Cut! Xena fights her final battle

By BRIDGET CARTER

After five years entertaining international audiences as Xena, New Zealand's most famous television star, Lucy Lawless, is looking forward to a break.

A mixed atmosphere of anxiety and excitement pervaded the set of Xena: Warrior Princess last night as 250 cast and crew members crafted the goodbye episode of the hit show in its sixth series.

As final filming began at 6 pm, Lawless said the finale marked the brink of "a life change" for most of the cast and crew.

But the New Zealand superstar says it feels like the right time to end the show and she is looking forward to at least a two-month break.

"I am exhausted ... It has been very challenging playing an action role."

Her fondest memories of the show will always be the people, particularly working with Renee O'Connor, who plays Gabrielle, her sidekick.

Lawless says they will continue being friends - "Tonight I am watching my step everywhere because she always plays practical jokes on me."

In the near future, she looks forward to getting a social life and spending more time with her family. She has avoided getting into any long-term contracts, although there have been "very flattering" work offers from the United States.

All working on Xena have been sworn to secrecy about what happens in the last episode, which will not be revealed to fans until at least June.

The question on most of their minds is: will Xena live or die?

Rumours have suggested that the life of the Warrior Princess ends as the curtains close on the series.

As one fan says on a Xena website: "Rumours are flying everywhere, but I think they are trying to keep the plot hidden."

Seen in 115 countries, Xena: Warrior Princess has become iconic among gays and lesbians because of what has been described as a "wink-wink relationship" between Xena and Gabrielle.

Says one fan: "Xena is sort of a cross between Doctor Who and Wonder Woman ... She's another tough girl like Sigourney Weaver or Linda Hamilton. But she's slightly different - a little softer on the inside."

Studios USA domestic television president Steve Rosenberg said the show had been an outstanding performer since its debut in September 1995, finishing No 1 among all first-run syndicated dramas for the past four seasons.

The decision to end the show after the sixth series was to ensure it would "go out on top."

Production spokeswoman Sue May says the character Xena first appeared on the companion series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

After the three episodes where Xena was a guest character rated well, producers decided to create a spin-off series - Xena: Warrior Princess.

She says the production company, Pacific Renaissance Pictures, spent $400 million making Hercules, Young Hercules and Xena: Warrior Princess.

New Zealand was chosen for filming the three shows because of the beauty of the location, financial benefits and the talent base.