Lucy Lawless has a legion of adoring fans.
This became evidently apparent when they came out in droves on social media this past February, campaigning for her to replace Gina Carano as Cara Dune on the Disney+ series, The Mandalorian.
However, Lawless has recently revealed that the fan support to replace Carano may have actually cost her another role.
Carano was let go from the smash series set in the Star Warsuniverse back in February after a series of controversial posts on social media, including one where she compared being a Republican today to being Jewish in Nazi Germany.
After LucasFilm confirmed that she would no longer be part of the series, fans were quick to promote the Xena: Warrior Princess star as her replacement.
A source from Lucasfilm later suggested that the role of Cara Dune would most likely not be recast.
But little did her fans know that Lawless was apparently in negotiations at the time for a different, Star Wars related project, as she revealed in a recent interview with Metro.
"Well to be honest with you, I was already in discussions about something on – it wasn't The Mandalorian – something Star Wars-affiliated."
One would think that the cries from devoted fans of Lawless and Star Wars would have made her a shoe-in for the role in question,, but that did not turn out to be the case.
As Lawless told Metro while promoting her series, My Life Is Murder, she believes that the pleas from fans to have her replace Carano may have actually cost her the role in the unnamed Star Wars project.
"It might have hurt me in some way, because then they couldn't hire me because it would seem to be pandering to…."
"I'm just guessing here, I don't know anything, but in some ways, it can be unhelpful, because if they pander to this fan group, then how are you going to pander to every other fan group, do you know what I mean?."
Lawless went on to say that all of the social media coverage surrounding her and The Mandalorian might have made her casting in the other project seem "political", and not based on her acting abilities or suitability for the role.
But Lawless made it clear that she holds no hard feelings or ill-will towards her fans, acknowledging that their hearts were most definitely in the right place.
"But that's the way the world is and they meant it out of love, and I thank the fans for their fealty to me."
Following the interview, Lawless' fans once again came out in droves on social media.
Some expressed hope that she will find a role in the Star Wars universe one day.
Some fans expressed their disappointment at the possibility that their pleas may have cost her the job.
Other's commended Lawless for not turning her back on her fans, even if it temporarily cost her a job in the iconic franchise.
@ravenbrunner/Twitter
One can only imagine that any Lawless fans still holding out hope for a revival of Xena: Warrior Princess will now avoid social media campaigns at all costs.
