原文地址：https://www.thelwordonline.com/L2_convention.html
:: L 2 C O N V E N T I O N ::
London, UK
November 10-12, 2006
We sent along our L Word Online correspondent Hannelie Booyens to get us the low down on what went on at L2.
在线通讯员Hannelie Booyens源源不断从前方传来L2的消息。
Greetings, fans of the L Word Online!
TLW的粉丝们，大家好。
Here it is then: the luckiest fan in L Word la-la land’s report on the show’s second London convention. Back in good old South Africa the whole experience seems a bit dreamlike. Have I really met Alice, Tina, Shane, Jenny and Gabby? Did I really sit in a hall with hundreds of hardcore lesbians, drooling over our favourite actresses in the world? Did that blonde Swedish baby dyke who claims she’s straight really make a pass at me or was it my imagination? Did Tina really whisper: “You’ve got cute dimples” and if it wasn’t Shane, who did I shag on the night bus back to Kensington? So many questions, so many fond feverish fantasies.
这是伦敦L2聚会的最幸运粉丝的现场报道。这感觉梦幻地像是回到旧时南非。我是不是真的见到了Alice, Tina, Shane, Jenny和Gabby？我是不是真的和成千上万的女同们坐在一起对我们钟爱的演员流口水？那个金发瑞典新晋女同是真的对我不屑一顾还是那只是我想象？Tina是不是真的小声说“你酒窝真可爱”？如果不是Shane，谁又会让我有坐夜班车回到肯辛顿去做爱的冲动？我有太多问题，也太多狂想了！
Now that I can see straight again I’d better reassure those of you who were jealous about not getting close up and personal with the guests that it was no easy feat getting within speaking distance of the fab five. The organiser of the event, Sean Harry, was more difficult to pin down than a kangaroo on a trampoline. It was a logistical nightmare arranging to slot in interviews because the stars were so busy posing for photographs, signing autographs and addressing adoring fans, but a little more co-operation would have saved moi hours of prancing up and down the Radisson’s corridors like a desperate drag queen looking for lip gloss. When I was finally allowed into the hallowed Green Room I had only ten minutes with Leisha, Laurel and Guinevere. The limited time meant I couldn’t ask half of the questions I had wanted to but, hey, I’m not bitter. It was worth the wait, as all of them were charming, even more stunning than on TV, and very keen to share some thoughts with fans of the L Word Online. Of the three Guin is the most eloquent, Laurel is the sweetest and Leisha the shyest – and her giggle is by far the cutest!
Before we get to the actual interviews I’d like to share some noteworthy tit-bits that came up in the course of the L2 convention:
* If there was a mantra to the weekend it’s the actors’ insistence that they sometimes share the fan’s frustration with the storyline. Mia Kirshner was somewhat more outspoken than the others, saying she found some scenes ‘’excruciating’’ to play and watch. At one point she asked the audience whether the Moira / Max sex change storyline was represented realistically (‘’NO!’’ the fans shouted) and whether they liked it (another overwhelming ‘’NO!!!’’ from the audience).
* It seems none of the cast members approved of Dana dying. Kate Moennig said it best: ‘’Fuck it, don’t ask me why she died. I don’t write that shit. It was terrible. I don’t approve of her dying.’’
* Everybody agrees scenes with the original cast members are the most fun to do. It seems the actors are not over the moon about all the new cast members and ‘’day players’’ in the 4th Season. Apart from Cybil Shepherd, no other new cast member was mentioned by name in the sessions I attended. We were reminded quite a few times by the actors that there are a total of 15 characters in the 4th season. They did not seem entirely happy about it and would have preferred if the storyline centred more around the original characters.
* ‘The OC’ on the L Word set refers to the Off Camera story lines the actors construct to make sense of their characters – and to have some fun in filling in the sometimes inexplicable gaps. Kate Moennig seems to be the biggest OC proponent.
