At The L Event cast members attended a general question and answer session. Laurel and Rachel did their session together. This is part one (of three) of their Q&A session. It was a delight to watch them, they clearly have a warm friendship and proved to be somewhat of a comedy duo. I hope you enjoy it.

Q. - For Rachel - what was Helena’s relationship with Tina, was it love was it possession, was it to make Bette more angry?  For Tina was it love for her, sex or independence?

Rachel
I played Helena as her falling heavily for Tina, she was falling in love and then I guess she got her fingers burnt, but I know most of you probably don’t see it that way, but that’s how I saw it she was falling very heavily for Tina.  I don’t think she ever did anything in order to be nasty to Bette, I don’t think she is malicious. <audience laugh>.  

Laurel
<looking puzzled at Rachel> Excuse me?

Rachel
I think she doesn’t allow people to get in the way of what she wants, I don’t think it was a malicious thing, and I don’t think she ever really did anything that was particularly malicious.

Laurel
I think for Tina well it was quite obvious my other relationship was very unresolved and I do think that Tina is not someone who jumps into things.  So I think it was something where she was very touched by Helena and she was…..<audience laughs> …..<laughing>…..she was touched by Helena’s sensitivity, excuse me! And I think she felt really beautiful with Helena and I think it was a time in her life after being betrayed that she didn’t feel so beautiful and she was pregnant.  there are a lot of complex feelings you feel when you are pregnant that you can’t control.  I don’t know if it was love, it might have been a little bit of lust and I think she just wanted to feel loved again and admired in some way and I think she got that from Helena.  But I think once she got her independence she realized that she wanted to go back and work on the relationship she had invested so much in, so that’s what happened.

Q. - What do you think of the response you are getting, we’re happy to have you but what do you think of us

Rachel
We think your amazing, I am quite overwhelmed by this, I haven’t ever done a convention before

Laurel
And nor have I

Rachel
And last night when we did the thing up here it was really quite incredible to come out and see everyone.  It was so exciting.  I was overwhelming it really was. I think you’re all amazing for coming so far to come and see us, it’s very flattering, it’s great, it’s fantastic, what can I say.  I am really overawed by you all.

Laurel
I felt the same way.  And as I said last night I did feel speechless and I think that comes from….you feel quite emotional when you care about a part, a character, a job, a show and then you see that touches people and you see the response and its so genuine.  When you’re inside the show and you’re working on it you don’t get what that is, you have to see it this way.  So it was kind of overwhelming.

Rachel
You can sometimes feel that when we are in Vancouver you are, not in a bubble exactly, but you’re not in LA either, so we do work in a bit of a bubble

Laurel
We do

Rachel
We don’t really know what the reaction is until you come either to places like this or in LA where we have done a few Q&A sessions that we have done together, you just don’t know until you come here, and it is, it makes you feel, it just makes you feel…..brilliant

Q. - Hi Laurel - Nice t-shirt by the way

Laurel
<Laurel was wearing a Union Jack on her t-shirt> I wouldn’t even dare wear one from my own country right now.

Q. - Whenever the show finishes how would you like to see all the characters and in particular yours, rap up.  What would you like to see happen?

Laurel
How would I like to see my character rap up?  You mean if we were to finish in a couple more years? 

2 years, 10 years, 20 years whatever

Laurel
10 years?  I don’t know if anybody wants to watch that long!  Jennifer and I have this joke that we will be with our walkers saying hello to each other “hi sweetie…..oh my teeth” <pretending to use a walker, and her teeth falling out> <audience laughs>.  You know I was really excited in season 2 that there was some more growth of my character and her finding her independence and I think that continues on through the 3rd season and there are lots of twists and turns in 3rd season.  I hope it continues.  I like that my character, I’m trying to say this without revealing anything it’s very tricky……..<”go on” shouted from the audience and Laurel laughs> I think my character feels very complete once she has her baby, and it really starts to blossom for her, her life in a way,  But there is a lot of other complexities with the relationship so I just hope  they explore that and how that grows and where the relationship is going to go.  And all the dynamics and friendships of the group, I think it’s really starting to grow.  It’s very interesting how Helena becomes very incorporated into our group it’s a really great story.  I don’t have any set plan because we don’t have any control over the writing

Rachel
We have no control.  They can surprise you at any point and suddenly make you……… they can spring things on you and tell you that you have a history of this or a history of that.

