Lucy Lawless will be joining the cast of Salem when it returns for its second bone-chilling season.

Of course, Lucy Lawless is incredible in everything from Xena: Warrior Princess to Spartacus to her milder stint on Parks and Recreation.

However, Lucy Lawless‘ role in Salem is anything but mild and is like nothing she’s ever done before.

Lucy Lawless described her character, saying, “I’m playing one of the last of the original witches. She’s thousands of years old and has had many incarnations. She often died horrible deaths. She’s a real survivor!”

She added, “She now has stumbled across Salem, and Mary Sibley (Salem’s most powerful and ruthless witch, played by Montgomery), who is the most fascinating person the countess has met in hundreds of years. She becomes fixated on Mary, which means inevitably that I must consume her. But Mary’s not going to go easily.”

Of course, Salem is all about magic, but if you haven’t seen the show yet, know that it is not the kind of magic and witch shenanigans that you may be used to.

Lucy Lawless said of the difference, “It’s all natural magic. Nobody’s throwing lightning bolts. She’s a psychological murderer as well as a practical murderer, so the joy of the character is in brinksmanship. Murder in the parlor is what intrigues me, and women. Women fighting to the death in this very elevated way. It’s not magic of the Harry Potter variety. Nothing cute going on.”

That being said, in real life, Lucy Lawless isn’t one to succumb to flights of fancy when it comes to the supernatural.

Lucy Lawless, when asked if she believes in such things, said, “I’m quite committed to the non-woo-woo life. I really like not feeling like there’s ghosts and goblins around. Why do you want to be scared all the time?”

She added, “I feel like maybe it’s a choice whether you think they exist or not, and I choose NOT to engage in all that kind of stuff. I’m very happy with the practical world. Life is complicated enough!”

That is truth right there from Lucy Lawless.

Are you excited to see Lucy Lawless in action in the upcoming season of Salem?