L-Word.com News Stories

 

By B&TF (January 8, 2010)

(continued from Part 1)

B&TF: As far as charities, I know you had participated in a lot of fundraisers in the last few years. I wanted to ask you about one because it was unexpected. You were involved with the Vancouver documentary festival DOXA.

 

JB: Oh yeah.

B&TF: How did you become involved with them?

JB: It was the designers of the book, they just put me in touch with them, yeah.

B&TF: Oh, okay. So what was your reaction when you found out that your unseen photographs raised so much money, more than the entire auction all together?

JB: I was…my gosh, blown away actually, really blown away.

B&TF: I was watching it and kept refreshing the page to see the bids going up. It was so exciting to see.

JB: Yeah, I mean I never watched the bidding but every now and again somebody from DOXA would call me to tell me what was going on.

B&TF: Yeah, and I think they mentioned somewhere that the movie industry in Canada is really hurting right now because of the economy and not much support from the government, so they were very excited.

JB: Yes, they were very excited and very, very appreciative. It was really sweet and this is what I mean about the fans and their generosity. I mean, in my experience the generosity is unparalleled. I’ve never ever seen anything like that. There have been the events where other shows have had things to auction off and people just were not as forthcoming, you know. Maybe for something like Star Trek or something, I don’t know (laughing). But the events that I’ve been to, people were not so forthcoming but I think that there’s couple of things going on with the fans of The L Word.

One, you are supporting a charity and people are bighearted about supporting the charities. And two, you’re given the opportunity to have a piece of memorabilia from a show that was a part of a groundbreaking moment in cultural history. You know that sounds so big but it was. This little show that was truly flawed really did change things. And there’s nothing that’s taking its place, there’s nothing. Like, all of a sudden it’s sort of gone back to the way it used to be and I just really hope that there’s some network, some show, I don’t know, or somebody puts together something again to take its place.

B&TF: Well, I was going to ask you that too because after The L Word ended its last season, there’s not much gay and lesbian representation on TV. Why do you think The L Word didn’t pave the road for more as Ilene hoped it would?

JB: Oh, I don’t know. You wonder what shows there are being pitched. You don’t know if it’s just that the shows weren’t being pitched or the writers are working on something else. I don’t really know. I don’t know what the situation is but you need people to write down their stories and document their experience and for me part of this book was about documenting our experience on the show as a remembrancer for all of us in a way.

B&TF: You mentioned that you talked to the cast and Ilene while preparing the book. Do you have any news on The L Word the movie? Ilene mentioned before that she was writing it.

JB: I would imagine that she’s writing it but you know, Ilene is a very in demand writer so she’s got lots and lots of things on her plate and I know that it’s something that interests her. We’ll see how it unfolds.

B&TF: Do you know that she has this new lesbian reality series for Showtime?

JB: (laughing) Yes, I heard about it.

B&TF: Will you be watching it?

JB: Yes, I think it would be something I’d watch. There’ll be certainly a lot of drama, I’d imagine, you know?

B&TF: Yeah…I have one more question about The L Word and don’t worry, it’s not about Bette and Tina.

JB (laughing) Yeah.

B&TF: I don’t even know what to ask about them. I just hope they are happy somewhere.

JB: Yeah, I know.

B&TF: Anyway, lots of people, myself including, consider your portrayal of Bette Porter as a defining role of your career to date. What do you consider a defining role for you in the future? Maybe something like a dream role you’re still hoping to get.

JB: I have no idea. I don’t really think that way. I don’t know for better or for worse. I’ve never really thought that way. I tried to stay open to what comes and the universe had provided very nicely for me. I mean, Bette came when I was literally on a hike and I wished truly and deeply from the bottom of my soul to be part of a great love story. I really wanted to be part of a great love story. And literally, like the next week I’ve got a phone call about The L Word. And I didn’t specify if it should be a heterosexual story or gay story. I just wanted to be part of a great love story. And lo and behold, the story came. I have to be very mindful about what I wish for and so I haven’t made a very specific wish yet. I don’t have a very specific one yet but I’m sure it will come.

B&TF: You mentioned that there’s another movie that you are working on. Can you tell me a little more details about it?

JB: We’re just in the process of talking about it so I don’t know a lot of things I can tell you about it but it’s called “A Night for Dying Tigers”.