* The actors would all like to see more added features on the DVD’s. They would love to share the funny out-takes with fans. Kate suggested we write to the producers, so let them e-mails roll!
* After Mia’s lengthy answer to the question about how difficult and important it is for actors in Hollywood to come out as gay, Kate’s only comment was: ‘‘This show is a step forward.’’ Was this the understatement of the year or did I miss something?
* The stars do keep tabs on what’s written about them online – and are sometimes upset about fan’s comments. Mia said she had read some pretty nasty things about herself on the L Word Online. (I reassured her that we all LOVE HER VERY MUCH, so she promised to visit the site again.) By the way, the real Mia Kirshner is NOT the person sneaking around the Internet pretending to be Mia. ‘‘She has shit taste in music,’’ the real Mia says.
* Mia and Kate are considered the two worse drivers. (Mia too slow and Kate too wild).
* Elizabeth Ziff is not the most popular person on set. According to Guinevere Turner it’s ‘’completely unusual’’ for somebody to go from being music supervisor to a producer and writer.
* Asked to describe their cast mates in one word, Mia Kirshner and Laurel Holloman had this to say:
– Kate Moennig is like a ‘cuddly puppy’, according to Laurel, and all the more adorable because she loves watching Beverley Hills 90210!
– To Mia, Kate is “like a 16-year-old boy. I feel like her older sister.’’
– Leisha Hailey is ‘’sprightly, fun, adorable’’ and everybody loves, loves her, says Mia.
– Jennifer is ‘’smart, meticulous and has a strong value system’’. (None of the actors had anything dramatically more endearing or passionate to say about Jennifer which was quite interesting, I thought.)
– Rachel Shelley is ‘’kind, generous, would never say a mean thing, does not gossip and is full of grace and loveliness’’ according to Laurel. And she’s looking after Mia’s dog while she’s at the convention.
– Erin Daniels is ‘‘feisty and funny and smart’’, according to Mia and Laurel.
– Pam Grier is ‘‘amazing, powerful, positive, professional’’.
– Nobody mentioned Daniela Sea’s name even once which is also quite telling, I thought.
My favourite You-Had-To-Be-There moments at the L2 Convention:
* When Leisha took an eyelash from Kate’s cheek and she made a wish.
* When Mia pretended to kiss Laurel and she ended up head-over-heels on the floor.
* When Mia was at first too shy to do the ‘’Every time I look at you, I feel so completely dismantled’’ line requested by a rabid fan, but later relented and performed it ever so sweetly to Laurel’s hilarious Marina.
* When Mia and Kate fooled around and talked about their favourite cities and restaurants and Kate said to Mia: ‘‘Do you care to share with the class…’’ and later: ‘’Good story, grandpa’’.
* When Mia asked a fan whether and why she’s sleeping in the front row and brought her onstage to explain.
* When Mia, Guin and Laurel imitated Karina Lombard’s heavy accent. Guin’s was probably the best: ‘’Why iz it you write ze scripts, I have no lines?’’
Most cringe-worthy ‘Please Get Me Out of Here!’-moment;
* When that weird fan demanded a hug from Laurel during the Q&A session. Eeek.
Laurel Holloman
Fast facts Laurel revealed at L2:
* Laurel loves the fan videos on YouTube as well as the soundtracks! Jennifer Beals told her about it and now she’s hooked. ‘’It’s so well-made! I’m considering using it as promotional material.’’
* Laurel thinks ‘’consistency’’ and ‘’loyalty’’ are the most attractive features in a woman. She thinks Beyoncé is very sexy.
* She welcomes compliments and as long as a fan doesn’t try to ‘‘sit on your face’’ (her own words, I kid you not), she likes the attention.
* Laurel has a tattoo of a lotus flower on her foot. Which is “very gay of you’’, Mia reminded her.
* In the photo session for the L Word 2 poster a very pregnant Laurel’s daughter kicked Jennifer Beals when they were sitting close together.
