Five minutes with...LUCY LAWLESS

The My Life is Murder star plays trade union leader Helen Kelly in the Pike River movie

- 

How much did you know about Helen?

I didn’t know her personally, but when she died in 2016, it moved me to go and join the union immediately. I'd always been sort of meaning to, but the night that she died, I said a little prayer of gratitude to her because I knew she was a fighter for the little guy and I’m moved by that. I see her as the ultimate warrior. She was a remarkable woman, very gentle, never swore, never raised her voice. She was “strong like a willow”. Her flexibility and her determination to fight for the little guy I think was her life blood.

What was it about the character that appealed to you?