Laurel
All of a sudden you’re an alcoholic, or you’re insane!

Rachel
For my character it’s, as Laurel was saying, in the third season that we are just finishing off now.  My characters role was obviously to come between Bette and Tina <audience hisses> which, is was fun to play, it was really good fun to play, but it’s nice that in the season we are doing now my character has more shades, more colors.  Hopefully you wont all be going “sssssssss” then!

Laurel
I think you're much more vulnerable

Rachel
Much more vulnerable

Laurel
I think people love to see that.

Q. - What did you like or dislike about your character and what were your favourite moments were on set.

<a rude noise comes from the sound system – Laurel looks at Rachel> <audience laughs>

Laurel
Was that you?  Good thing we broke up.

Rachel
That’s why we broke up!

Laurel
You're right

Rachel
We can’t give away all our secrets

Laurel
Ok!  I like that my character is very soulful and very loyal and very generous with her friends and her friendships.  And that’s a nice quality.  What do I like least?  Um I think she loses sight of herself.  I like it least but I like to play it, because I know when I play something and I feel uncomfortable then it’s probably a good thing for me to play.  I think first season Tina was very dependent and I think it borderlines on a dysfunctional co-dependency where a lot of her identity came from Bette or Bette’s job or Bette’s successes.  And it’s not really going on with my character any more but, well it’s hard to play some of that, but I think, you know, maybe I like it least but you gotta go somewhere to get somewhere against broader change.

And my favorite moment?  Not to embarrass Rachel, but I liked being pregnant in the pool with Rachel! <audience cheers> because we instantly got along and the pool made me feel very buoyant when I felt very heavy, and the baby was floating.  I think my daughter knows her voice because of the scenes we shot.  When Rachel comes over to visit my daughter wont go to sleep, she’s hanging out with Rachel. 

Rachel
There is something you wouldn’t have got.  In the stage directions for that scene, didn’t it say something like “Tina’s in water she’s like a……..”<turning to Laurel> what did it say?  “Like a………”

Laurel
“……..a whale”  <audience laughs>

Rachel
….it didn’t it said she’s like a dolphin

Laurel
Like a dolphin……

Rachel
She’s agile and she just moves beautifully and…….

Laurel
.....Leaping out of the water <laughing>

Rachel
It was a lovely image and it was a bit like that because it was quite liberating.  We were in the pool in this very fancy hotel in LA and we’d got it all to ourselves.

Laurel
It was the nicest hotel in LA.  Jim Morrison stayed there, Jim Belushi killed himself there,

Rachel
Benicio del Toro was in the bar

Laurel
Benicio wanted to join in on the show!

Rachel
and we were just frolicking naked in the pool, it was quite an amazing moment

Laurel
And it was very lit up, it was like all these chandeliers, but more technical all over the pool and it was beautiful

Rachel
Yes it was a really beautiful moment.  It’s funny because on film you just see that bit, but in front of us there were as many people as there are in this room, filming it.

Laurel
There is actually a camera in the pool on a float

Rachel
And you don’t want to do breast stroke legs <laughing hard> oh my god, when you’ve got nothing on <audience laughs>.  Apparently there is some clause that all that footage gets destroyed

Laurel
Yeah they gotta burn it!

Rachel
They have to burn it no-one is allowed to see it.  We didn’t even see it.

Laurel
So what did you like least and most about your character Rachel Shelley?

