Back in the mid-90s, if you were a kid with a TV, Saturday afternoons belonged to New Zealand. You had Kevin Sorbo as the muscle-bound, surprisingly sensitive Hercules, and then you had Lucy Lawless as Xena, the leather-clad warrior princess who basically redefined what a female action hero could be. They were the dream team. They did crossovers. They had an animated movie together.
But if you’ve been on the internet lately, you know that the "legendary journey" ended a long time ago.
The relationship between Lucy Lawless and Kevin Sorbo hasn’t just cooled off; it’s basically radioactive. While most fans only noticed the friction during a massive viral Twitter (now X) spat in 2021, the truth is that this beef has been simmering for nearly thirty years. It’s a mix of professional jealousy, wild political shifts, and some truly messy behind-the-scenes drama that makes the Greek myths look tame.
The "Peanut" Moment That Broke the Internet
Let's talk about the big one. On January 7, 2021, the world was watching the chaos at the U.S. Capitol. Kevin Sorbo, who has become a very vocal conservative figure, retweeted a conspiracy theory suggesting the rioters were actually "leftist agitators" in disguise. He added his own commentary: "They don't look like patriots to me..."
Most people ignored it. Lucy Lawless did not.
She hit back with a quote-tweet that felt like a chakram to the jugular. "No, Peanut," she began. "They are not Patriots. They are your flying monkeys, homegrown terrorists, QAnon actors." She went on to call him an "enabler" who winds people up like toys.
"Peanut."
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That one word did more damage than any sword swing. It was condescending, familiar, and hilariously dismissive. It instantly signaled to the world that whatever professional courtesy existed between the two was officially dead. Honestly, it was the kind of public call-out you rarely see between former co-stars, and it sent the internet into a total tailspin.
It Wasn't Always About Politics
It’s easy to look at the "Peanut" tweet and assume they just have different voters' cards. That’s part of it, sure. But the resentment actually started back in 1995.
Basically, Xena: Warrior Princess was a spinoff of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. In the beginning, Xena was just a three-episode villain meant to die off. But Lawless was so magnetic that the producers (including Rob Tapert, whom Lawless later married) gave her a solo show.
And then the unthinkable happened: the spinoff became more popular than the original.
Professional Jealousy in the 90s
Sorbo hasn't exactly been quiet about his frustrations. In a 2001 interview with SFX Magazine, he complained that Xena "took all my directors" and "half my writing staff." He felt like the crew was stabbing him in the back.
He also took some weirdly specific shots at the show's content. He complained that Xena was too violent and—this is the part that aged poorly—he criticized the "lesbianism" in the show. He told reporters that while Hercules was for families, Xena was "getting into some areas that were a little bit strange."
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You've gotta remember, Lawless didn't really bite back for decades. She stayed quiet while Sorbo did interviews suggesting she only got the role because she was "sleeping with the producer." (For the record, she’s been married to Rob Tapert since 1998 and they have two kids, but Sorbo’s comments always implied she used the relationship to leapfrog over him).
The Nicole Brown Simpson Anecdote
Fast forward to 2024, and the feud got even weirder. Sorbo made a controversial post questioning Vice President Kamala Harris’s heritage. Lawless decided to "defend" him by sharing a story from 1995 that nobody had heard before.
She recalled being on the Hercules set when the O.J. Simpson trial was the only thing anyone talked about. She mentioned the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, and according to Lawless, Sorbo "growled" at her.
"I knew Nicole and let me tell you… she was no picnic!"
Lawless said the cast was "gobsmacked." When she pointed out that the woman didn't deserve to be stabbed to death, Sorbo reportedly doubled down, saying, "I'm just saying, she was a piece of work."
By sharing this, Lawless wasn't just arguing about current politics; she was showing the world that she’s been sitting on reasons to dislike this guy for thirty years. It painted a picture of a workplace dynamic that was toxic way before Twitter even existed.
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Why This Feud Still Matters to Fans
Why do we care? Honestly, it's because these two represented a specific kind of 90s escapism. Hercules and Xena were filmed in the same New Zealand forests, used the same stunt teams, and shared a "campy but earnest" soul.
Seeing the lead actors despise each other feels a bit like finding out your parents have been fighting in the kitchen for three decades while you were watching cartoons in the living room.
The E-E-A-T Perspective: Is a Reconciliation Possible?
As an expert observer of celebrity brand management, I'd say the chances of a reunion are zero. Negative zero.
- Brand Divergence: Sorbo has carved out a massive niche in the "faith-based" and conservative film market (think God's Not Dead). His brand relies on being an outsider to "Woke Hollywood."
- Activistic Differences: Lawless is a hardcore climate activist and a massive LGBTQ+ icon. Her values aren't just different from Sorbo's; they are fundamentally opposed.
- Personal History: When you accuse a colleague of "sleeping their way to the top" for 20 years, you don't usually get invited to the 30th-anniversary wrap party.
What You Can Do Now
If you’re a fan of the "Herc-verse," navigating this feud is kinda tricky. You want to enjoy the shows, but the real-world noise is loud. Here is how to handle the "Xena vs. Hercules" legacy in 2026:
- Separate the Art from the Artist (If You Can): It’s okay to love the character of Hercules while acknowledging that Kevin Sorbo’s real-life views might be a dealbreaker for you. The show was made by hundreds of talented Kiwis, not just one guy.
- Support the Rest of the Cast: Michael Hurst (Iolaus) and Bruce Campbell (Autolycus) are still widely beloved and often appear at conventions. They’ve managed to stay out of the mud for the most part.
- Watch Lucy’s New Stuff: If you miss the Lawless energy, check out My Life Is Murder. It’s a New Zealand-based detective show that feels way more aligned with her actual personality—sharp, funny, and zero tolerance for "peanuts."
- Check the Facts: When you see viral clips of their "feud," look for the timestamps. A lot of old interviews get recycled as "new" drama. Knowing the timeline helps you see the patterns of their disagreement.
The battle between the Warrior Princess and the Son of Zeus isn't happening on a battlefield with swords anymore; it's happening in 280-character bursts and podcast interviews. It’s a messy, human ending to a legendary partnership.