'The L Word: Generation Q' brings on board a whole new generation of the LGBTQ community from diverse backgrounds
'The L Word: Generation Q', the sequel to Showtime's very popular 'The L Word' is coming to the network later this week. When the show first came to Showtime in 2004, it created a revolution with its portrayal of (largely) queer women, their ups and downs and relationships.
However, as ground-breaking as the original run of the 'The L Word' was, it featured a very limited spectrum of the wide pool of queer people, concentrating mostly on queer women. And while we are not one to complain, the sequel 'The L Word: Generation Q' one-ups the original by expanding its limited pool of women.
'The L Word: Generation Q' brings back the roles of Jennifer Beals (as Bette Porter), Leisha Hailey (as Alice Pieszecki) and Katherine Moennig (as Shane McCutcheon).
It also brings on board a whole new generation of the LGBTQ community starring Arienne Mandi as Dani Nùñez, Rosanny Zayas as Sophie Suarez, Leo Sheng as Micah Lee, Jacqueline Toboni as Sarah Finley, Brian Michael Smith as Pierce Williams, and Freddy Miyares as Jose Garcia.
It is worth noting that the new characters on 'The L Word: Generation Q' come from diverse backgrounds.
Zayas, who is a Dominican from New York in real life playing a Dominican from New York on the show, has been a lifelong fan of the show watching it late during school nights, "waking up so tired for school the next day," she tells MEA WorldWide (MEAWW) at the premiere of the show.
'The L Word: Generation Q' looks at opening up to the wider queer world including voices and stories from diverse backgrounds for the audience of today.
"You definitely get to see more queer people of color on television and trans actors on the show, opening up the world for everyone to see to watch and learn and fall in love with all of us," Zayas tells us.
Similarly, for Miyarez, who plays the role of Jose Garcia, eventually sparking a relationship with Sheng's Micah Lee, the most exciting part about the sequel is the inclusion.
He tells us that this time around, the show is bound to attract people from outside the community. "Love has no face, no color, no identity — it's all-inclusive. And this series goes beyond just love — there is laughter, pain, struggle — and it tells it all; and anyone watching can identify with it."
Particularly an entire generation of today that is not well-versed with the original show. Like Jordan Hull, who plays the role of Angelica Porter-Kennard, Bette's teenage daughter.
When she first got the offer for the show, she was unfamiliar with the show because it was "a little before my time" and remembered "watching it vaguely".
But working on the show taught her a lot about a world she was hardly aware of, struggles that her generation is unaware of. "I learned a lot about things that everyone needs to know — the injustices in the world and injustices against the trans community. Trans rights was a big, important thing I learned on the show."
Hull believes that the show will hopefully spark a meaningful conversation about social justice by "listening to people of different diversities".
'The L Word: Generation Q' comes to Showtime on December 8, 2019, at 10/9c and promises to bring a plethora of stories from across the country. And we are ready!