Rachel
Well Laurel Holloman, what I like most about playing the character, I think is that previously I have been so regularly cast as this Mary Poppins character, a bit of a “butter wouldn’t melt” and I know that’s hard for some of you to imagine, but that’s how I have always been cast before.  So, to play a character who is very different, who’s strong and goes for what she wants.  To play that is probably my favorite thing.

I think I’ve said this already to some people today, that idea of not being identified by your relationship with a man is a fantastic role to play.  Not being someone’s wife, someone’s lover, someone's daughter, it’s really great to play a strong individual woman. 

Things I like least?  It’s weird to play a character like that where people hiss at you.  I’ve had people come up to me and say “we really hate you, we’re your biggest haters” <laughs> “oh really?”  It’s odd, it is a bit odd, but it’s like the best and almost the worst thing.  On a practical level one of the worst things for me are the enormous high heels I have to wear every day on set.  You don’t even see them half the time, but I’m wearing them.  That’s one of my least favourite things. 

Laurel
I don’t think that’s very realistic, we all wear crazy high heels on the show.  Who wears these shoes?  I want to know! 

Rachel
It’s funny, but sometimes we get our clothes, which are very nice, but now I’ve got 4 pairs of 4inch high heels, and I never wear them.  It’s crazy.

Laurel
I think it’s a Hollywood version and somehow our footwear has become very important because it was so important on “Sex In The City”.  But I don’t see why it’s really important on The L word.  I have some great Frye boots that I insisted on, because I can’t walk in those things! 

Rachel
Sometimes when we are doing shots up to here <points to her chest> and that’s all you see,  we’ve got all the nice stuff on, then we’ve got our big pink Ugg boots that we all have….

Laurel
….or flip-flops, I’ll have on a cocktail dress and flip-flops, but nobody sees them

Rachel
I always think that would make a great picture because you’re all glamorous and you’re being all fantastic, and then you’ve got your Ugg’s on!

Q. – Like the others have said, thank you for being here and giving something back to us.  I just want to comment on the realism of the show.  All of the girls here, well not everyone is a lesbian, but most of us, we feel that you as actors have given us back something important, it looks so real, it’s fantastic.  What I would like to know from you, obviously as an actress playing a role, how does it feel playing it, as it’s obviously a challenge for you?  Thanks for making it real.

Laurel
You know what, I love filming it.  It will be one of my favourite jobs of my career, and I hope to have a long career and do lots of other roles after this!  I love it.  I love the directors we have.  We get all feature directors, so they come from a film background, and a lot of times on TV you can end up with, what my actor friends call “traffic cop”, who basically just tell you where to stand.  And you don’ really grow as an artist that way, but we are really lucky that we get these feature directors, directors we would all probably want to film work with.  They really love the show, they love the scripts.  They go in, they rework the scripts, they spend a lot of time with the actors.  We all have director meetings where we discuss that episode.  That’s really detailed and that’s exceptional for television.  That happens with cable a lot in the States, because they really want to have each episode like a little mini feature and that’s one of the reasons I like the job because I feel like that instead of getting in a rut on a television show, which can happen, you’re just growing, you’re always being challenged. 

The other reason I really love it is –this, how it touches people. <pointing into the audience>  You can have a lot of different jobs in this industry, but to have something where people come up and say “it was so much easier for me to come out” or “this has been fantastic because I can show this to my daughter or I can show this to my son”.  I got a little bit of that when I did 2 girls in love.  The suicide rate for gay teens was really high in the United States at that time.  There weren’t a lot of films out, nothing with teenagers, and people came up to me at Sundance crying and saying how important it was to be able to have that movie, and this is the continuation of that for me and I see that now.  To be part of something that has such a profound social impact, it just, it just means so much more I can’t tell you, it makes such a difference.  <loud cheers from the audience>

Rachel
All those things that Laurel was talking about, it’s quite strange.  I think you all know I came in second season, and it’s quite a humbling position to come in to a show that’s so well established and has a fan base, and as Laurel says, so socially important and relevant and ground breaking and to come into a show that’s already established like that I often feel I’m just scooping off the cream that they have all created.  It’s such a privilege to come into a show that’s already got that

Laurel
We were so lucky to have you <applause> We had to come over and get her, she was impossible to find!

