Xena was originally created for just three episodes of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. The spin-off series came about after another show flopped.
Co-creator Robert Tapert said the decision to expand the character came after studio executives saw a rough cut of the Hercules episodes. They chose to develop the idea themselves for financial reasons. Lawless was not the first choice for the part. Another actor fell ill shortly before filming, leading Tapert to suggest Lawless, who had already appeared in one prior Hercules episode. Lawless dyed her hair dark for the role in Auckland, New Zealand, taking inspiration from tennis player Gabriela Sabatini. She did not initially believe Tapert when he mentioned the possibility of a full series. Xena: Warrior Princess went on to run for six seasons.
