don't look away

Never Look Away: Lucy Lawless’ First Directing Gig

You likely know the name Lucy Lawless from the six years she spent in fake armor as Xena: Warrior Princess, but she’s actually a woman of many talents. This fall you’ll see a new one when her documentary Never Look Away premieres. It’s the first time Lawless has gone behind the camera to direct a project.

Never Look Away tells the story of Margaret Moth, CNN war correspondent. If you’ve seen the movie Civil War then you know what a tough job war journalism is; writers and photographers are often expected to venture deep into dangerous, volatile territory to capture historical events. The film includes testimonials from those who worked with Moth, the raw footage she captured from her adventures, and overall, the unbelievable story of her life.

After her first assignment to cover the riots that followed Gandhi’s assassination in India, [Moth] would go on to travel to the heart of the most dangerous conflicts in the world including the Persian Gulf War, the Bosnian War and the 2006 Lebanon War. However, underneath her fearless persona, candid interviews with colleagues and family reveal a self-destructive and emotionally fraught woman who would struggle when anything got in the way of her appetite for adrenaline and efforts to document the worst of humanity.

Never Look Away is set to premiere in theaters in England November 22, and presumably come to the US sometime after that.

By the way, Lucy now looks like this:

lucy lawless

Join the club!

Video interviews, reviews, game news, and pure fandom - be the first to know!

Loading new replies...

Avatar of LaPuccineta
LaPuccineta

I feel like Whoa

344 messages 12 likes

Lucy Lawless as in Xena the warrior Princess? I grew up watching her, nice she is directing now.

Reply Like

Avatar of Jewelz
Jewelz

New Member

331 messages 0 likes

Whoa. Talk about living life on the edge! This Margaret Moth sounds like one heck of a daredevil. Going into war zones like it's nothing? That takes some serious guts (and maybe a touch of craziness?). I gotta admit, though, the bit about her childhood sounds rough. Maybe that explains why she craved danger so much. Still, major props to Lawless for making a doc about such a fascinating character. Definitely gotta check this out when it hits the US. Also, did anyone else catch that bit about the dioramas? Sounds like a pretty cool way to recreate those war scenes without actual footage.

Reply Like

Avatar of TheSkyIsFalling55
TheSkyIsFalling55

New Member

281 messages 19 likes

Lucy Lawless directing a documentary? Sign me up! I loved her in Xena, and who doesn't love a good war documentary, right? This Margaret Moth sounds like a total badass. Sounds like she wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty to get the story. A little too dirty sometimes, it seems, with that whole "getting shot in the head" thing. Yeesh. But hey, respect for going back to work after that. Not everyone bounces back that easily. I wonder if the movie gets into the psychology behind that whole risk-taking thing. Was it just adrenaline, or something deeper? The whole childhood abuse bit sounds interesting too. Maybe Lawless is trying to show a connection there.

Reply Like

Avatar of RedditBannedMe
RedditBannedMe

Please do not Ban Me

412 messages 7 likes

The central person of this documentary looks like a fun interesting person, she is like that cool aunt at family reunions

Reply Like

Avatar of Rocket Punch
Rocket Punch

A seed in the Garden of Ballamb

363 messages 0 likes

Hold on, CNN war correspondent named Margaret Moth? This sounds like something straight out of a movie! And Lawless directing? This could be a real winner. I never knew much about war journalism, but this sounds like a good way to learn more about it. From the article, it seems like Moth wasn't just after the big stories, but the human cost of war too. That's powerful stuff. Seeing the war through the eyes of civilians caught in the crossfire? That'll stay with you. I gotta admit, I'm a little squeamish, so all that footage of the wounded might be tough to watch. But hey, sometimes you gotta see the ugly truth. Sounds like Lawless doesn't shy away from that. Gotta give her credit for that. Also, November release in England? Guess us Yanks will have to wait a bit longer. Bummer.

Reply Like

click to expand...
Avatar of benimaru
benimaru

New Member

121 messages 4 likes

Interesting woman... Did those experiences shape her desire to document war? Lawless seems to be exploring that connection, which adds a whole new layer to the story. I appreciate the use of interviews and archival footage, but the dioramas sound like a really creative way to fill in the gaps. It'll be interesting to see how that's done. While I admire Moth's bravery, the article mentions a self-destructive side. I'm curious to see how the documentary navigates that. Was she a hero or a reckless adrenaline junkie? Maybe a bit of both? Lawless seems to be striking a balance between admiration and honesty, which is refreshing. Can't wait to see this doc and learn more about Margaret Moth!

Reply Like

click to expand...
Avatar of Awakens
Awakens

AMAWEMEN Hear me roar!

653 messages 39 likes

War documentaries aren't usually my thing, but this one sounds different. Maybe it's the whole "Xena: Warrior Princess" director thing that got me interested. Lawless directing a doc about a fearless war correspondent? Sounds like a girl-power kind of story, which I can dig.

Reply Like

Avatar of PKClinton
PKClinton

Member

396 messages 21 likes

I'm a big fan of documentaries, especially those that explore the human condition. This documentary about Margaret Moth seems like a fascinating look at a woman who lived life on her own terms.

Reply Like