Danielle Cormack (Ephiny)

Danielle has learned how to have SERIOUS fun with a convention. She made lots of raunchy centaur jokes and would gallop and hum the Bonanza theme from one end of the stage to the other. And every time the crowd laughed at another horse joke, she responded with "I *love* America!"

Danielle set the tone for her appearance right off the bat by telling us that the question she gets asked the most is "What's it like giving birth to a centaur?" Danielle's response was a painfully wide-legged stance. She also broke into a song about Ephiny and Phantes, including lines about 'riding bareback' and 'why not? Xena wasn't available.' There were no holds barred after THAT start.

Danielle said she would have been interested in exploring Ephiny's darker side, but that she "met the sword" before that could happen.

That meeting of the sword, though, was something that Danielle was pretty excited about at first. She had never done a death scene before, and compared it to a chance to play Hamlet for actors. She replayed for us the long dramatic death scene she had envisioned, including the staggers, the gasps, the additional staggers, the final words, a few more staggers... and so on and so on. (The audience heartily approved of Danielle's version.) "But! They gave me one shot! Disappointed!"

When asked about using an American accent, Danielle poo- pooed her first few attempts at it as an "American-Irish- Kiwi-South African accent."

A note for the future: Danielle may be moving to the states! She's planning to leave New Zealand, and had originally considered England, but is now looking at some opportunities in Hollywood.

Danielle broke into a spontaneous lovefest for the fans, which she started with "I just want to say, you guys SO rock." She pointed out that without the fans, there would be no Xena or Hercules shows, there wouldn't be conventions, she wouldn't be employed, and all of us attendees would have nowhere to go for the weekend. It was a sweet recognition.

To close out her appearance, she sat on the edge of the stage to say goodbye, then did a backwards somersault to roll to her feet. It was a very Xena-worthy move.

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