* Laurel’s two-year old daughter loves Rachel Shelley – ‘‘whenever she comes into the room, she calls out for her’’ – and Laurel thinks it’s because she did such intimate sex scenes with Rachel during her pregnancy.
* Before her daughter was born Laurel slept in the nude but now she sleeps in boxer shorts and a T-shirt – otherwise the young one feels tempted to start breast-feeding again.
* SHE HAS KISSED ANGELINA JOLIE! Well, they had to do a smooch during an audition Laurel did for the movie Foxfire. She and Ange both liked it. (‘’I think I’m in love,’’ Ange purred afterwards.)
* Laurel went to watch Leisha’s band play before they met on the L Word. ‘‘You looked hot on stage,’’ she told her during the Q & A session – and made Leisha blush.
* Laurel does NOT snowboard as is stated on her IMDB profile.
* She really likes to drape herself in big scarves.
* One of the hardest scenes she’s ever had to do was the violent sex scene with Jennifer Beals at the end of Season 1 of the L Word.
* Laurel also said that there were not many scenes with the little actress playing Angelica as she was older than her character and when put down in a scene she ran off the set.
* Laurel thinks Tina’s relationship with a man is ‘’just a phase’’ and that she won’t end up straight.
* She would have preferred Tina to go back to Helena rather than starting an affair with a man.
* If Laurel could be the master of her character’s destiny, Bette and Tina would still be together in 20 year’s time – living on a farm in Vermont, growing organic vegetables and with Bette finally being a painter herself. They would have one more kid and ‘’would treat each other with respect’’. And, added Leisha, Alice would be living with them. “Oh, and Alice would be living with us!” Laurel agreed.
* She’s 80% certain there will be a 5th L Word season.
* She would have liked more screen time in the 4th season.
* Laurel said she was working on Jennifer to get her to come to a convention (yippeeee!) and it was easier to get others to come if those who attended could say how much fun they had at a convention and how much they enjoyed the interaction with the fans. Hold thumbs!
Laurel Holloman Interview
What’s your impression of this year’s L Word convention?
“The convention seems bigger than last year. It’s like a well-oiled machine, very well-organised. It’s also more relaxing than last year. But it could just be that I was more jet-lagged last year! I came in really quickly and then I had to go back to work immediately. All the fans are really lovely and London is a great place to come to.”
What has been the most meaningful feedback you’ve had from fans at the convention?
“The question I get asked most is when Tina and Bette are going to get back together again. I constantly feel as though I have to apologize for Tina’s behaviour in Season 3! I’m struck by how the fans seem to be really emotionally connected to the characters. I’m very moved by the personal stories of fans – how the show has affected their lives, affected their confidence, affected their identity. People keep saying how nice it is to have a show to watch that will hopefully pave the way for other television shows with other lesbian characters.”
Are you and Jennifer Beals very close? There seems to be a very special bond between the two of you.
“Jennifer and I have a lot in common. We both have small daughters and we can relate to the same issues. I think we have a very similar work ethic. We do our work and try to balance it out with a healthy personal life. We lean on each other and we have become good friends. She’s a really lovely person to be with. One of the great things I’ll come away with from the L Word is our friendship. We also give each other lots of space. We understand how hard it is to have families and have kids and try to be a good actor and get work.”
Do you have good gaydar?
“Yeah, I think so. Tina is not my first lesbian character so I have had a lot of exposure. I think part of being an intelligent actor is watching behaviour. If you watch people to emulate them you’re gonna pick up on the signals so I guess your gaydar becomes better. But I make no assumptions about anyone. I’m just open to how people present themselves.”
If you hadn’t been an actress what profession would you have chosen?
“At one point I wanted to be a vet or a professional horseback rider that showed horses. But secretly I would probably like to paint. I do paint, but not professionally.”
One often hears about pressure on actresses to be thin or to look a certain way in Hollywood. Have you experienced this on the L Word?
