Another iconic female fighter you’ve played, of course, is Xena. I understand that one of the reasons Xena became quite popular is because it pioneered a new age of female action heroes at the time (well before Buffy the Slayer). Was there a female heroine/action figure that inspired you for the role?
Actually, I played it like a man. I have five brothers, and I didn’t really realize that I was a girl, that I was different, until I was eight. Also, I come from a very… not only egalitarian society but also a very egalitarian family. So it never occurred to me that I couldn’t do anything that boys did. So playing Xena was entirely natural. In fact, I had to learn how to be feminine. Took me, like, 40 years. (Laughs)