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TV3 Nightline Lucy/Xena Transcript on the inevitable cancellation of X:WP [3 min 30 sec] (10/18/00)
Provided by Richard Kloosterboer from New Zealand.

Nightline presenter: The warrior with the most famous attitude on television is about to flip for the last time. The American producers of Xena, made right here, have decided she should hang up her leathers.

[screen changes to 'Sins of the Past' and credits]

Wendie Petrie: Kiwi actor Lucy Lawless has become world famous playing the lead role of Xena: Warrior Princess. For six years this female action hero has screeched at, tackled and defeated every evil creature imaginable.

[WWF fight scene with Joxer]

Wendie Petrie: Today she was in New York appearing on a talk show with host Rosie O'Donnell [switches to RO'D]

Rosie: She's a tough chick...please welcome Lucy Lawless!

Rosie: What's going on, you're leaving the show again. The show's going away next year.

Lucy: Yeah, the show's leaving me...

Rosie: Ya, but that's OK, right? That was a good run...

Lucy: A really good run. It strikes me now how unusual, how believable it is to go so long and...ehm...y'know, you sit down and have a bit of a cry and you get back on that horse...

[switches to camera crew, filming of 'Destiny']

Wendie Petrie: So it is with sadness that Lawless finishes up with the series next year. The shows American Producers say the axe has fallen because its time for them to move on to new creative challenges.

[switches to 'Chariots of War']

Xena: So what have we got to talk about...

[switches to stunt team]

Wendie Petrie: Among those who'll soon be seeking a new challenge is the shows kiwi cast and crew, such as rigging co-ordinator Jim Scorrar who has worked on Xena from the beginning.

Jim Scorrar: It was always going to be inevitable. We always knew it was going to happen. It could have happened 2 @ 3 years ago when there was talk about it then, but...ehm...it is sad. Its been a great few years. I was part of something special.

Wendie Petrie: Stunt double Karen Thompson says the decision to cancel the show will have a big impact on the New Zealand film industry.

Karen Thompson: There are shows out there, but that [X:WP] was the main show that had a lot of stunt people working on it.

[switches to 'Cradle of Hope', fire spewing]

Wendie Petrie: But the Sreen Producers and Directors Associations, says the news is not all bad.

Jane Wrightson [SPADA]: There are four local drama series being made, or about to be made in New Zealand right now.

Wendie Petrie: Xena fans in New Zealand haven't seen the last of the Warrior Princess. TV3 has to schedule at least two more of the series.
The last scenes of X:WP will be shot in April next year ending six years of production and the 200 freelance workers will be hoping that overseas network producers will again look to New Zealand for the next action series.
Wendie Petrie, 3 News.

Presenter: We know one thing, they'll double their money!

END TRANSCRIPT

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