“There’s no one on the L Word that pressures anyone to be thin. Not at all. I think the girls on our show are very naturally thin. I hang out with them and we all eat like horses. The producers were wonderful to me when I was pregnant. They celebrated my changing shape. They always made me feel very beautiful and I think Ilene Chaiken is really good about just celebrating women and their differences – different bodies, different races. She sees beauty in everything. In the first season we took a lot of flack for wearing high-heeled shoes and lots of make-up. Our hair was all done and everything. But it’s all very simple: it’s television, you know? It’s fun to play dress up. Also, it’s about a specific group of women in Los Angeles that have a lot of money and lead a certain life. I’ve seen this group in LA. They’re gorgeous and very high maintenance. There’s a lot of materialism in LA and there is a certain vanity that Ilene decided to bring to screen.”
How has the L Word changed your perspective on being gay?
“Playing Tina being in a same-sex partnership and having an alternative family has given me a new outlook on what it means to be gay in the USA. Not to be able to legally wed is such a screwed up thing in our country. My heart goes out to anyone who is in a same-sex partnership that goes through a separation and has children. It’s hard enough on an emotional level but harder still on a legal level when your marriage is not recognised by the government. I was really proud to have played out that storyline. I think it’s incredibly complicated and it was great that Ilene tackled that. How absurd that a social worker can come into a relationship and tell a non-birth mother whether she can adopt her own child or not. It’s insane! Would they do that to a straight couple? I don’t think so. I think I’ve learned a lot and I’m still learning about the dynamics and different aspects of same-sex relationships. When I heard that Tina was going back to having a relationship with a man in the 3rd season I was shocked and thought ‘Are you kidding me? I’m not gonna play that!’ But Ilene Chaiken said: ‘This is an important story and I’m gonna tell you why.’ And she was right.”
Have you had any negative reaction from religious groups or anti-gay campaigners for playing in the L Word?
“I can honestly say I’ve had zero negative feedback. Not even negative fan-mail. In the last five years nobody has said a single negative word to me about our show. Either I hang out with an incredibly liberal crowd or the people that don’t like it just keep their mouths shut. I’m thrilled about that. Initially I was worried about what the response would be from crazy right-wing Christians but all the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Maybe I’m just in a very liberal bubble in my life… “
What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
“My daughter crawls into the bed with me and we cuddle and sing songs. She’s my alarm clock. Sometimes she’s already in bed with me because she crawls in any time she wants. It’s the best time of day.”
What pets do you have?
“A corgi. We’re very attached to her. We got the dog right after I did the pilot of the L Word. She’s great with my daughter. She used to come to the set a lot. We’re a pretty pet-friendly cast. Everybody knows each other’s dogs, we take care of each other’s pets when the other person is travelling.”
What is your favourite thing to have for dinner? What would you NOT eat?
“I like so much food! I like all food! Sushi would probably be one of my favourite things – with really great saki. I would never eat liver. I don’t believe you should eat the organ that cleanses out any animal’s body. And I don’t care if anyone says it good for you. It’s gotta be full of toxins. I’ll never touch it!”
What do you do between takes?
“Sometimes we just sit around and crack jokes. If I don’t want to waste energy and if it’s going to be a long day I’ll take a big book and just read. This year I read a Joan Didion book which was really great. If my daughter is not there it’s a great luxury to go to set to just read in between takes. At home I don’t really get time because I’m fulltime mommy there.”
You had a child relatively late. Was that a deliberate decision?
“I’ve always wanted to have a child. I couldn’t imagine not being a mother. That was just something I knew from a really early age. The timing had to do with the fact that I did mostly movies before the L Word. It was the first time I wasn’t travelling all the time. It was the right time to try to have a baby, also the right time for my husband. It was just really exciting. It was great. We are talking about having another child but we really have busy schedules. My husband is incredibly busy too. He was a film production designer and now he’s getting his Masters in architecture so he’s in the middle of a graduate programme. We want to do it at a time when it doesn’t affect our daughter. We don’t want to spend less time with her because we’re juggling two careers and a new baby.”
