The following was sent to me by a friend who swears that they're bring Sci Fi cult classic LEXX back. Now normally I'd consider this a joke except that the guy is in contact with both Brain Downey and Mike McManus on a periodic basis. In fact he says that they've been trying to revive the series for years but always ran into either one obstacle or another.

Originally Mike McManus - the killer zombie Kai - was the hold out. McManus is a serious thespian who eventually got pissed about being identified with the role. In fact he refused to do conventions for awhile. As McManus came around to the realization that gravy trains like Lexx don't pull into the station every day, he began to soften to the idea.

Brian Downey never minded being associated with the series. He was a mainstay at the LEXX-cons, and only Xenia "Xev" Seeberg was fan friendlier. In fact Downey has been ready to resume his command duties aboard the LEXX at a drop of a hat, until his brutal mugging at an ATM left him out of commission for awhile.

The only person everyone assumed could be counted on to eagerly reprise their LEXX role was Xenia Seeberg. Seeberg was very enthusiastic about her time in the series. In fact I don't believe that the German actress has ever missed a major Lexx convention. She expressed her keenness to get back tot he series that made her the 1st German ever to make the cover of TV Guide on more than one occasion. However once again things hit a road block. Xenia is currently in the middle of a nasty bust up from her husband German actor Sven Martinek (both she and original Zev Eva Habermann worked with Martinek in popular German TV series Der Clown). Current rumours from Die Duetschland claim that Xenia - an expert in Tai Kwon Do - recently beat the shit out of Martinek in a nasty row. That's why Martinek showed up at he recent Berlin premier of Inglourious Basterds with an eye patch and a new girlfriend. Add to that the fact that Seeberg has a 4 year old son and it confirms some recent statements by that actress that she is going to concentrate on projects *closer to home*, meaning exclusively European, for the next 5 years.

Now that news couldn't have come at a worse time for the production company behind Lexx. For the first time in a decade they had everything lined up and ready to go. They always assumed that Seeberg was a given and could be counted on. Ironically she's the hold out now. Now according to my source the LEXX people were faced with the choice of either putting LEXX on indefinite hold - meaning that barring a miracle it would never get back into production, or replacing Xenia and pushing ahead. Guess which option they've chosen. Now that's not so surprising. Seeberg wasn't the original actress to play the Xev character. The role was pioneered by fellow German Eva Habermann. She reluctantly had to pull out after the 1st season due to scheduling conflicts and contractual obligations. So script writers scrambled for an inventive way to keep the show on the road without the popular Habermann. That's when they came up with the idea of killing Zev off, and then bringing her back to life Dr Who style. Xenia Seeberg stepped in to the role, and quickly became so identified with it that only hard core fans remember (or prefer) Habermannn. A new series beginning with a new Xev would seem to bring things full circle - & besides it worked before.

Now LEXX writers have already come up with inventive story ideas to explain a new Xev again. They're also contemplating yet another respelling of the name: Zev - Xev - Sev so far. I'm told that particular brain storm occurred to a LEXX production staffer while gazing forlornly at his key board and noticing that x followed z on the lower line, and that c came after that. C and S are often irreplaceable, and Sev would sound similar to Xev. Viola! That lef the problem of recasting Xev. Ideally producers wanted some one who was similar with the other 2 actresses: European beauty with a range of acting experience. By European they meant German, or as close to it as possible. Now that was a tall order, but according to my friend the producers have found their woman, and she's as good as signed on. She's not only a European, but practically German - she's Dutch. She's had extensive experience in TV, modeling and has worked in at least 5 Hollywood movies. Best of all when you see the new and improved Sev - assuming she finalizing things and the show goes back into production, she's gonna look strangely familiar. That's because she's Aveeno spokesperson Daniella van Graas, who recently acted alongside Bruce Willis & Halle Berry in Perfect Stranger, and did a guest spot on last years Entourage! Van Graas lives in New York, which isn't that far from LEXX ground zero. Commuting would be a breeze. Producers have decided that part is hers, if she wants it. Unofficial word from van Graas is that she really really wants it. Comic/Sci Fi projects are bigger than ever before and have been a spring board to more than one A List movie career. The only hitch: van Graas is currently about 8 months pregnant - so she's got to see how things go and take it from there. However the LEXX people have told her that they'll do what it takes to accommodate her needs. So the count down to blast off is unofficially on! PS: The mock up pic above features the new cast with van Graas in pink wig. It is not a 'cast pic' but a mock up.