So, rather than attempt to conceal her condition, the series producers - among them Rob Tapert, Lucy's second husband and father of her baby - decided to incorporate the pregnancy into the new fifth series, which premieres on SkyOne this week.
Not only did this mean revealing a softer side to the tough Amazonian heronie - at one point she even chastizes sidekick Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) for being too violent - but it also meant adapting stunts and releasing her from unforgiving costumes. "The baby was a great gimmick to get me out of the harness work," laughs Lawless, who has an 11-year-old daughter, Daisy. "I was even warm. Usually I just wear a corset, but I got a coat!"
The well-insulated actress celebrates the 100th episode of the show in this series. Seeds of Faith reveals the identity of the baby's father and explains why the previously loveless Xena has been impregnated. The baby's birth triggers a cataclysmic change for the whole world, in a dramatic four-part story, guest-starring Kevin Sorbo as Hercules. But it was filmed only after baby Julius arrived in October.
"I didn't want to shoot it before my own baby was born," says the 31-year-old star. "I didn't want my baby to hear me grunting and growling. It had heard enough war cries."
So too, it seems, has Lawless who concedes that the show may soon die a death.
"Another year would be a natural life span," Lawless reveals. "I've always appreciated it's finite. I feel OK about that."
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