Q. – I hope she’s not a bitch in the third series.  Stop making the Brits bitches!

Rachel
They love it, they love it.  The English accent and you just clip your T’s a bit more.

Laurel
Do we need any more? 

Rachel
We might, we might need a sister, who knows!

Q. - I could be your sister? 

Rachel
I was trying to tell Ilene that we should have some kind of  British contingency like my posse from England.  And we should all be quite strong and I was saying it should be like a female Mafioso like the Soprano’s but with me and Peggy Peabody at the head of the family.  And we’ll be in LA.  It was quite funny – but that’s not going to happen! 

Am I supposed to be answering something?  It’s a TV show that obviously has an audience among gay woman, but also among straight women, straight guys and gay guys, it got a bit of fantasy in there…..the high heels are a fantasy for some single lesbians!!  But somewhere it adds a sparkle of glamour I suppose

Laurel
In fact after they aired……just to jump on your tail……after they aired first season, a lot of us like Erin and Leisha and Kate would say “yeah, let’s wear those jeans or boots, then they wanted to glam it up more than that.  So, they threw a lot of money into a wardrobe

Q. - So will Shane be wearing a lot of high heels then? <audience laughs>

Laurel
<laughing>  God no, well maybe just like $1,000 leather pants

Rachel
Isn’t there that entire episode where you see Shane like we’ve never seen her before? <Laurel and Rachel start whispering to each other>

Laurel
YES!! <audience laughs>

Rachel
Like you’ve NEVER seen her before

Laurel
It’s like cross-dressing, and Carmen thinks it’s really sexy!

Rachel
Carmen gets really into it.  <shrugs, looking at Laurel>I don’t know where we are with the questions and answers now!

Q. - The first series raised a lot of issues around gay rights and so on.  In American, as portrayed in the media there is quite a strong Christian right, has that affected you as a lot of people confuse characters with the actors?  You have just started your family, do you worry about things like that, what if your daughter is gay, what will the repercussions of the right in America will have on you as an actor if they confuse you with your role?

Laurel
That’s a lot of questions!  I’ll try and jump into some of it.  Let’s see.  About the role, I don’t know how Rachel feels but I don’t feel worried at all about playing this role and my future as an actress <audience applause>.  I have no doubt this will help me work more.  But that’s the way I am as an artist.  I think it’s my job to find characters, tell the truth and find the best writing, and if the character happens to be homosexual, then fantastic.  And I played a young baby butch in one of the first features I did and I worked non-stop, mainly in independent film, it wasn’t widespread but it was great to be able to pay the mortgage.  And I feel like I have just been so blessed.  And I do think it’s different, what I do think is it’s different for women.  It should be easier for men to be out in my industry, I think that’s one of the real crimes.  I have a lot of male actor friends who are afraid to come out.  I think the industry is hard that way Do you agree? <turning to Rachel>.

Rachel
Yes.  I can’t remember what season things are in <turning to Laurel> isn’t it season 2 where Tony Goldman plays a Hollywood actor that Jenny interviews.  That is a real problem in Hollywood, it’s huge, as a gay actor he really gets pigeon holed and sidelined.  And it seems like the it’s hot of you play a lesbian, people love it……

Laurel
It’s kind of glamorised, yes……more casting opportunities <audience laughs>
Back to George Bush <audience boo’s>.  I think what is happening with the Christian right is a complete shame, I think it’s moving backwards and it’s very frightening.  It was really interesting to be on this show when that was happening and to see George Bush be re-elected while I was actually shooting………don’t get me started………

Rachel
Do you remember the day after?  We were shooting when Goerge Bush was elected.

