Renaissance Man
Direct from Renaissance Pictures, the producers of Xena and Hercules, George Strayton brings the latest news…
Official Xena Magazine: Issue 02
XENA MAGAZINE: I understand that filming has taken a break now. How do you feel about the first block of filming?
GEORGE STRAYTON: Very excited. We can’t wait for the new season to begin. Right now we’re just taking a break to gear up for the rest of the year. It’s going to be an amazing series. We’ve got a great arc involving Xena’s pregnancy.
Lucy Lawless had to bow out of one episode due to her pregnancy. Is the new baby going to keep her away from any other episodes?
Lucy will be back for the start of production in November.
This month sees a new musical episode, just like season three’s Bitter Suite. No one else really does television like this... What possessed you?
Rob Tapert always wants to push the boundaries, to give the fans something they’ve never seen before. This time he came up with the idea for a ‘concert’ episode [Lyre, Lyre, Hearts on Fire] featuring several covers of classic songs from a variety of musical styles.
This month sees the return of Alti and another trip to Chin for Xena - two things that have proven popular in the past. What was behind the decision to resurrect them for this season?
We really enjoyed the look and feel of Chin, especially the mystical aspects of its culture. Xena’s pregnancy has naturally drawn her back to the land of her greatest mentor. Alti has become an excellent nemesis for our hero. Claire Stansfield does an amazing job playing the role. We just wanted to see more of both of them.
This month also, of course, sees the airing of Full Circle, the final episode of Hercules. What's the feeling like at Renaissance Pictures now that the end is nigh?
It’s been a great run and we’re all very proud of Hercules. It will continue to live on in syndication throughout the world. And don’t worry, we haven’t seen the last of Hercules...
What things will we see happening in and around Xena as the 100th episode draws closer?
We’ll start to see a lot of publicity regarding the episode and its revelations. I can tell you it’s called Seeds of Faith and features several guest stars including Timothy Omundson as Eli.