The Press
(Canterbury, New Zealand),
2 October 1998Sidekick transformed
For Texan Renee O'Connor, landing the role of Gabrielle, Xena's sidekick in Xena: The Warrior Princess, four years ago changed her life in more ways than one.After a last-minute audition landed her the part in the television movie Hercules and the Lost Kingdom, O'Connor, 27, was invited to audition for Gabrielle by producer Rob Tapert. When she got the part, O'Connor had to make New Zealand her home for nine months of the year. Nearly four years later, O'Connor is still here, but has since traded her Auckland apartment for a house in the country, where she now lives with Kiwi boyfriend Steve Muir, who manages a microbrewery.
Although they have been going out for two years, it took a while for the reality of living together to sink in. ``We've been so busy," she says. ``I finally looked at him and said,'Oh, my God, we're living together'.''
Since being on Xena: The Warrior Princess, O'Connor's character has developed from being a naive, starstruck Xena sidekick to a much more independent women.
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Xena: The Warrior Princess, 8.30pm on TV3.