Laurel
Yes he was elected 2 days before I gave birth

Rachel
I can remember the atmosphere when we came into work the next day was pretty dire.  Because we shoot in Canada and there was all this talk about most of California were going to try and move up to Canada, running away.  A lot of people do, they buy houses just over the border. 

Laurel
I am applying for residency right now.  I have a Canadian mother, and a Canadian daughter <applause>.  It’s kind of scary.

Rachel
It is scary, but that makes The L Word and shows like The L Word even more important.  And it’s even more important that people support it and the presence is felt.  God, like you say, it gets us all very mad, but thank god for shows like The L Word and Queer as Folk and those other shows that just give gay people some kind of position, that says “this is a great thing”.

Laurel
Wait you had one more question

Q. - It was a continuation of how that will affect your child and how you would feel about that.

Laurel
I do want to talk about that.  At the end of first season I won an acting award called a “Satellite Award” <applause>.  It was really exciting that they recognised the show and nominated the show for best drama, but I just dedicated the award to my daughter because I feel that I would be so proud to show her this television show.  And I hope as she grows up that there is not just this one television show.  I hope there are 15, 20 I don’t know how many as she is growing up so that she can just flip on a television channel and see all sorts of characters.  I just feel like that what it should be, and….I would be happy for her just to find love.

Q. -  You see a lot of “not in my back yard” syndrome.  I work with children and they can be cruel to each other and they call other kids “gay” as an insult and this can have a big effect on them.  That’s why we need programmes like this that say it’s ok, and it can be cool to be who you are.

Laurel:
I feel very proud to represent an alternative family on television.  I think it’s really important. <applause>

Rachel:
<turning to Laurel> I’m sure you’ve been asked this but often you get asked if you have any qualms about taking the role.  I know you’ve said you have no qualms at all, I know I didn’t, in fact I don’t think anybody on the show did.  It’s actually quite dumbfounding to think that someone would have qualms, that someone would say “no I don’t want to play that role because she’s gay”. 

Laurel:
Generally to be a great artist, to be a great actor, anything that you might be afraid of is the first thing you should positively try to do.  

Rachel:
If it’s a world you don’t know, it’s fantastic it’s a challenge, you dip into it.

Laurel:
It would be boring to completely play yourself.  

Q. -  To both Laurel and Rachel.  Has there been anything in your work, either current or in the past that have ever made you feel uncomfortable that you’ve been asked to do.  Something that’s made you cringe and think – I don’t know if I really want to do that? 

<silence>

Rachel:
There must be, there must be something!

Laurel:
I have to think back to some of those bad movies……plenty of them!! <audience laughs>

Rachel:
Ooooh I don’t know……..actually one of my weirdest experiences, it wasn’t a terrible thing but it was a really uncomfortable moment.  I was actually shooting a commercial for Spain.  I know there are a few Spanish people here.  It was a commercial where I had to kiss an actor, who is quite a well-known actor now but he wasn’t then.  We didn’t have a history but he had been trying to……..well he’d been asking me out and all the rest of it, and then we get cast together to do this thing where we have to snog, just have a snog.  The director would call cut, and this guy would not stop.  He would literally push me down onto the floor and eeewwwww…..

Laurel:
Thank god I didn’t do that to you!  <laughs>

Rachel:
That’s what I was going to say, one of the things when you work with guys………..well they can’t help but be a bit slimey! <audience laughs>  You work with other women, they wouldn’t dream of it because everyone is so respectful.

Laurel:
It’s a very relaxing atmosphere.

Rachel:
It is, and when you do the sex scenes, I know you might have read us say this other places before but we look after each other in a way, you know you’ll say “put your hand there because I don’t like that bit”.  I did some stuff recently where me and the other actress were pushing our breasts together so that they looked “plumper”.  <Rachel demonstrated how> <audience laughed>  Can you imagine – I could never say that to a guy “would you mind just pressing there….”

