Xena: Warrior Princess was known for its mix of myth, camp, and combat. While Lucy Lawless and Renée O’Connor carried the heart of the show, its six-season run also featured a surprising number of guest stars, some of whom would go on to become major names in TV and film. Others were cult favourites already. Here’s a closer look at some of the most notable guest appearances that might have slipped your memory.
Karl Urban
Before he became known for The Boys, Star Trek, and The Lord of the Rings, Karl Urban was a recurring figure in the Xenaverse. He played not just one character, but three: Julius Caesar, Cupid, and the young warrior Mael. His turn as Caesar in particular was pivotal, adding a more calculating, historically grounded villain to balance out the show’s mythical chaos. Urban’s performances stood out for their precision and intensity, hinting at the career that would follow.
Gina Torres
Best known later for Firefly and Suits, Gina Torres guest-starred in the Xena episode “The Debt” as Cleopatra’s bodyguard Nebula, though she gained more attention in the spin-off Hercules as the pirate queen of the same name. Her powerful presence and distinct style left an impression despite limited screen time.
Bruce Campbell
While hardly forgotten, Bruce Campbell’s regular appearances as Autolycus deserve mention. A frequent guest on both Xena and Hercules, Campbell played the self-proclaimed King of Thieves with swagger, dry humour, and just enough charm to stay likeable. His comic timing gave the show some of its most memorable lighter moments.
Timothy Omundson
Long before Psych or Galavant, Omundson appeared in Xena as Eli, a spiritual figure inspired loosely by Eastern religious leaders and Christian pacifist archetypes. His storyline marked one of the show’s boldest tonal shifts, turning from mythic action to religious introspection and martyrdom. Eli’s influence helped drive the metaphysical turn of the later seasons.
Marton Csokas
Another actor from New Zealand who would go on to Hollywood roles, Csokas played Borias, the warlord and former lover of Xena. His role added depth to Xena’s backstory, giving her character a tangible past and humanising her darker years. Csokas brought a calm intensity to the part that stood apart from the series’ more flamboyant villains.
Alexandra Tydings
As Aphrodite, Tydings played the goddess of love with gleeful irreverence. Her performance blended Valley Girl-style speech with a divine ego, and she managed to stay entertaining rather than irritating, even when the scripts were at their most outlandish. While she appeared multiple times, she’s often overshadowed by the show’s central dramatic arcs.
Cliff Curtis
Curtis had a brief but striking appearance as the rebel leader Pompey, playing opposite Karl Urban’s Caesar in a layered political episode. Now better known for Fear the Walking Dead and Avatar: The Way of Water, his role in Xena was a reminder of how strong the local New Zealand talent pool really was during the show’s production.
Jennifer Ward-Lealand
Playing Boadicea in season three, Ward-Lealand brought gravitas to a one-off role that gave Gabrielle a rare moment of mentorship from a powerful woman who wasn’t Xena. Her performance gave weight to one of the show’s more grounded historical stories.
Barry Duffield
While not a household name, Duffield’s appearance as Mercenary Leader in “The Price” hinted at the kind of violent, morally complex storytelling that would later define his work in Spartacus. His brief role as a jaded soldier embodied the show’s grittier ambitions.
Danielle Cormack
Cormack played Ephiny, the Amazon warrior who helped shape Gabrielle’s political and fighting development. Her presence across several episodes gave a broader perspective on leadership, loyalty, and the struggle between tradition and change.
Legacy of Guest Appearances
Xena thrived on the strength of its core characters, but these guest roles provided fresh dynamics and gave the series room to explore new emotional and thematic ground. Some actors went on to global stardom. Others became recurring figures in fantasy TV. Together, they added layers to a show that was never content to stay in one genre or tone for long. Revisiting their performances today offers a reminder of how ahead of its time Xena often was in casting, character writing, and the sheer unpredictability of its storytelling.
