What happens when Greek mythology meets modern pop culture feminism, with a bit of Kiwi battler thrown in?
She's a character who hints at being from the Pantheon of ancient Greek mythology, but was in fact born entirely from modern imagination and brought to life not in the temples of the gods, but in west Auckland.
Xena, the 'warrior princess', continues to inspire a cult following of ‘Xenites’ to this very day. Everyone needs a hero, or heroine, and this feminist icon, played by Kiwi actress Lucy Lawless, certainly fits the bill.
So, in this week's episode we turn our attention to something a bit different – Xena’s costume, including her fabulous boots.
Watch a video from the episode here
According to the show, Xena was a "mighty princess forged in the heat of battle”. After making friends with Hercules, Xena sought redemption from her dark and violent past and began fighting warlords and gods for the greater good.
Xena's character was the full package – a strong and powerful woman, exceptional in combat, and with a signature battle cry that no doubt instilled fear in her enemies.
Her partnership with sidekick and best friend Gabrielle also drew fans. Indeed, some have suggested the duo were more than just good friends.
Xena’s character first appeared in an episode of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, but she went on to star in her own spinoff series.
One of the creators of Xena’s costume, Ngila Dickson, says Xena’s character underwent a makeover after getting her own show.
“There already was an established costume for Xena. In that time she was quite light, blonde and we were wanting to go for this darker, tougher, stronger image.”
The show, which was filmed in New Zealand, ran from 1995 to 2001. When it ended, producers Pacific Renaissance Pictures gifted Xena’s costume to Te Papa.
Xena’s outfit includes a brown leather dress, armour, a breast plate, gauntlets, arm bands and boots. It was initially designed by Barbara Darragh, then reworked by Dickson.
The costume would not be complete of course without her weapons -including her whip, chakram and trusty sword. Robert Gillies designed the weapons and other props.
Te Papa’s Senior Curator New Zealand History and Culture, Claire Regnault, says the outfit is still very popular with visitors.
“We’ve had designers from all over the world come and see it, wanting to see it up close in person to study it. It’s one of those objects when you say to people ‘We’ve got Xena’s outfit’, you immediately get a reaction.”…
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com