The following article appeared in the US newspaper "The Salem News" TVspotlight supplement for 8 September 2012 about Lucy's upcoming role in Parks and Recreation in October 2012.
KIWI COMEDY: When people discuss Lucy Lawless, inevitably the first thoughts conjured are those of ‘90s nostalgia when she kicked butt while dressed in a skimpy leather skirt and corset-like armor as the warrior princess Xena. More recently, she thrilled her fanbase by taking on the intense role of Lucretia in Starz’ violently epic “Spartacus” series.
Yet, after her “Spartacus” character died in the season finale, few of her fans likely expected her next role would be in a comedy.
The “Hollywood Reporter” recently announced that the New Zealand actress will return to television in October as a guest star in NBC’s quirky “Parks and Recreation,” which stars Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Nick Offerman, Aziz Ansari and Rob Lowe. Lawless confirmed the report on Twitter by expressing her excitement about working on the “kooky, ironic and elegant” series.
She’ll play a single mother named Diane, who is living in Pawnee and needs the help of the Parks Department to deal with a problem in her neighborhood. She ends up having some noticeable chemistry with Ron (played by Offerman).
The first of the episodes featuring Lawless is scheduled to air Thursday, Oct. 4.
While Lawless is certainly best known for roles in fantasy fare, she has dabbled with comedic roles in the past. She guest starred in “The Flight of the Conchords,” “Two and a Half Men,”“Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Just Shoot Me!” Of course,“Saturday Night Live” fans will recall her portrayal of Stevie Nicks when she hosted an episode in 1998. The following year, she poked fun at herself when she did a guest voice role in “The Simpsons” for its annual Halloween episode. Additionally, she did a rather amusing cameo as a dominatrix in 2004’s “EuroTrip” and co-starred with Adam Sandler in 2008’s “Bedtime Stories.”
For more about Lucy's role as Diane on Parks and Recreation Season 5 visit the AUSXIP Lucy Lawless Parks and Recreation subsite