The TVNZ show Close Up interviewed Lucy by phone (the video / audio) Click here for the video/audio.
AUSXIP Reporter Jo transcribed the interview.
CLOSE UP INTERVIEWS LUCY LAWLESS 24 FEBRUARY 2012
Transcribed by Jo
Actress Lucy Lawless is used to stunts from her days on the TV as Xena, but her latest is a doozy and right now she's atop a derrick on an oil exploration vessel in New Plymouth. Its part of a Greenpeace protest, she's been there since breakfast, so is she in it for the long haul, what does that mean, she joins me now live on the phone:
Close Up: Lucy, how long are you prepared to stay up there?
Lucy: Hi Mark, well as long as we can, as long as we can, can't say fairer than that.
CU: Is it scary?
LL: At times. Well, not anymore. We're perfectly safe, but the climb for me was far outside my general life experience, you know, and, it was way exciting, put it that way, but I had to take half an hour to do a bit of deep breathing and collect myself once we got to to the top.
CU: Look, for Greenpeace its a coup, because of the celebrity culture, you're going to attract a lot more attention, to be honest its why we're talking to you tonight, but you could be risking a criminal conviction doing this?
LL: Yeah, I am, but you know what, I am a true believer in the fact that climate change, if it runs away on us is going to bring down a terrible future on our children, and as a Mother and as a human being I find it absolutely reprehensible and in our lifetime I believe we have to clean this up, take care of this burden so our children won't have to.
CU: Look, I presume to do something like this, you have to plan it, you have to think about it, there's safety considerations, there most be also practical ones, I mean how do you eat or go to the toilet?
LL: (hearty laugh) Its been a steep learning curve there actually, Mark, living in pretty close confines, about 4m maybe 6m by 3m, and a bit of a catwalk around the back of the derrick, so every now & again one of us has to go behind and take care of business, and we just give one another a lot privacy and we're all in this together so there's a lot of mutual respect and um, yeah, it gets done. And believe me you're not eating great big hearty meals full of fibre on this kind of thing, your appetite's down and its just kind of peanuts and raisins for you my friend.
CU: Alright, so you could be facing a cold night there tonight?
LL: Yeah, its pretty darn blowy, but in for a penny in for a pound, and you know you've got to believe in it to do this kind of stuff, its not for everybody.
CU: Well no-one could accuse you of not having the courage of your convictions, Lucy Lawless, thanks for talking to us there atop a derrick in the port in Taranaki.
LL: Thanks for having me
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