If you grew up in the 90s, you remember the sound. That frantic drumming, the whip-crack, and the booming narration about a time of ancient gods and warlords. It was campy. It was low-budget. Honestly, it was sometimes completely ridiculous. But the Hercules and Xena cast managed to do something that modern high-budget CGI spectacles often fail to do: they created a world that felt lived-in and characters that people actually cared about for decades.
Kevin Sorbo wasn’t just a guy in a leather vest; he was the archetype of the "nice guy" hero before that term got complicated. Then you had Lucy Lawless, who literally changed the template for female action stars. No Xena, no Buffy. Probably no Wonder Woman as we know her today. The New Zealand-based production was a literal factory for talent, churning out actors who would eventually populate every major franchise from The Lord of the Rings to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The Core Duo That Started It All
Kevin Sorbo’s portrayal of Hercules was a bit of a departure from the grim, muscle-bound versions we’d seen in old Italian sword-and-sandal flicks. He was charming. He smiled. He spent half his time stopping his best friend Iolaus, played by Michael Hurst, from getting murdered by some CGI monster that looks like it was rendered on a toaster by today’s standards.
Hurst is actually a fascinating case study in the longevity of the Hercules and Xena cast. While Sorbo became the face of the show, Hurst was its secret weapon. A highly trained Shakespearean actor, he brought a level of physicality and comedic timing that kept the show grounded. He wasn't just the sidekick. He was the emotional anchor. Most people don't realize that Hurst also directed some of the best episodes of both series. He found a second life behind the camera, a path many of his co-stars would eventually follow.
Then came the "Hercules" trilogy of TV movies that introduced a character meant to be a one-off villain. Xena.
Lucy Lawless wasn't even the first choice for the role. Vanessa Angel was cast but got sick, and the producers scrambled. Lawless had already appeared in the show as different characters—a common trope in the Herc-verse—but when she stepped into those bronze boots as the Warrior Princess, everything shifted. The chemistry was undeniable. The spin-off didn't just match the original; it eclipsed it.
The Supporting Players Who Stole the Show
You can’t talk about the Hercules and Xena cast without mentioning the late, great Kevin Smith. Not the director—the actor who played Ares, the God of War.
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Smith brought a smoldering, velvet-voiced charisma to the role that made him the ultimate "bad boy" of 90s syndication. He made you kind of want the villain to win, or at least spend more time on screen. His chemistry with Lawless was electric. It’s one of those tragic "what if" scenarios in Hollywood history; Smith died in a freak accident in 2002 just as his film career was taking off. He was slated to appear in a big-budget action movie with Bruce Willis. He was that good.
Then there’s Renee O’Connor. As Gabrielle, she had the hardest job on the show. She had to evolve from a "shrinking violet" farm girl into a staff-wielding warrior while keeping the audience on her side. The "subtext" between Xena and Gabrielle—which the writers leaned into more as the years went on—became a cornerstone of LGBTQ+ representation in media, even if it was largely coded at the time. O'Connor played it with a sincerity that prevented it from feeling like a cheap gimmick.
The Weird and Wonderful Recurring Faces
The shows used a "stable" of actors, mostly Kiwis and Aussies, who would pop up constantly.
- Bruce Campbell (Autolycus): The King of Thieves. Bruce brought his Evil Dead energy to the set, and honestly, every episode he touched turned to gold. He was the bridge between cult horror and mainstream fantasy.
- Ted Raimi (Joxer): Love him or hate him, Joxer the Mighty was the heart of the later Xena seasons. Raimi specialized in that specific brand of pathetic-yet-heroic that made Joxer's eventual fate so gut-wrenching.
- Alexandra Tydings (Aphrodite): She played the Goddess of Love as a valley girl in pink silk. It shouldn't have worked. It worked perfectly.
- Karl Urban (Caesar/Cupid): Yes, that Karl Urban. Before he was Billy Butcher in The Boys or Eomer in Lord of the Rings, he was honing his craft in leather skirts. He played multiple roles across both shows, proving even then that he had the range to lead a franchise.
Why This Specific Group of Actors Worked
There was a lack of ego in the Hercules and Xena cast that you rarely see today. They knew they were making a show where they might have to fight a guy in a rubber lizard suit in the morning and perform a deeply emotional monologue about redemption in the afternoon.
