By Ariel Penn

It's anti-heroine week on Newsguy with our feature on Claire Stansfield, the actress who plays the gravely voiced evil shamaness, Alti, on Xena: Warrior Princess. It's time for some serious Xena-tormenting whenever Alti appears, and Claire Stansfield's bad to the bone portrayal has been a definite fan favorite ever since she appeared in last season's opener, "Adventures in the Sin Trade I & II."

Claire, who also had a guest starring role on the X-Files, will be back this year as Alti with more annihilation and mania in store. Claire reveals that she will torture her fans in comfort as she drops the fancy head gear and cumbersome outfits for something far more revealing and bovine smelling. This talented performer was born in London, lived in Toronto for many years and now resides in L.A., where she snared roles in such high profile movies as Oliver Stone's the Doors. I had a Q & A recently with Claire and found out some wacky tidbits likeŠ what she would do if she got to be Captain of the Enterprise for a day?

AP:
Tell me more about your role on the X-Files as the Jersey Devil. You went through quite a bit of make up again. Was that a fun show to do?

Claire:
I loved doing that show. It was completely unknown back then. David and I are friends, and he told Chris Carter that I would be the perfect person to play the creature. Thanks, David! I didn't really have a lot of makeup on. It was mostly dirt. I could have rolled in dirt and been ready. Oh yeah, the long wig or "hair bra" was a little tedious...

AP:
Who are some of your favorite actors?

Claire:
I love Sean Penn and his wife Robin Wright. George Clooney is easy on the eyes, and I love to watch Jessica Lange.

AP:
How do you summon that camel smoking voice for Alti? Did you scare Lucy Lawless the first time she heard it?

Claire:
I was playing around with different versions of an old hag. The wicked witch in "The Wizard of Oz" scared me a lot when I was little. Also I had just seen the TV movie "Merlin." Miranda Richarson did a great thing with her voice that I kinda lifted... Nothing scares Lucy! She loved it.

AP:
Is it true that Alti is going to look like Emma Peel for the upcoming Xena Season 5 Episode, "Them Bones, Them Bones?"

Claire:
Leather clad! Tight pants, ready to kick ass!!!

AP:
So we are not going to see a "kinder, gentler" Alti this year?

Claire:
Are you kidding? Pure evil all the way!

AP:
When Alti comes back to torment Otere's tribe in "Them Bones, Them Bones," will the number of dead amazons total in the dozens or the hundreds?

Claire:
Oh, she does something much worse! She has no time for the amazons. She wants something else...Hee Hee..

AP:
Any plans for you to appear on Cleopatra 2525 or additional Xena episodes?

Claire:
I hope so. I love working for Pacific Renaissance and will stalk them if I have to so that they bring me back.

AP:
Do you watch any sci-fi or fantasy TV shows?

Claire:
Does watching the Food channel count as fantasy TV? I'm still morning the death of one of the Fat Ladies. Love their show...

AP:
Now for a wacky question... if you got to be Captain of the Enterprise for one day, what would you do?

Claire:
Show the world proof that the Aliens are out there.

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