Laurel:
Yeah, they lose track of everything and they forget what you said – it’s true!! <audience laughs>

Rachel:
”Oh my hands are not supposed to be there – sorry!”

Laurel:
”Sorry, I didn’t mean to put my hands in your pants!” <laughing>

Rachel:
Anyway, that wasn’t something I was particularly ashamed of but it was uncomfortable.  <turning to Laurel> What about your past?

Laurel:
I can think of a couple of films I really regret. <laughing>  Did I do one certain thing that made me feel uncomfortable?  Um, actually I did a film in Cardiff, Wales, which was lovely.  I had a fantastic experience on the film, but the film itself, I saw it in Cannes, was really violent, and I was the survivor of a basic horror film – but I was excited to come to Wales – but that had moments of feeling uncomfortable that I had been part of a lot of violence.  But then I shot the last scene of season one with Jennifer Beals! <audience cheers> 

Q.  - This is a little less serious, but I asked Eric earlier if any of the actors played practical jokes and pranks on the set.  He said to ask you guys because you will have better stories.  So, do you guys play pranks on each other?

Rachel & Laurel (at the same time):
Mia Kirshner!

Laurel:
She loves a practical joke.  There are so many I’m trying to think of one.

Rachel:
She’s done a lot on the crew.  Any available moment, and opportunity she’ll…….

Laurel:
Flip a whoopee cushion under your seat or like…….

Rachel:
Sounds crazy but she makes crank calls.  She phoned up our head make-up artist and put on some weird accent and said something about her dog had gone into quarantine, and Joanne the make-up artist was irate on the phone.  But what she didn’t know what Mia was right round the back of the trailer on her mobile doing some strange Chinese accent she made up that her dog’s got <in a Chinese accent> “quafalotalitis”. 

Laurel:
Joanne loves her dog!

Rachel:
Lots of little things like that.  But then at the same time she’s also the one who will say “come in I’m going to give you a massage with aromatherapy”, doesn’t she?  But you never really know if it’s a joke.

Laurel:
She’s kind of unpredictable – is she going to put “evil water” all over you!

Rachel:
She’s full of surprises.

Q. - The L Word was quite a risk for the studio to take but they have been rewarded with success.  Do you think other studios will take note that people want drama and don’t want reality shows?

Laurel:
I would love for the reality shows to go away because we’re all going to need more jobs! 

Rachel:
I think reality shows will probably run their course…

Laurel:
I thought they were going to burn out a long time ago, but for some reason they invent new ones. 

Rachel:
Because they are super cheap to make, you don’t pay your contestants.  It’s cheap television, they will stick around but they are not as popular.  Here in England I don’t know if you remember the first “Big Brother” when everybody watched it.  Well I did, oh you didn’t?  Oh ok – there’s the one person in England who didn’t watch it!  But it’s not as big now, well it doesn’t seem to be in my world and I think it’s run it’s course.

Laurel:
I guess we just hope that our ratings stay very high so that we can continue and other shows will be developed.  That would be the hope, so, we’ll see.

Q. – Looking at the second season and seeing you during your pregnancy doing different scenes, I personally think it was hugely courageous. Eric had said earlier that you have a lot of control over your character as you know them best.  Do you have any input into that?

Laurel
I did tell them I was planning on starting a family and I said I couldn’t control when it was going to happen.  I had an agreement with Ilene Chaiken that when I was pregnant I would let her know in the early stages and then at 3 months we would let the network know.  So, I got pregnant after Bette & Tina broke up!  I told her and we decided as the schedule worked out I would start work at 4 ½ months pregnant and my due date coincided with pretty much the last day of shooting.  At that point it was discussed that because of the storyline and that Tina was going to be on her own that we would hide the pregnancy.  I was really worried about it because I was working at the end of my pregnancy and it didn’t seem very hidable in my mind.  Then when it was announced to the network , and I really should send him a bottle of champagne, Bob Greenblatt who is the president of Showtime told her that we should use it.  I had told Ilene that of she did want to use the pregnancy I will explore this in whatever way that you want to as long as it stayed within my nudity clause.  So that was put out there that I was open and I think she had also told Bob Greenblatt that, and what he said was since this character had always intended to have a baby why not use it, it would simply be another layer to the show and lets just explore what it would be. 

