By BetteAndTinaForever

L5 Photos

I first met Janina Gavankar last year at the Curve magazine L word party. She was absolutely delightful to talk to, very energetic and entertaining. Later the same year I saw her in Vagina Monologs in LA and, though she admitted being a little nervous, Janina did a great job with her monologue.

I personally think she was brilliant in her role on the L Word. You know how some characters just come and go and when they disappear you don't even notice? Well, not with Papi.

Janina was on the show for one season but she brought a lot of light and humor that the show had been missing since the dark third season. Janina also showed many layers to her character and I for one, am glad that Papi is back for Season 6.

On Saturday we had an interview and before we began, Janina offered me something to drink. It was really nice of her because during the convention I always have so much to do that often I have no time to just sit down, relax and have lunch or a drink. I asked for tea and milk…I know it sounds very British but honestly, this was the one thing I enjoyed in Blackpool. The traditional British breakfast with mushy beans and orange eggs makes me ill and I was already running out my energy bars that I brought with me from the States. So I really enjoyed the tea!

You all will be proud of me! I didn't ask even one Bette and Tina question.

B&TF: What do you want to do next as far as TV shows or movies? Do you have any new projects lined up?

JG: I have a new project but there is not much to report on that yet. I'd love to continue what I've been doing. I've been very lucky since leaving The L Word, doing several guest appearances. It's fun to hop into different shows, and experience their ecosystem for a week or two. But I also love creating a character and living with her for a few months, seeing where she goes and how she develops. So yeah, if I could be on a show for a long period, be able to do these little one-off things AND make music, which is mostly impossible, I'd really love that.

I also created a show recently and shot a pilot presentation for it. So I've been asking myself, "What do I really want to do? Do I want to keep flitting from one show to the next, with time to work on all the things I want to create, or should I be on a show for a long time?" I don't have an answer yet.

B&TF: What do you like to do more: drama, comedy, action or horror and what feature movie from any of these genres would you like to be part of?

JG: Hmmmm let me think about it. Right now, I'd love to do an action movie. I love the idea of being in some sort of a spy-action movie where the character has to take on the form of different women to solve world crime (laughing). And I'd love to have it become a video game as well as action figures. I'm a geek so I love all the spin-off things that happen when you're part of a project that really pops.

B&TF: What is your favorite video game?

JG: I just got a PS3 and started "Little Big Planet". It's cute and so beautiful because it's on Blu-ray. My everyday staple is "Dr. Mario" on the Wii. Here is my friend code for it: 629655644933. Anyone who's reading, if you want to challenge me to the game: "Dr. Mario" on a Wii – Bring It On!!

B&TF: Okay.

JG: I loved BioShock, and Resident Evil 4. I love games where you can be cuddly with your significant other on the couch and play together, whether you're blowing up heads or solving puzzles. I love the Rainbow 6 series and I'm just getting into First Person Shooters.

B&TF: Let's talk about your music a little. What are you working on now?

JG: I have a few different music projects going on right now. I'm working on a six-song album with an incredible Russian artist named Ella Leya (http://ellaleya.com). Each song is about a different woman in history. It's a complete departure from anything I've done before. I've also been playing marimba and singing on film soundtracks for a friend of mine, Timo Chen (http://www.t-monicmusic.com/).

B&TF: The song you did for season four, "Invest in My Love", did you write it?

JG: Yep, along with a friend of mine.

B&TF: It was a perfect song for that scene with Catherine and Helena.

JG: Oh my gosh…I tell you...When they took the song I knew it was part of the tenth episode but that's all I knew. Then when I sat down to watch the episode …there's the black screen with Showtime Presents and then "Too-toom, too-toom…invest in my love…" (singing) and I squealed "Oh my Gooooood". I had no idea (laughing). I thought it would be somewhere in the background but it was featured so prominently, I was quite excited. It was nice to have two parts of my life connected to one show.

B&TF: I didn't know it was you singing until I downloaded it to my iPod. It's a great song.

JG: Thanks!

B&TF: Since we only know you from Season 4 so far, what is your favorite scene from that season?

JG: Season 4, hmm. There are two. I really love the basketball scene. It was not only funny but it was my first chance to work with the full cast. It was such an eye opener to see how committed they were to their characters. How creative they were within the confines of the words on the page and how differently they interpret the words on the page.

B&TF: So there was a lot of improvisation involved?

JG: Definitely. It was improvisation and also character traits. For instance… Mia holding the cup of coffee! Some of the crew wondering if this actress was just being a diva and holding on to her coffee? And she was like….., "No, no. I want to use it in the scene." And she was spot on, it was hilarious.

B&TF: Yes, it was.

JG: And Leisha screaming like a little kid and everyone just dying with laughter. You see these girls work and you realize that they know their characters better than anyone there.

B&TF: What about all the name calling, like Carmelita Tropicana, Brown Barbie…was it improvised too?

JG: I think those were actually on the page. It was really a magical moment for me as an actor to really be welcomed into their family that way. It was my third episode.

B&TF: Second favorite scene?

JG: Another favorite. Salsa dancing with Pam Grier. I was thinking, "What kind of gold have I struck? What a moment in my career! I will remember this forever! I'm salsa dancing with a legend."

B&TF: Were there a lot of takes for this scene or did you just go with the flow and just dance?

JG: We had to choreograph it for camera. And Pam is awesome. She can do anything.

B&TF: If not Papi, who else would you like to play on the L Word if you had a choice?

JG: Wow... Ivan. What an amazing job Kelly Lynch did. She's great, heart-wrenching. She was so good. So yes, Ivan…who else? Maybe Dana.

B&TF: You wanted to die?

JG: (laughing) Just because she was so funny and so innocent and awkward and adorable. But no one could touch what these women did on the L Word.

B&TF: Papi was all over the place and we know she was with Alice and Helena. Who else would you do from the L Word characters, given the chance?

JG: We know she's slept with Tasha in the past; she had those two girls that fought with each other over her at that poker game; she was with a movie star she'd picked up from the high stakes poker game. She does try with Kit, which isn't good. I always thought Papi and Tina could have some fun. Don't you feel like that?

B&TF: Of course (not convincingly).

JG: Of course (laughing)…but actually Laurel and I were talking about that. Wouldn't it be funny that the way….. Tina coming back to the ladies through Papi? Wouldn't it be great? But it didn't happen. It would've been fun, though.

B&TF: What about Papi and Shane?

JG: I just feel like the world would implode if Shane and Papi had sex.

B&TF: It would be weird.

JG: Yes, it would be weird and bad. It would not be good for either of them. It would be …, "That's what I do!!"… "No, I do that!!" … "No, I do!!" … "No, I'm the one who” … "No, I am" (laughing). No, it would be bad.

B&TF: How was it for you to be back for Season 6, not only as Papi but also as Janina, to be back on the set?

JG: It was great. It was like I'd never left in a way. I arrived back in Vancouver and I looked around and it was as if everything had changed but nothing had changed. It was such a weird time warp. You feel the nostalgia and you just get back into it easily. Personally I was really happy to be back, to wrap up everything with everyone. And you know, Papi had been gone for a while and it was nice to see what she'd been up to.

B&TF: They never explained why she disappeared. Will we get some explanation?

JG: Well, it's not really an explanation. You know, she's been off having some fun romping through West Hollywood. No explanation really needed. You know what she was up to.

B&TF: Any scenes with Kit?

JG: I can't tell you anything. I'm sorry, nothing (laughing).

To know more about Janina, you can go to
http://www.JaninaGavankar.com
http://www.MsDewey.com