Nineties TV icon, 56, looks completely unrecognisable after ditching her legendary character’s trademark dark hair –  23 years after finding fame in breakout role

A Nineties TV icon looked unrecognisable as she appeared on lifestyle show New York Live on Wednesday – 23 years after her hit TV series aired around the world.

Actress Lucy Lawless, now 56, looked completely different with long blonde hair as she discussed her new series, My Life Is Murder. 

Lucy – who became a household name thanks to her role as in Xena: Warrior Princess, portrays PI Alexa Crowe on the show.

The murder-mystery crime series was first broadcast in 2019 and follows her former police officer character as she keeps her hand in assisting the force to solve a number of murders.

Sporting a red patterned blouse, New Zealand born Lucy looked worlds away from Xena: Warrior Princess, which ran from 1995 to 2001, as she ditched the character’s striking dark tresses.

Actress Lucy Lawless, now 56, looked unrecognisable as she ditched her long dark hair from her breakout role in Xena: Warrior Princess, which ran from 1995 to 2001

The show ran for six series and has acquired a cult following after Xena was originally a recurring character in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

Lucy was known for sporting metal-clad armoury and long leather boots as she got into character as the legendary warrior. 

Yet despite the visual changes, Lucy said in the TV interview there was many similarities between her various on-screen characters.

She said: ‘Seeing the powerful person who has done something terrible being brought to account. We kind of love that.’

Addressing her latest role, she added: ‘I’ve never played a character in my accent, so that was kind of weird.

‘It’s kind of written for me and around me – there’s a lot of me in this.’

After Xena ended, Lucy went on to play Humanoid Cylon model Number Three D’Anna Biers in Battlestar Galactica and had a recurring role as Dine Lewis-Swanson in hit series Parks and Recreation.

She also played Lucretia in Spartacus: Blood and Sand and associated series.

Lucy discussed her new series My Life Is Murder in which she portrays PI Alexa Crowe on the long-running programme

Unlike today, Lucy was known for sporting metal-clad armoury and long leather boots as she got into character Xena (pictured 1995)

Previously, Lucy spoke out about the life-changing impact of her breakthrough role.

During the shows early days she revealed she would receive ‘lots of fan letters’ as the character had become a ‘hero’ to people. 

She said in a previous interview: ‘There were lots of letters from people who wanted me to be ‘Xena.’

‘If people choose to make the character you played into a hero of theirs, they can do that.

‘They’ll say, ‘you gave me courage to help me get out of an abusive relationship,’ or ‘it helped me come out to my parents,’ or ‘it helped me get off drugs and become a teacher.’

‘I say, ‘well, you did that. I can’t take any credit for it. ‘Congratulations to you.”