Tim Omundson
The Chakram Newsletter: Issue 18
“Chakram” was the first episode I worked on with Kevin. And the other was “Seeds Of Faith.” Only two, but it seems like we did so many more together. We met at a party at Lucy’s house. It was Rob’s anniversary of quitting smoking. That's where I first met Kevin and I remember being shocked that he was a Kiwi because his American accent was so good. He was in the pool and I thought to myself, “That’s why I don’t swim at parties because you're going to run into guys like that!” And then he and Lucy sang at the piano.
Later on, I was invited to the birthday party of Robert Bruce, Kevin’s agent, at the Red Dog bar. I started talking with Kevin and I instantly fell in love with him. I don’t remember the work as much as sitting around telling stories waiting for the crew to set up the next shot.
I’ve always said that the best thing to come out of Xena was the friends I made down there and Kevin was in the forefront of that group. He would stay with my wife and I when he was in Los Angeles. It seems like whenever he was in town, we’d put our life on hold so we could spend time with him.
We had some memorable times at conventions. I have a physical scar from the time we were in San Francisco - which I won’t get into - and that was the first time we did the band at the cabaret together. I had friends come down from Seattle and they still talk about our evening afterwards with Kevin, Danielle and Joel. It was an amazing weekend. It was my first convention and that set the bar.
It's an instanteous family when you’re working on a set. Totally dysfunctional, but a family. Then you go your separate ways. I’ve been really fortunate I’ve been able to carry on friendships formed this way. I’m still close to some of the people I worked with on Seaquest and many of the cast and crew from Xena. To maintain a friendship from the other side of the world is pretty special. You don’t see each other for a year and when you get together, you pick up exactly where you left off. And that’s the way it was with Kevin.