You have mentioned that you are keen to show more of Tina’s back story. Who would you like to play her mother?
“I don’t know if they’re ever going to bring Tina’s mother on. But if they did decide to, there are lots of wonderful actresses that I’d like to play my mother. When Rose Troche and Ilene first described Tina’s mother to me they said she would probably be really liberal and cool but sometimes so much so that’s she’s almost embarrassing to Tina, or hypocritical. I like that Ilene always has flawed characters. I think Tina’s mom could be a very complex woman. It would also be interesting to see how she is as a grandmother. There are always issues coming up when you have a kid and your mother tells you to do things in a certain way and you go: ‘No I don’t wanna do it that way!’ There are lots of actors I would love to see as Tina’s mother. I like Blythe Danner and Ellen Barkin.”
Leisha Hailey
Fast facts Leisha revealed at L2:
* Prepare yourselves for a kissing scene between Leisha and Mia Kirshner in Season 4!
* Leisha would have loved a part in the movie The Squid and the Whale.
* If she could be any L Word character, Leisha would love to play Carmen – ‘’just to have her ass for a day’’.
* One of Leisha’s more fanatical fans has had her name tattooed on her armpit.
* After the cast was asked what their favourite name for female genitals was, Leisha was totally embarrassed and speechless when the questioner announced her name for her genitals was “Leisha”. Laurel and the audience found it hilarious and gave the questioner a thunderous round of applause.
* She loved travelling while making the documentary Raising Teens but says she ‘’sucked’’ at producing.
* Leisha’s fantasy woman is Kate Winslet because she loves her curves and accent.
* She has made a conscious decision to appear more feminine over the past few years but Leisha also loves playing and experimenting with sexual and gender stereotypes.
* Leisha is openly gay because she ‘‘refused to live life in fear’’. The only time she worried about telling someone she’s gay was when she had to tell her parents. She describes them as very supportive and ‘‘the most amazing, open parents’’.
* When asked during the meet and greet by a shameless fan: ‘’Do we get to see the famous Leisha boobies again in Season 4?’’ Leisha just laughed and said: ‘‘Wow! That takes the cake!”
Are you enjoying the convention so far?
“Yeah. Laurel had a fantastic time last year and she thought the fans were great and we’d all love it. It’s great, everyone is so nice, it’s lovely.”
You must have some very “intense” fans. Have you ever been unwillingly pushed into a corner in a nightclub or suffered other cringe-worthy moments?
“Mmmmm, usually when people start drinking and having fun the boundaries start to get blurred. But I always know when to leave. You can feel it out.”
Do you think you have a different relationship with fans because you are actually gay?
“I don’t think so. They’re all people, they’re women. It’s no different for me.”
Have you ever been concerned about being type-cast as gay?
“You know, I don’t sit around thinking about it too much. It might come bite me in the ass. I’ve never been in a situation where I was rejected because I’m gay. Actually it’s always helped me to be so open about myself. That’s just how I choose to live my life. I don’t want to think about it as a career-orientated decision. I am who I am and I live my life.”
If you could change anything on the show, what would it be?
“I never wanted Dana to die. I would have loved to see that relationship grow and have its problems and watch how the two characters deal with those problems, you know? The situation of being best friends-to lovers to being ex-lovers is a very difficult place to be. Everything else has been fun to me to play.”
You once said in an interview that you were pleased that the characters were not portrayed as perfect, meaning that the viewers could relate to them. What would you say has been your most Alice-like moment? Any high speed car chases in a blue mini?
