In fact, O'Connor was just like many attractive, talented young actresses headed for Hollywood. But she had better luck than most. A featured role in Hercules and the Lost Kingdom brought her to the attention of producers who were looking for a young woman to portray Gabrielle, the plucky sidekick of the formidable warrior princess, Xena. The brassy O'Connor was cast opposite the dark, statuesque New Zealander Lucy Lawless and reported to Auckland, New Zealand to begin filming, hordes of fans were the farthest thing from her mind. As O'Connor's following grew, the preponderance of fan mail and the proliferation of websites regarding her daughter concerned Wilson.
Teenagers often seek career advice on how they, too, can become actresses.
This touches Wilson, who is surprised and gratified that so many professional women also respond to the loving, supportive friendship depicted between two strong female characters, and she also welcomes the vocal lesbian contingent in the fanbase - the club membership currently numbers more than 2,000. Some fans are so ardent that letters just aren't enough.