So the question was “where does Tina really end up?”  and they didn’t really want to change the storyline, she would just end up pregnant and be single and date, and look what I got! <pointing to Rachel>  <audience laughs>  So that’s kind of what happened and I wont lie, it was a really big challenge, it was really hard especially towards the end when I was very very pregnant.  I worked about 15 hours a day before my waters broke.  It was physically very hard and my baby came early, so then I had to go back and shoot the final episode.  Still to this day no regrets because I will be able to show my daughter where she was at that time in my life <applause>

Rachel
I had so many scenes with her, she was tired, she never complained, she got on with it, she gave so much of herself during that time it was incredible.

Laurel
There was a lot of myself to share! <audience laughs>

Rachel
No it was amazing, it was incredible, we were all blown away by the dedication to it.

Laurel
I think I went into it very naive as I had never been pregnant before I said “sure, lets shoot it!” and it was intense.  Jennifer, who has just had her baby, said I was the guinea-pig because she was like “no way am I doing that!”  Back to something I said earlier, the things that you are most afraid of you should try I think to stretch and I really wasn’t too afraid to work.  Mia called me at the start and said “ are you sure you’re going to be able to come back?” and I said “I’m pregnant, I’m not dying or anything, just having a baby”.  It was nice to take my mind off the pregnancy and keep doing the show

Questioner - I think it really added to the authenticity of the part.

Laurel
Thank you for saying that, some of those things we did were controversial and it’s nice to get that kind of feedback because I’m sure the Network were kind of like “whoa, what are we doing”  but so far it’s been very positive so thank you for that.

Q.- Why do you think Tina went back to Bette, was it because she was in love with her?
Laurel

I think you’ll have to watch 3rd Season!  <audience laughs>  I think your on to something, I think their relationship is not processed.  I don’t think they have processed the cheating, I don’t think they have worked it out, they came back together at a very intense time.  Of course they love each other that’s a given.  They have a lot of growing up to do and with children you had better grow up, you have to be responsible when you bring a child into the world.  I still think those two women have a lot of growing to do.  That’s all I’ll say.  I think they came back together because they thought it was the right thing.

Q. – What kind of music do you like?  Are you Madonna fans?

Laurel
How can you not be a Madonna fan?  I guess I just like how ballsy she is, but I’m more like a “Radiohead” girl, “Coldplay”, “The Pixies”

Rachel
”Radiohead”, I’m a bit of a “Franz Ferdinand” fan at the moment, they have come to the States haven’t they?  “Beck”.  I would say I’m a Madonna fan, but I wouldn’t say I was a Madonna music fan.  I like specific tracks of hers, more of the later stuff, I didn’t personally like her early days.

Laurel
I like Beyonce.  She’s really hot!

Q. – A novelty question – if you could be any fruit what would you be?

<long pause>

Laurel
That is such a dangerous question, who would have thought! <audience laughs>

Rachel
I don’t know where to go with this!

Laurel
<turning to Rachel> What’s the first thing that comes into your head?

Rachel
Actually, a lychee.  I quite like the way it looks compared to the way it is inside.  Crispy and hard and all nice and soft in the middle, and then a hard shell at the very core <audience laughing>. Oh my god!

Laurel
You’re digging in deep, burying yourself!  The first thing that came into my mind was a banana.  Read into that whatever you want.  My nickname is “little monkey”, we call my baby “baby monkey”

Q. -  Who is the best kisser, Rachel or Jennifer

Rachel
She’ll tell you, I wont listen

Laurel
Well I really like those Brits.  It’s just different, but really great!

