Woman's Day
(Australia)

December 27, 1999

Lucy: Warrior Mum

There is no doubt who's the star in all-action Xena's life

He's just seven weeks old, but tiny Julius Taperp is already bus taste of his mum's fast paced lifestyle on the set Xena: Warrior Princess.

Action star Lucy Lawless barely had time to recover from Julius's October birth before she was back in front of the cameras, tackling the sword-wielding bad guys like only she can.

But as soon as the director yells "Cut!", 31-year-old Lucy -- carrying a dummy baby in a pouch strapped to her back -- sprints from the set so she can spend as much time as possible with her real bundle of joy, baby Julius.

While Lucy is filming, Julius is safely tucked up with a nanny back in a luxurious new trailer built especially for him and his mum. Lucy has been determined to carry on breastfeeding Julius and not to miss seeing his progress, despite her gruelling schedule on set in New Zealand.

So she and husband Rob Tapert, the hit show's executive producer, commissioned a lavish conversion -- turning a giant truck into a mobile nursery.

"Lucy always used a little campervan like all the other main characters, but this is something amazing," says an observer on the set.

'There's a nursery room, a lounge and a bathroom. It's real Hollywood superstar stuff, but you can't blame Lucy -- she's really working hard. She took only one month off to have Julius. But I'm sure, like all mums, she'd rather be hanging out at home with him.
"Since the birth, she's been able to start work later. And when there's a break in filming, she runs to the trailer to be with her baby," adds the source.

"You can see just how devoted she is. She loves showing off Julius to everyone. She's got a nanny to look after him while she's on set, because you can't have babies around when you're filming -- you need quiet. But Lucy can't wait to get back and take over."

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