I just had this urge to write my story, to tell the gay story.
It just hadnt really been done, explains Chaiken.
Recalls Chaiken, I said, Well, what about now?
Peggy Sirota for EW
The L Wordquickly established itself with bold story lines, including televisions first regular transgender character, Max.
It meant a lot to a lot of people, not just gay women, says Chaiken.
I meet people still who say, The L Wordhelped me to come out.
Peggy Sirota for EW
Im also learning that theres a whole new generation of women that are discovering the show.
My daughters are 21.
They have friends who say thatThe L Wordmeans so much to them.
Peggy Sirota for EW
Beals even released a photo book of personal behind-the-scenes photos that fanscan purchase at lwordbook.com.
What made you all want to be onThe L Word?
She was like, Lets just venture to get it on the aircalm down.
Peggy Sirota for EW
Were not going to save the world right now.
Lets just tell some good stories.
Leisha Hailey (Alice):Well, I needed a job.
Peggy Sirota for EW
So I walked into the lobby of Showtime.
Leisha had a prop, I saw her flaunt it out her back pocket.
It was a comb.
Hailey:I really thought I had the part because of my prop.
Erin Daniels (Dana):First I read for Bette, then I read for Alice.
And then I read for Dana and I didnt get it.
Beals:And bring a comb.
What do you all remember about shooting the pilot?
Beals:I had Jesus hair.
Moennig:In the pilot, we had to shoot a party scene at Bette and Tinas.
It took days and days to shoot, and it was hot, smelly, and long.
Then we get picked up for series and we have to reshoot the entire scene.
[Jennys] boyfriend got recast.
Mia Kirshner (Jenny):Leisha and I lived together [while filming] the first season.
We have so many stories.
We had a house fire.
Hailey:My dog saved us.
Kate moved in with us.
Kirshner:I had sex in Leishas shower.
Hailey:I came home from a run and I was like, Heyoh.
Then I turned back around.
Kirshner:Didnt you say you heard
Hailey:Your boyfriend ask for a washcloth.
Kirshner:Oh, God.
I didnt remember that.
Daniels:We all went to sing karaoke together once.
Sarah Shahi (Carmen):What did you sing?
Beals:Oh, I had to do What a Feeling.
They poured water on me with a Perrier bottle.
[Beals starred in the iconic 1983 filmFlashdance.]
Daniels:Then the three of us got up and sang Maniac.
We clearly got over our intimidation factor at that point.
The L Wordnever shied away from nudity or sex.
Were you all nervous in the beginning?
Kirshner:These girls said that my breasts were the ninth character.
Beals: Well, the ninth and the 10th.
Kirshner:Of lesbians having sex.
Beals:We had to watch a sex video because we had to do all these sex scenes.
So we could watch the video and see what worked and didnt work and analyze why it didnt work.
It didnt work if people werent fully committed to it.
Shahi:I could have used that viewing.
My first day I got introduced to Kate, and its like: Kate, this is Sarah.
Sarah, this is Kate.
And so in this scene, Kate is going to be going down on you.
And its just like, Whoa!
The series became a hit quickly and has become an incredibly important show to the LGBTQ community.
What were fan responses like?
Chaiken:It was so much fun and so thrilling when the show was on the air.
There was just a lot of love and excitement and celebration.
Representation is so important, and we had never been represented.
Of course, there were also a lot of people screaming about how Thats not me!
You didnt get me!
Where is this story?
Where is that story?
The burden of representation for every single lesbian experience got projected onto us.
Beals:I have to say, I received the most beautiful letters Ive ever received on any show.
Its one thing to be recognized for being on TV, right?
Daniela Sea (Max):It also changes policy.
And now hes in the States, living a trans life.
Hes an actor, hes pursuing theater, all this stuff.
When did you learn this would happen?
Daniels:We would all meet with Ilene before each season started and she would take us to lunch.
And then she dies.
And Im like, What?!
Beals:We were all devastated.
Moennig:That was dreadful.
Hailey:It was horrible.
We cried a lot.
Just knowing that day was coming was horrible.
Chaiken: Ive often said in retrospect that its the one thing that I regret.
I mean, it was a good story.
I believe in the story.
I think we told it with great sensitivity and verisimilitude, but the audience never forgave me for it.
Its just the one thing that I maybe would change if I could go back and change anything.
In the final-season premiere, we find out that Jenny will be dead by the end of the season.
Mia, did you know this was going to happen?
Kirshner:I had no idea until the table read.
I had such complicated feelings about Jenny.
I was really surprised, I just started to cry.
Beals:So entertaining, though!
Moennig:Shes Americas sweetheart!
[Everyone laughs.]
That wasnt what this whole show was about.
Chaiken:Im not sure that it was the best choice.
I loved the stories we told, but to do a murder mystery maybe was off-topic for us.
But it was a metaphor.
Jenny brought us into this world.
Jenny is going to take us out of this world.
It never so much mattered to me, and I realized it matters to the fans.
So many shows are being rebooted.
Chaiken:Theres certainly a chance.
We talk about it all the time.
It feels like maybe it should come back.
Moennig:And wouldnt it be interesting to see where we all wound up?
Beals:Bette has a walker, obviously.
Moennig:Shanes on Metamucil.
Hailey:Our country is so polarized right now and the political landscape is such a mess.
We need shows that are about community and acceptance.
Kirshner:And the power of friendships.
