comScore
  1. Mediaite
  2. Gossip Cop
  3. Geekosystem
  4. Styleite
  5. SportsGrid
  6. The Mary Sue
  7. The Jane Dough
  8. The Braiser

Our Adorable Past

Blast From the Past: Xena and Seven of Nine Hang Out

by Susana Polo | 11:47 am, March 1st, 2012


We ran across these pictures on tumblr recently and just had to figure out in what context they were taken. Were Lucy Lawless and Jeri Ryan at a con? Just hanging out?

Was Seven on an away team that found a planet who’d based their culture on mythological Greece or more likely ancient artifacts of mid-90s television?!?!?

Turns out it was a joint TV Guide interview from 1999 about television’s ass-kicking leading ladies.

Here’s a quote from the two actresses, musing on their characters’ fame:

Lawless: Maybe we’ve just caught the wave of grrrl power. It’s very hard to analyze any of this. I mean, 40 years of feminism has culminated with the Spice Girls.

Ryan: If you’ll notice, the film industry hasn’t exactly capitalized on the success of action women, either. There was Sigourney Weaver. And Linda Hamilton. And…well, that’s about it.

Almost fifteen years later, we’re naming pretty much the same actresses as examples.

Here’s another:

TVG: Your characters are also similar and rather unusual in the TV landscape in that their primary relationships are with other women – Xena with Gabrielle [Renee O'Connor], Seven with Captain Janeway [Kate Mulgrew].

LAWLESS: Oooh, female buddies! [Raises an eyebrow and flashes a mock erotic glance toward RYAN.] That topic again.

RYAN: Wink, wink, nudge, nudge! But, seriously, why is it perceived as odd? Women can be strong and self-sufficient but still want female bonding.

LAWLESS: That’s life! Why don’t we see more of that? All my best friends are women.

Not ones to shy away from the truth, the actresses then went on to confirm that they were very aware of their lesbian followings, and were delighted by it.

(quotes via Lucy Library, pics from The Wilderness of Mirrors via Geektrooper.)

TAGS: | | | |


  • John Wao

    I’ve got ten bucks on Xena.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_R7GVNIKWG3S2UTHEQOMSZXT4M4 Anna B

    Love them both, of course. Xena was magnificent when I first saw her on television. It was like–wow, she’s totally beating everyone–even the men, at swords and shields. There isn’t a male lead in sight to rescue her. Her buddy’s another lady! This is so different and radical. I like it!

    Seven of Nine was slightly different, but I was more a fan of Captain Janeway, who was freaking awesome.

  • http://twitter.com/smoke_tetsu Thomas D.A.

    I like all three quite a bit although I do have a huge soft spot for Captain Janeway!

  • Frodo Baggins

    The perfect odd couple to go on zany adventures together.

  • Katie Marinelli

    I guess I’m a youngin’ because I never watched that particular Star Trek but I remember watching Xena when I was little like, six? I mean it came out when I was three so, yeah. But I remember thinking Xena was the best. I don’t remember the episodes but I do remember she ‘kicked everyone’s butt’ :D

X