“When I started as an actor, no one knew what to do with me. I was usually maybe about 6 inches to a foot taller than most of the actors, so I couldn’t play the girlfriend, I couldn’t play the wife, I was a little too overwhelming to be the best friend, they didn’t want me next to the lead because I was usually a foot taller than the lead… And then, God bless him, Rob Tapert, who created Xena and the Hercules franchises said, ‘I know exactly what to do with you! I’m gonna give you a sword! I’m gonna make you as scary as everybody thinks you are!’” – Gina Torres