“Oh God! I do stupid things all the time. That’s what I like about Alice. She’s not perfect and she messes up her life all the time and gets herself into dumb situations and says the wrong things. I like that she has all those imperfections, because that’s what makes her human. So, I’m sure there’s a lot of me in her. I have Alice moments all the time. I’ve experienced the same jealous rage as she has. I’m just not as witty as she is. But I’m less of a gossip. And I also fell in love with my best friend once…”
Since the show started you have played many different roles within the group; friend, lover, confidante, troubled ex etc. Which role has been the most fun to play and how far do you think your character has come since the start?
“I like that Alice is the go-to girl for any sort of situation – she’s like the safe one to tell anything to. Even if she has her moments of concern with her friends, it’s never out of judgement but it’s out of care for her friends. That’s the most beautiful quality about her, that she loves her friends so much and they know that. That’s why they go to her for all these different sorts of problems or magical, beautiful moments. She’s the funny one to share things with. I like that about her.”
If you were one of the writers, would you bring Dana back in a Dallas-like shower sequence and pretend all of season 3 was a dream?
“Mmmmm. You’ll have to stay tuned and see what happens… You never know. It may be even better than that!”
Is there any competitiveness between the actors?
“This cast is really, really close. It’s like the polar opposite of competitiveness. We are like super-supportive of each other. It’s like a family. There’s never been an issue of competition. That would be weird. That would be an awful working situation.”
Is it true that you improvise a lot?
“What we like to do is to take the text and enhance it and play with it in different ways so that the director has different cuts to work with so that it’s not the same performance over and over. That’s what’s fun about improvising, because you never know what’s gonna happen. We often crack each other up or do whatever we can to make the scene more exiting to watch.”
There’s been a lot of criticism and rumours about the choice of music for the L Word. As a musician, how do you feel about that?
“(Long silence). I think I’ve put my foot in my mouth about this before so I’m just gonna take the high road and shut up. I think every one on the show – whatever department they work in – is making choices, just as I’m making choices as an actor. I don’t think everyone necessarily loves what I do every second. So, whether you love something or hate it that’s what makes the show what it is today. That’s also what makes talking about the show interesting.”
From listening to other cast members it seems Season 4 was a bit lighter and more fun to shoot than Season 3. Do you agree?
“Last year was difficult because our friend Erin was leaving the show. Leading up to that horrible day that we shot Dana dying it was a very sombre feel for a while. This year was different in that Erin wasn’t there and it was like a giant black hole. But you have to move on and there are a lot of new characters. Because of the new people it was a very different vibe. Maybe it’s like the feeling going from high school to college – you miss what you know but you are excited about what lies ahead. It’s very strange, though. I miss Erin like a crazy nutball. I miss her every day. I miss working with her and not having her around in Vancouver. But as far as the show itself goes, the writing was definitely lighter this year.”
What was it like working with Cybill Shepherd?
“Oh wow, she’s like Hollywood royalty! She’s very funny and eccentric and she has a very dry sense of humour.”
Did any of you room together for the filming of S4 in Vancouver as you did in past seasons?
“No, we didn’t! We all had our own places. But we lived very, very close to each other – it was like two minute walks to get to each other’s houses.”
What’s your most prized possession?
“My dogs! Not that I possess them but they’re my favourites.”
What’s your coolest article of clothing?
“I’ve got some really great cowboy boots that I love.”
How would you describe your house?
“The perfect California bungalow. I’ve got all the things that I love around me.”
What can’t you start your day without?
“Coffee.”
Something you can’t fly without?
“My little hydrating spray. I like to keep my skin moist.”
What’s your dream car?
“Mmmmm… I don’t have a dream car. I would have to think about that one…”
Who is the biggest clown in the cast?
“I think we all change for that role. It depends, because we spend 24 hours a day together. You can’t have somebody being that person all the time. One of us is always in a better mood or less tired.”
What’s been your most embarrassing moment on set?
“Oh man… I don’t know. There’s tons of bloopers I wish people could see. Funny shit happens all the time. They should put that on the DVD. “
Do you ever play practical jokes on each other?
