Jennifer Beals on Live with Regis and Kelly
Jennifer Beals appeared on Live with Regis and Kelly on March 31st 2004 to talk about The L Word.
They three started out bantering about Jennifer’s recent horseback riding trip to Patagonia, in South America. She went on a horse-packing trip with her husband and some friends, where they camped each night. Kelly made a few jokes about camping and why didn’t Jennifer stay at a Four Seasons Resort.
Next Kelly mentioned that Jennifer is a photographer. Jennifer pulled out a camera and took a photo of Regis and Kelly. She said she prefers film to digital.
Then the conversation turned to The L Word. Regis and Kelly seemed to get a little uncomfortable discussing lesbians. Here’s a transcript of what was said:
Regis: What does the L Word mean? I think it means Leonard.
Jennifer: Leonard. I’ve never heard that one before. It can mean a lot of things. It can mean love, lascivious. On a bad day it can mean laxative. But in this case I think most of all it means lesbian.
R: Ahh… So, you’re playing a lesbian. How did you research that role?
J: Aren’t you a funny guy… I researched the role in that the woman is a director of an art museum. She’s very focused on her work. I spent a lot of time trying to learn what it takes to run a museum. That’s really the research that I did.
R: How many girls are there in this show?
J: There’s 6 or 7 or us.
Kelly: Do you all get along?
J: Yes, Very well. In fact I was walking down the street talking with Mia Kirsher the other day, and telling her about all the cute shops and stuff.
R: Here in Manhattan?
J: Yes.
K: Do you have kissing scenes and if so, are they uncomfortable? (giggles)
J: We have kissing scenes and at first it was just strange because it’s so different. It’s just softer.
R: It was softer, you say?
J: Yes, softer than kissing a man. To Regis: You know what it’s like to kiss a woman.
R: It is softer from a woman’s point of view to kiss another woman?
J: It’s softer than kissing a man. Well, most men.
R: Which do you… Well, I know which you prefer… You prefer a man.
J: Well, I’m married to a man…
R to Kelly: Did you ever kiss a woman in all your acting days? On All My Children, did you ever kiss a woman?
K: No, never. I played a straight character.
R: Did you have any lesbians on All my Children?
K: Yea.
R: Really.
K: Sure.
R: Was that part of the plot line?
K: Not my plot line, but a plot line.
R: What has been the reaction to the show?
J: It’s been incredibly positive. It’s been incredibly positive.
R: Well, you’re back for a second season.
J: We got picked up really quickly, after two episodes.
K: I have to tell you all of our writers over at Hope and Faith love it. It’s their favorite show. They love it. Its what they live for.
J: I think what’s really interesting about the show is it’s about these women’s lives and their loves and their ambitions, and work, so, in a way it points out the ways in which we’re similar are much more numerous, than the ways in which we’re different. So the audience that watches the show is across the board. It’s not one group of people. I think everyone can relate to it in one way or another.
R: Let take a look at a clip from the L Word. Here you are being confronted in group therapy.
J: And she hates group therapy.
Break to a clip of Bette & Tina in group therapy.
R: The L Word on Sunday nights at 10pm on Showtime.
They thank Jennifer and cut to commercial.