B&TF: Okay, thanks. I know we don’t have that much time and I still have plenty of questions. I should’ve requested an hour with you.

JB: An hour?

B&TF: Fifteen minutes just not enough.

JB: You can have days and you still wouldn’t be satisfied.

B&TF: Guilty, I know. Actually, Pam Grier told me the same. I interviewed her at L6 Convention.

JB: Oh yeah?

B&TF: Yeah and we were talking and she said that I can talk forever but then she ended up being the one who was talking the most. And I could never say “Stop” to Pam Grier.

JB: (laughing) Well no, but we all could because what she’s saying is so fascinating, why would you ever want to say “Stop” to her.

B&TF: Oh I know. I only asked her like four questions and we talked for half an hour because of all these things she had to say. It was incredible.

JB: Oh, right.

B&TF: You mentioned a few times how you love to run. Are you planning to participate in another running event, like triathlon or marathon?

JB: Well, I broke my toe this summer. I was going to do a half Iron Man this summer. I was really excited. The runs were going really well. I was running 18K in the forest with no problems, surprisingly. I was going to do the half marathon first and then do the half Iron Man and then I broke my toe. And I just felt like it was God’s way of saying, “You need to focus on the book. This book is not going to put itself together all by itself.” And indeed, it’s been a much more complicated process than I imagined it would be and I have had a very, very busy year with work so every time I get sort of momentum on the book, I’d get a job so it was very hard to do both things at the same time. And then we ran into some technical problems with certain things with the book but it’s all going well.

So right now I’m just starting to get back. I’m just trying to get my distances back up now that the book is kind of tapering off.

B&TF: What is your current running regime?

JB: I’m doing 10K’s during the week and some weights. I haven’t incorporated the swimming back yet but I’ll get there. I’ve been doing a lot more yoga.

B&TF: Yeah, yoga is great but I can’t sit that long in one position or bending or being flexible anymore (JB laughing). You know, I read your interview in the Runner’s World and it was wonderful. There was one thing that struck me as interesting. You said that when you run you don’t like to listen to music.

JB: No.

B&TF: I was just wondering what’s going on in your head when your run?

JB: All kinds of things and then, hopefully, nothing.

B&TF: Running to sort of oblivion?

JB: It’s not oblivion so much, it’s just the sense of freedom and then you’re free from thoughts.

B&TF: Hmm, I walk a lot and if I don’t have music I talk to myself but I guess it’s harder to run and talk.

JB (laughing) Yeah, yeah, right.

B&TF: I have couple of general questions, if it’s okay.

JB: Okay.

B&TF: When you’re not filming, how does your day look? Do you have a certain regime for each day or you’re more spontaneous person?

JB: Well, I have to be spontaneous because I never know what’s going to happen. The phone rings and then all of a sudden something else is come up so you can’t really have too much of a regime. The only thing I try to do is meditate at one point during the day.

 

B&TF: Is it part of yoga?

JB: No, it’s part of my office (laughing). Yeah, so I don’t really have a regime so much, I don’t, and especially with something like the book, working on the book. All kind of things come up during the day that you can’t possibly predict. So I’ve learned not try to think that I’m gonna dictate the day.

 

B&TF: When you are filming a show or a movie it could be emotionally and physically challenging. How do you separate yourself from your work at the end of the day?

JB: Well, it depends on how rigorous it’s been, you know. I remember there were times during second season I would go home and have a bowl of oatmeal and a glass of red wine, and I don’t really drink, hardly ever, but I’d have a bowl of oatmeal and a glass of red wine and watch Buffy or something. But nowadays, what do I do? I go running or swimming and it helps to relax me.

B&TF: You also said before that you had never wanted to be famous but The L Word brought a lot of publicity. Has that changed anything about your perception of yourself and fans in general?

JB: Oh, it’s just that I’ve never chased down fame. It’s not like I’ve wanted to be famous, like that wasn’t my goal. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with fame, as long as you don’t take it too seriously and as long as you try to use it for something other than the vacuous thing that it is in itself. I think what had changed about it for me in terms of the show is that, you know, The L Word fans are completely different than other fans that I’ve encountered. It feels much more like a community and, even though there’s bickering and things that I’m aware of, mostly through Ilene who will tell me certain things, you do feel that it’s a community and that people, whether they like or dislike certain aspects of the show, they want it to be good and people want to have representation. I don’t mean just gay women, I mean women. Period.