“Yeah, but there weren’t as many this year. We love doing that stuff.”
How do you relax after a long day of shooting?
“I usually call Kate and we go and have a drink or dinner or rent movies. Or I paint. I love to paint”.
Tell us about your plan to start a band?
“I miss music like crazy. I just made my first few phone calls the other day. So I’m definitely in the process of starting it. I just need to get some more confidence…”
Guinevere Turner
Fast facts Guin revealed at L2:
* Guin and Rose Troche are working on a new TV show about three sisters who own a bar.
* Kissing Leisha Hailey (Alice) in Season 1 was difficult because they are such good friends. But they still managed to do the kissing scene in just one take.
* Guin came up with the idea of the wall chart showing the connection between lovers when she was fooling around shortly before shooting started on Season 1. On the initial chart that the people behind the scenes of L Word drew up and contributed to Billy-Bob Thornton’s name appeared! Guin said she didn’t tell the complete truth about her own sexual history but ended up looking like the ‘‘centre of all slutdom’’ because her name was in the middle of the chart.
* When she played a dominatrix in the movie Preaching to the Perverted she was asked by one of the real-life S&M extra’s: ‘‘Can I lick your feet?’’. She declined. She trained for the part with a real dominatrix.
* If she and Rose Troche ever get around to doing a sequel to Go Fish, it would be called Go Fuck Yourself.
* Her favourite L Word episode is the Dinah Shore-weekend when all the characters share their coming-out stories.
* Most quotable quote on writing: ‘’My goal is to make people laugh uncomfortably.’’
Do you prefer being called gay or lesbian?
“Lesbian is good because it’s specifically female but I’m not particularly fond of the word. I wish there was a better word. I often say dyke – it’s a more pleasing word – but I find that sometimes shocks people, even lesbians. Maybe it’s a generational thing. I would go with gay. I will say I’m gay. It’s more like lesbian is the noun and gay is the adjective.”
How good is you gaydar?
“It’s gone beyond so that I just think everyone is gay! The speedometer is broken! After a couple of drinks I think everyone is gay. It happens to me all the time. The more I know someone, the more I think: ‘That person really looks gay to me’.”
What’s your position on the nature / nurture debate about gay identity?
“I’ve had so many conversations about this and what I’ve finally come to is that for different people there are different truths. People are gay for different reasons. Some people are born gay, some people are born with a gay tendency and then certain factors in their lives either make them act on it or not. I think that some people just meet that one person that drives them into a sexuality they wouldn’t otherwise be. It really is on a case-by-case basis. I’ve seen people who I look at and think: ‘You really wouldn’t be gay if it wasn’t that that person is so compelling to you.’ People sometimes are just so enchanted by a particular person. And then there are people who I don’t care if you ever have sex in your whole life, you are SUCH a homo!”
Most of the actors on the L Word are straight. Has there been anything that’s been difficult to communicate to them about being a gay woman? Anything they had trouble grasping about gay identity?
“The actors on the L Word just jumped in and did it really, really well. My favourite example being Erin Daniels. She not only played gay very well, she played a particular kind of person who’s uncomfortable with their sexuality. Her body language was perfect. I know some women like that who think they’re acting straight but they’re really not. Erin didn’t overdo the comedy like some male actors would sometimes do with gay roles. She didn’t make Dana a caricature. It was a really subtle but hilarious embodiment of a particular kind of lesbian.”
Do you think there are characteristics that all gay women share? Something we all have in common?
“The one thing that all gays and lesbians share is at some point in our lives we’ve had to realise we are different from what the mainstream was. Even if we come from really different backgrounds, it’s the same for everyone. For some it is a big struggle and for others it’s a little struggle. It’s that moment where you realise: ‘I’m different and I can either choose to go with it or deal with it like this by myself or with my parents, or deal with it in a way that I’ve seen on TV or in films or books that have been available to me.’ Even when I’m hating certain gay and lesbian people, I’m still thinking: ‘At least we have that in common. In some way, you’ve also had to struggle with who you are’.’’
