Muck Raking: Darien Takle
This month, K. Stoddard Hayes fires the usual probing questions at Darien Takle, otherwise known as Xena’s mum, Cyrene.
Official Xena Magazine: Issue 13
Full name given at birth: Darien Ruth Takle.
Nicknames: Noddy, Daz, Dracula (at school).
Favourite word: Fantastic.
Hometown: Auckland.
Current Residence: Auckland.
Croutons or Bacon Bits? Croutons.
Favourite Salad Dressing: I hate salad dressing.
Shampoo or Conditioner? Both. It must be something really organic.
Have you ever gone skinny dipping? Oh, yes. I have. And I got caught once! They turned the torch on me, and I thought, “Ha ha ha ha! I’m going to put my togs on.” I put them on and stepped out of the water going, “Ha ha ha!” and guess what? I'd put them on back to front! So they got the full top half!
Do you make fun of people? No, but I always make up a name for people, so that when I meet someone I'll associate them with something.
Favourite Colour: Blue at present.
Have you ever been convicted of a crime? A parking ticket.
One pillow or two? Cotton or Feather? Feather. I start with two and halfway through the night I chuck one on the ground!
Have you any pets? A lovely cat called Roddy. He's very, very funny. He's got this trick he does where he fights himself. He kicks himself in the head and bites his knees, and you see this mad ball of fur!
Favourite music? Women singers. I can listen to anything from classical to Buddhist monks chanting. I don't like jazz, though.
Hobbies? Water! I love water to swim in, to walk beside. Whenever I feel down I head straight for the beach. Also, I'm an avid reader. If I haven't got anything else I get out the phone book and read that! [What are you reading right now?] A wonderful book called Message Forever, about the Australian Aborigines, by Mario Morgan. Also, lately I've been reading autobiographies of women who've been nuns but who have left the order.
Which toothpaste do you use? Herbal.
Favourite food? Pavlova. It's a real New Zealand thing made out of sugar and egg white. It's totally decadent, rots the teeth and it's fabulous! You put masses of whipped cream on it. But I'm mostly vegetarian so I eat a lot of tofu.
Favourite town to take it easy in: Waihiki Island, which is on our harbour here. It's about 30 minutes by boat, and I go and stay at a friend's place at this bay. It must be one of the most beautiful views in the world.
Favourite ice cream flavour: Hokey pokey! just plain ice cream [with] hokey pokey, which is made from sugar and golden syrup.
Favourite non-alcoholic drink: Water with a slice of lemon in it.
Adidas, Nike, Reebok or other? (Pause while she reads her shoes) They say Reebok.
Favourite perfume: Lavender oil.
Favourite subject in school: English. I had an English teacher who let me read all the Shakespeare out loud.
Favourite sport to watch: I'm not really interested in watching sports.
What is your most humiliating moment? I was one of the burlesque girls in Gypsy and my costume was made up of three butterflies and I was wearing this extraordinary wig which had butterfly wings on it. I was standing in the middle of the stage, and one of the actresses got one of the butterfly wings caught in her costume as she went past and pulled my whole wig off! She was so upset that she left the stage. So I'm left standing there wearing three butterflies with a stocking on my head, and I thought, 'What am I going to do now?' So I just put my hands on my hips and in character yelled out after her, “That's the third time you've done that this week!”
What is your craziest or silliest idea? To be a Buddhist nun! I've always been interested in Buddhist meditation. I've gone on different retreats now and then. It's a bit crazy but it's a bit real, too.