The filming conditions in New Zealand were grueling. They were out in the mud, doing their own stunts, dealing with unpredictable weather. This forged a specific kind of camaraderie. If you watch behind-the-scenes footage, it’s clear this wasn't just a job; it was a circus.
The show also benefited from being "syndicated." This meant they didn't have to answer to a major network like NBC or ABC. They could be weirder. They could do musical episodes. They could kill off main characters and bring them back as ghosts. The actors leaned into this flexibility. They weren't just playing roles; they were collaborators in a weird, mythic experiment.
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Life After the Leather: Where Are They Now?
The legacy of the Hercules and Xena cast is visible in almost every corner of modern genre TV.
Lucy Lawless remains an icon. She didn't get trapped in the "former star" loop. She took roles in Battlestar Galactica, Spartacus (produced by many of the same crew from Xena), and Parks and Recreation. She’s also a massive activist, particularly for environmental causes and LGBTQ+ rights. She has embraced her legacy without being defined by it.
Kevin Sorbo’s path has been different. He’s become a staple in the faith-based film industry and is very vocal about his political and religious views. While this has distanced him from some of his former castmates, particularly Lawless, he remains a consistent figure in the convention circuit. He also survived a series of strokes during the filming of Hercules, a fact he kept secret for years, which adds a layer of retroactive toughness to his performance as the strongest man in the world.
Renee O'Connor shifted more toward independent film and theater. She even started her own production company. Interestingly, she and Lawless have remained incredibly close friends, often appearing together at fan events, which delights the "Xenite" fanbase to no end.
The New Zealand Connection
We have to talk about the "Kiwi Mafia." The production of these shows basically trained the entire New Zealand film industry. When Peter Jackson started casting The Lord of the Rings, he didn't have to look far.
Marton Csokas (Celeborn) was on Xena.
Craig Parker (Haldir) was on Xena.
Even the stunt coordinators and costume designers transitioned from the Greek myths to Middle-earth. The DNA of the Hercules and Xena cast is literally woven into the fabric of the greatest fantasy trilogy ever made.
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Common Misconceptions About the Productions
People often think these shows were "cheap" because of the early CGI. Actually, for the time, the practical effects and stunts were top-tier. The stunt team, led by Peter Bell, was doing things that influenced the fight choreography in The Matrix.
Another myth: that the two shows were always in competition. While there was a natural rivalry, the casts were constantly intermingling. It was one big, chaotic family. They shared trailers, directors, and often, the same prosthetic ears.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive back into the world of the Hercules and Xena cast, there’s more than just the old DVD sets.
- Check out the "Prop Store" auctions: Every few years, authentic costumes and props from the New Zealand sets hit the market. Because so many were made, they are surprisingly accessible for serious collectors.
- Follow the New Zealand Film Commission: They often run retrospectives on the "renaissance" period of the 90s when these shows were the biggest employers in the country.
- The Convention Circuit: Unlike many stars of 90s shows who try to distance themselves from their "campy" roots, the majority of this cast loves their fans. Events like Dragon Con often feature mini-reunions.
- Support the "Directing" Credits: If you see a show like The Witcher or The Boys and the directing or stunt credits feature names like Michael Hurst or Rick Jacobson, watch it. You’ll see the same DNA that made the 90s shows work.
The Hercules and Xena cast didn't just play gods and heroes; they built a foundation for how we consume fantasy today. They taught us that you can be serious about the character while having fun with the premise. They proved that a warrior princess was just as marketable—if not more so—than a legendary demigod.
Most importantly, they showed that even in a world of monsters and magic, it’s the human relationships that keep people coming back twenty-five years later. Whether it’s the redemption arc of a warlord or the bumbling loyalty of a sidekick, that cast sold it with everything they had.
To really appreciate the impact, look at the credits of your favorite modern action show. Chances are, someone in a key role got their start getting "beaten up" by Hercules or outsmarted by Xena in the hills of Auckland. That is a legacy that won't be forgotten anytime soon.
Next Steps for Enthusiasts:
- Research the filmography of Robert Tapert, the producer behind both shows, to see how he transitioned these casting sensibilities into the Evil Dead remake and the Don't Breathe series.
- Explore the documentary Love and Thunder (not the Marvel movie) or various New Zealand film histories that detail the "Syndication Gold Rush" of the 1990s.
- Look for the specific episodes directed by Michael Hurst to see how the cast's internal talent helped shape the visual language of the series.