If you could choose a theme song to your life what would it be?
“You know what’s the first thing that’s popped into my mind? Kermit the frog’s ‘It’s not easy being green’.”
What is your favourite way of relaxing after a hard day’s work?
“Depending on how physically draining the day’s been it’s either a hot bath or five Martini’s. Never both together though, because you can die!”
What’s your favourite activity in the world?
“Isn’t everyone’s answer sex – if they’re honest? Food, sex and sleep aside, I love dinner parties. I love having a small group of people in a relaxed environment who are interesting and who will drink and eat and relax into the wee hours. That’s my favourite place to be.”
What is the most important thing in your life besides work?
“It’s that my 21-year old sister had a baby nine months ago and they live with me, so the biggest priority in my life is that baby. Because my sister is still a baby herself.”
What is your most prized possession?
“If everything I own was at risk of being burnt down, I think I would save the journals I’ve been writing since I was nine. I really love my red leather briefcase too but it’s not irreplaceable. I wouldn’t cry if I lost it.”
The best pick-up line you’ve ever used or know?
“I don’t use pick-up lines and all the ones that have been used on me were so like: ‘Are you kidding me?’ “
What’s been your impression of the convention? Did it give you any insights you haven’t had before?
“It’s really interesting to come into contact with people who are fans enough to come to an event like this. And it’s nice that people approach you and treat you like a real person. There is a particular kind of energy here that is fascinating to me. It’s been very interesting to me to watch the fashion at the convention. Most people here are younger than me and from many different places all over the world yet they dress exactly the same as lesbians in the US. Lesbian style seems to be universal. Is the L Word copying them or are they copying the L Word? Or is it just a case of people from all over evolving in the same way? It’s a very interesting, distinct culture.”
Do you have a message for the L Word Online fans?
“Yes, if you want to see Gabby Deveaux again, let it be known. Because Gabby would love to be seen! Please write to Showtime!”
You admitted you haven’t seen the L Word 3rd season. Will you ever watch it?
“I will definitely watch it. It’s almost time. I just needed some serious breathing room.”
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Confessions of a new fan: Why I liked Mia Kirshner best:
* One of the biggest surprises for me personally was how pleasant and funny Mia Kirshner is. Because of Jenny, the troubled character she plays, I just assumed she would be broody, inaccessible and even somewhat strange.
* The rumour that Mia is difficult to work with is hard to believe, especially after seeing how fondly her co-stars interact with her. She is the prankster of the group and often the cause of the hysterical laughing that got the actors in trouble during the shooting of the new season. She might not have been part of the in-gang (Kate, Erin and Leisha) from the start, but it seems she is well-loved now.
* Laurel says Mia is brilliant doing voices and imitating people. ‘’She’s the best prank caller. It’s more fun being in on it than on the receiving end.’’ One of her favourite tricks to freak out a new director is to grab her co-stars (without warning) and to pretend to start kissing them passionately just as a scene is about to begin.
* Mia is also excellent at making fun of herself. ‘’Jenny was the worst stripper in the world,’’ she says of the famous scene. “If you really want to see Mia move, you should watch the movie Exotica,” Laurel advised the audience.
* Laurel said Mia was very protective of her during her pregnancy. When Laurel said she felt like a ‘‘large whale doing water ballet” during the nude love scenes when she was pregnant, Mia insisted she was beautiful.
* Mia is working on a book for Amnesty International about displaced persons and sex workers. She says she has spent all her money on it and it’s the ‘‘most meaningful’’ thing she’s ever done with her life.
* Mia finds a sense of humour and beautiful lips attractive in a woman.
* She would love it if Jenny was more stable and quieter in Season 5. Wouldn’t we all…
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