So in that way it’s changed and I think part of it came from my involvement with OurChart because originally, when Ilene came to me and said, you know, I really want you to be part of OurChart, I said, “What do I have to offer? I’m not gay, I hardly ever go on-line and am deeply suspicious of the Internet. You know, I’d really don’t know what I have to offer you.” And she said, “Well, you are an honorary member of the community.” And I said, “Well, if it helps you then yes. I’ll see what I can figure out to do.” But then I realized that it’s like an instant community and you can talk about certain things that matter to you and what matters to other people. That was kind of a revelation and the fans were obviously very much part of that and I was very disappointed at the way that ended and how it ended so abruptly, kind of. I guess that’s just the way it happens, I guess that’s just the nature of that beast.

B&TF: Well, you know, it was just one site and a really great gathering place for the community, but you know, there are many others where people can go and still talk about the show and the things that matters, even if the show is over.

JB: Right, right, and the show is still playing at different places around the world, different places and different seasons.

B&TF: I guess it brings me to another Internet question. Twitter…have you ever considered going on twitter? There’re a lot of celebrities on it, including some L Word alumnae.

JB: Going on-line?

B&TF: Yeah, like Twitter, Facebook…

JB: Oh Gosh, no (laughing). I’m not that person. If you ever see anybody that’s got a Facebook that’s Jennifer Beals or Twitter that’s Jennifer Beals, you can be damn sure it’s not me (laughing).

B&TF (laughing) Oh, I already know. I talked to Janina one time when I interviewed her and we talked about Twitter because she’s very active on it.

B&TF: No, she’s good at it and she’s so techie and she loves it and that’s also her generation too, I think. I don’t know but it’s not me. Really? I don’t want people following me to the grocery store. No, thanks (laughing).

B&TF: (laughing) True, anything can happen but it’s also a good way to promote things, like your projects or your friend’s.

JB: I know, I know. That’s what everybody’s says that I should have a Facebook page for the book or whatever, or a Twitter for the book. I don’t know, see. What do I know? I wouldn’t even know how to do it. I’ve no idea how to do it.

B&TF: I’ll fly to L.A. and show you (laughing). I have it all figure out.

JB: Yeah, well, you twitter. You go twitter because I don’t. How people even have time to check up on what people are doing. Really? I don’t have time to go check what so-and-so is doing. I don’t even know what I’m doing. I’m running around and I don’t know how people do it (laughing). God bless them, I don’t get it. Well, it’s not true. I do get it. I just don’t see how I can do it.

B&TF: I do understand what you mean. Sometimes I can spend hours just, you know…

JB: Twittering.

B&TF: Yeah, twittering instead of doing something like running or charities.

JB: Yeah (laughing). Maybe one day, maybe when I’m 70 I’ll be twittering from porch at my ranch, you know, with my friends from The L Word.

B&TF: (laughing) Hey, you’re still going to have fans too who’d follow you. I’ll follow because I’ll be like 65.

JB: Yeah, there you go (laughing). Yeah, I’ll twitter when I’m 70. By then it won’t even exist because it’ll all be like Eight-track. That’s about how long it will take me to catch up, I’m sure.

B&TF: Yeah. Well, one more question and we almost done.

JB: You know you’ve been saying one more questions for like last ten questions? It’s probably is the last question. David is glaring at me because I’ve got another person waiting.

B&TF: Okay, it’s the last one, I promise. I know you love to read and you often share about your favorite books. What has been your most interesting read lately?

JB: Oh, this book called, “I’m Down” by Mishna Wolff. It’s funny, funny, funny.

B&TF: So is this your latest?

JB: I don’t know if it’s the latest. It’s not the latest but it was the most enjoyable as of late, in the last like three months.

B&TF: That’s it then. Oh, you know. I’m going to L.A. tomorrow to a Book of Eli screening and then stop by the premiere. You might see me on a street waving at you.

JB: Okay, I’ll make sure to wave back.

B&TF: Thanks. Well, thank you again so much for taking your time.

JB: All right, no problem.

B&TF: Hopefully we’ll see you in more projects soon.

JB: Yep. Thank you.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 at 10:08 pm and is filed under Book of Eli, Jennifer Beals, The L Word. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.