About this podcast
Kia Ora and G’day whānau! Join two queer overexcitable fangirls, Lou (Kiwi, new-ish fan) and Shell (Aussie, OG Xenite), as they deep-dive into Xena: Warrior Princess with charmingly mediocre wit, loads of nostalgia, and at times impenetrable accents.
As Xena: Warrior Princess celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2025, we’re highlighting its legacy by attempting to interview 30 cast and crew who made it legendary, the Kiwis and Aussies responsible for the leather outfits, the sword fights, and let’s be real, making us all a little bit gayer. From behind-the-scenes stories to on-set moments, we’re going to bring you the voices behind the show which changed the world.
🎧 Listen in and embrace the Nutball life! ⚔️🌈
Visit us at: https://xenawarriornutballs.com/
Episodes
The newest 20 of 30 episodes
- Interview #27: Sir Richard Taylor! [UPDATED] Wētā Workshop Co-founder and Creative Director 🏆🧌⚔️🎬 · 1 h 13 min · Episode 32🚨 Rerelease!🚨 Thanks for bearing with us whānau! ⚔️💜...now on with the podcast! ___ 🏆 This week, Lou and Shell are chatting with Sir Richard Taylor (KNZM), Co-founder and…
- Interview #26: Jane Holland! Costume Designer 🧵✂️🪡 · 1 h 18 min · Episode 29This week, Lou and Shell are heading into the costume department, getting sized up and squeezed into our own leather corsets and miniskirts with the wonderfully talented Kiwi…
- Interview #25: Diana Rowan! Casting Director - The woman who cast Xena! 💜⚔️ · 58 min · Episode 28This week Lou and Shell go deep behind the scenes as we kōrero with legendary Aotearoa casting director Diana Rowan, who tells us exactly what she saw in Lucy Lawless which made…
- Interview #24: Eric Gruendemann! ✈️🌿⚔️Producer, Supervising Producer, Co-Executive Producer, and founder and Managing Director of Pacific Renaissance Pictures!😮💨 · 56 min · Episode 25This week Lou and Shell are welcoming into the whānau Eric Gruendemann - Producer, Supervising Producer, Co-Executive Producer, and founder and Managing Director of Pacific…
- Interview #23: Timothy Omundson! Eli 🧔🏻♀️💚🕊️ · 47 min · Episode 27This week, Lou and Shell have grown out their beards and donned their muumuus as we welcome into the whānau Timothy Omundson AKA Eli!🧔🏻♀️💚🕊️ Yes! That devilishly handsome…
- Special Guest Side Quest: Xena and Gabrielle's costumes at Te Papa 🧵🏛️✨ with Curator, Stephanie Gibson · 31 min · Episode 26In this Special Guest Side Quest, Lou gets up close with THE ACTUAL COSTUMES worn by Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor! 🤯⚔️ Getting to head behind the scenes at Te Papa, the…
- Interview #22: Rob Gillies! Production Designer ⚒️🎨🖋️ · 1 h 10 min · Episode 24This week Lou and Shell talk with Rob Gillies, the Kiwi Production Designer on Xena: Warrior Princess⚒️🛡️🏛️⚔️ From the depths of Tartarus to the Elysian Fields, and everything in…
- Interview #21: Paris Jefferson! Athena 💛🦉🧵Goddess of Warfare, Wisdom, and Weaving · 1 h 6 min · Episode 23This week, Lou and Shell climb the steps to Mount Olympus and enter the throne room with Paris Jefferson AKA Athena! 🦉⚔️👑 Paris joins us to look back on her unforgettable turn as…
- Interview #20: Steven L. Sears! 🤠✍️📜 Writer, Supervising Producer, & Co-Executive Producer · 1 h 6 min · Episode 22This week we're extending our whānau again! 💜🌿Shell and Lou are donning our fedoras 🤠, dusting off our typewriters 📝, and heading into the Xena: Warrior Princess writers' room…
- Interview #19: Sandi Ranyer! Xena's Riding Double and Horse Wrangler 🐎🌟 · 53 min · Episode 21This week Lou and Shell are joined by the amazing Kiwi, Sandi Rayner 🐎🌟 We talk about her time as riding double for Lucy Lawless and Horse Wrangler on Xena: Warrior Princess…
- Interview #18 Joel Tobeck! Deimos and Lucifer 😈🔥🤪 · 46 min · Episode 19This week Lou and Shell are joined by the wildly talented Joel Tobeck, yes whānau, that chaos gremlin you love to hate (but MAINLY love) 😈🔥🤪👺 You’ll know him as Deimos and…
- Interview #17: Danielle Cormack! Ephiny - Queen of the Amazons 👑⚔️🐴 · 1 h 16 min · Episode 20*Coo! Coo! Amazons, attack!* This week Lou and Shell welcome the incredible Danielle Cormack into the whānau! The Kiwi legend who brought the stoic, fiercely loyal, and beloved…
- Interview #16: Jay Laga'aia! Draco 🖤🎸🔥 · 52 min · Episode 18This 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…
- Special Guest Side Quest: MaryD! Webmaster at AUSXIP 🌐📜🪶 · 29 min · Episode 16*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…
- Interview #15: Alexandra Tydings! Aphrodite - Goddess of Love 💘✨💋 · 1 h 14 min · Episode 17OMG 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…
- Interview #14: Michael Hurst! Iolaus and Director of “A Day in the Life” 💪⚔️💛 + SO MUCH MORE · 1 h 39 min · Episode 15Golden 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…
- Interview #13: Jennifer Te Atamira Ward-Lealand! Boudica and Zehra 🗡️🤎 · 1 h 0 min · Episode 14In 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). 👑🎭…
- Interview #12: Rob Tapert! Co-creator, Executive Producer, Director, and Writer 🧠🎬🎣 · 1 h 12 min · Episode 13He’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…
- Interview #11: Jodie Dorday! Solari 🔑🙄⚔️ · 1 h 4 min · Episode 12This 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…
- Interview #10: Hudson Leick! Callisto 🔥💀🖤 · 1 h 53 min · Episode 11We’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…