Q. – if you could be any other character in The L Word, who would you be and why?

Rachel
I would definitely play Jenny.  Helena is so straight laced……

Laurel
Jenny is wacky

Rachel
I think it would be great to play someone who gets to wear crazy clothes and do crazy things.

Laurel
I’d play Mr Piddles.  He got a lot of screen time, even after he died. <audience laughs>

Q. – Laurel, you were very heavily pregnant during season two, how did that feel?

Laurel
Surreal.  Some days were really hard.  I think that anyone here who has had a child will know you wake up one day and you feel like mother earth and you feel really beautiful and you look at yourself in the mirror and think “wow this is so amazing”.  And then you wake up the next morning and you can’t get out of bed and you feel like crap.  You can’t get your feet in your shoes because they don’t fit any more, and your tongue is swollen and you can’t talk.  All these crazy things happen when your pregnant, your tongue swells or you can’t breathe…..

Rachel
Little things………! <laurel laughs>

Laurel
…..haemorrhoids…….<audience laughs>, it didn’t happen to me but I heard!  So it was a roller coaster to answer your question, but I was lucky, I have a wonderful husband who told me every day that it was beautiful and that I looked beautiful.  I have to hand it to him for the support I was given, and the support to share something that was so personal to the two of us, with the show.  There were times, particularly towards the end when he felt very protective towards me and would say “you have to let my wife get off work, she can’t walk, she’s tired!” and he was really great, I feel very very lucky.

Q. – What is it like to work with Jennifer?

Laurel
Just great.  We really hit it off from the very beginning.  From what I hear everybody thinks it shows up on screen.  To have that kind of chemistry I really think you have that kind of chemistry in life.  She is very professional and she is just a fantastic actress.  She never stops questioning, working and trying to find the truth in the character or the truth in our relationship and she inspires me to do the same.  What a joy, she is a wonderful talent and we are really lucky to have her on the show, I think she is just amazing as Bette, just amazing.
<audience applause>

Rachel
She intimidated me my first few days.

Laurel
She was really scared, she was.

Rachel
She’s like an icon and my character is going to go head to head with this icon who everyone who watches the show adores and here I am…….I was petrified.

Laurel
and you don’t want to say something goofy like “I ripped up my sweatshirt when I saw your movie” <laughing>

Rachel
You’ve got to get over that but then at the same time I was playing a character that was supposed to come face to face with her and be strong.

Laurel
I think the very first scene you shot with her was when you had to refuse her funding.

Rachel
We were doing that at 2 o’clock in the morning and I had been shooting for 3 days non-stop at that point.  It was hard work but she was great to work with it was amazing, she’s wonderful, she’s lovely.

Q. – a question for Laurel.  Who did you enjoy playing most Tina in The L word or Justine in Angel?

Laurel
That’s a tough question.  I have to say I like them both almost equally.  I love the writing on Angel don’t get me wrong, but for me that part was more about the physical stunts and fighting.  I had never really played a character that angry, I’d never slit anyone’s throat, ever!  So, I got to do some really wonderful fun things that you just don’t get to do that much with some of the best stunt coordinators.  On Angel we had some of the guys who had just done the stunts on Spiderman and I got to work with chains and whips…..I might get to do that on The L Word, I’m not sure <laughing> I haven’t been able to yet! 

I like Tina because of course they have given me a lot to chew on, on that show and a lot to do <audience laughs> oh my god!

Q. – Rachel I think you should play Wonder Woman in the new film.

Laurel
She’d be great, she’s be good!  I could play your goofy little sister. Isis or something?

Rachel
She’s American, I’d have to do my American accent.  I thought Sarah Shahi would make a great Wonder Woman.

Laurel
She’d be great

Rachel
She’d be really good for that, she has a waist and the curves you need for that role.

Laurel
I’d watch out for her, I think she’s going to blow up……..not like combust but…….a star

Rachel
She’s definitely going to work non-stop for ever and ever.