002
74% 86% The X-Files Shannon McMahon (Guest Star) 2001
No Score Yet 86% Xena Xena (Character) 1995-2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Just Shoot Me Stacy (Guest Star) 2001
85% 76% The Simpsons Herself (Guest Voice) 1999
No Score Yet 57% Saturday Night Live Host 1998
No Score Yet 72% Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Unknown (Guest Star) 1995 1997-1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Something So Right Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Ray Bradbury Theater Liddy Barton (Character) 1992