| THE L WORD SEASON 4 CAST-CREW CHANGES |
by Stephanie Smith
Showtime announced on Friday that Marlee Matlin will be joining the cast of The L Word, which begins filming of its fourth season next month. Matlin will play a deaf lesbian artist, and appears to be a potential love interest for Bette Porter (Jennifer Beals). Matlin won an Oscar for her work in Children of a Lesser God, but is perhaps better known for her work on television. Her television credits include the series Reasonable Doubt, in which she co-starred with Mark Harmon, and a recurring role on NBC’s The West Wing.
Though Showtime has yet to make it official, there also appear to be multiple departures from the cast and crew for the upcoming season. Showtime has not yet announced that Sarah Shahi (Carmen Morales) will not return. However, her name was not included in the ensemble cast listing from Showtime in their Friday press release. Shahi herself has indicated that her work on The L Word is not yet complete, so it appears that she will be back at least for a guest appearance in Season 4.
Shakeups are occurring behind-the-scenes as well. It has been widely rumored that co-creator and co-executive producer Rose Troche will no longer be with the show. While this has not been officially confirmed, comments made by former TLW writer and actor Guinevere Turner indicate that this rumor may in fact be true. In a recent interview, Turner told l-word.com that she would be meeting with Troche “in a few weeks” to work on a sequel to Go Fish. That time frame corresponds to the start of production on Season 4 of The L Word.
Finally, there is unconfirmed speculation that The L Word is parting ways with musical supervisor Natasha Duprey, who has been with the show since the beginning. No reason has been given for her departure. |
COMMENTS DISCLAIMERS
L-Word.com is not affiliated with Showtime Inc. and no connection is expressed or implied. |
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2006-05-02, 09:40:03 AM
From: Seahurst
Comments: Rose Troche will be a HUGE loss to this show if the rumors are true...HUGE loss.
2006-05-02, 12:06:05 PM
From: BeLena
Comments: Yeah I share your opinion, this can't be true, I thought Rose Troche was as important to the L WOrd as Ilene, guess I was wrong
2006-05-02, 12:29:45 PM
From: Massmom
Comments: If Rose goes, that's a bad sign for S4, IMO. Sorry to see Natasha the music supervisor go too, because I generally like the music choices that aren't EZGirl generated.
2006-05-02, 14:55:22 PM
From: Jthegothgirl
Comments: Real loss with Troche. But at least Shahi might be back for S4, I really like her character "Carmen".
2006-05-02, 16:46:52 PM
From: vam
Comments: Definitely seems to be something wrong in the state of Denmark! Someone seems to be swinging a scythe through the cast and crew and the show is losing a lot of the very people who could be said to have helped in its initial success. It has always been my experience that once a production team is in turmoil, the cast become very unsettled and it begins to show in performance. There seems to be a current of unprofessionalism now running through every decision and one wonders what the senior, experienced members of the team must think of it all. I imagine a lot of folk are looking for their exit route. A pity, because I think this show was fresh and unique in its early days. Good luck to Rose and Natasha.
2006-05-02, 17:01:25 PM
From: bluedevil
Comments: Wow, almost sounds like the beginning of the end if the good people who were there at the beginning are leaving/being pushed out. I would LOVE to know how the cast really feels about the L now.
2006-05-02, 17:17:50 PM
From: fergz1
Comments: Don't agree with IC bye bye
2006-05-02, 19:03:21 PM
From: missyang
Comments: Give up on Rose Troche in exchange of EZGirl? IC must be crazy somehow. Maybe it's time to cut her 'right hand'.
2006-05-02, 20:29:19 PM
From: ChakaSB
Comments: Rose Troche is an excellent director and writer, she saved this show... oh dear this is not great news.
2006-05-02, 22:07:10 PM
From: bluedevil
Comments: Forgot to say before: What is up with Showtime? It's been a series of bad decisions lately.
2006-05-03, 05:34:33 AM
From: dannylc
Comments: I couldn't agree more with Seahurst and Massmom. Losing Rose and Natasha..BIG LOSSES. Looks like the beginning of the end. Luckily the amazing characters created by IC will be able to live on through fantastic stories created by the many talented writers right here on this site.
2006-05-03, 06:33:05 AM
From: good girl
Comments: rumors if this one is true about Rose Troche i think we will see TOP cast members going next bye bye TLW
2006-05-03, 06:44:26 AM
From: DANA!
Comments: I will be extremely dissapointed if Rose leaves. She does the best sex scenes. Also ... I just can't see Marlee Matlin as any kind of sexy ... and I can't see her with Bette. But if it does happen ... I guess she won't have to hear Bette complain!
2006-05-03, 10:49:23 AM
From: spacystacy
Comments: Marlee Maitlin as a love interest for Bette - aargh, HATE that idea. No,no,no,no,no!
2006-05-03, 21:52:56 PM
From: sallynshane14
Comments: as long as SHANE is back, i support the show lol :P
2006-05-03, 22:19:41 PM
From: tfan
Comments: This seals the deal: this show is now officially dead in the water. Last season was an absolute disaster, so no wonder smart people like Rose Troche are jumping off this sinking ship! Brace yourselves, people, there will be NO Season 5.
2006-05-04, 14:50:31 PM
From: alpLewes
Comments: Carmen - Sarah Shahi has a role in the sitcom "Teachers"seen Wed night at 9:30 so possibly she will be tied up with that show
2006-05-04, 15:00:21 PM
From: Calif_ErinDFan
Comments: Wow...who next? Erin Daniels departure is the one that hurts the most for me. Losing Rose and possibly Sarah...jeez! The possible departure of Natasha...well EZ Girl seems to found IC's soft spot, so go figure!
2006-05-04, 20:46:46 PM
From: KayScarpetta
Comments: Can we vote one of the cast memebers off the island? My vote goes to Jenny and her never ending and pointless whiney/I'm a victim scenes
2006-05-05, 10:33:51 AM
From: bunnies_frighten_me
Comments: GRRRRRRRRR we lose Rose and Natasha, which means more power to EZGirl!!!! EZGirl is the worst thing about the show. Her AWFUL AWFUL music drives viewers insane!! I have never seen good comments about her.
2006-05-05, 10:42:23 AM
From: corkur
Comments: Personally, I disagree with all the comments posted here. Was it not the last season that was the worst yet? Despite Rose Troche and Sarah Shahi as well as Natasha. Let's try and see the glass as half full rather than half empty and see this as a fresh overhaul of the series instead of it's doom. Perhaps new blood will shed some new spirit and some new directing will show "direct" us in a better way. I, too, love Carmen, but even after loving Marina in Season one, thinking i was going to miss her in Season 2, I really didn't as she was just used as part of Jenny's storyline as she struggled with her sexuality. Same goes for Carmen. She was an important member of the cast as the girlfriend we believed that Shane would never have - her role solely was based on her relationship with Shane. IMO, I'd like to see Shane go back to who she was or "really is" as she was fleshed out to be in season one. It's like Brian on QAF - he did have a relationship with Justin but it was only because they were able to keep it "open" otherwise it wouldn't have worked because Brian was Brian and he never changed over the 5 seasons of that show until the last few eps of season 5 in which he admitted to "loving" Justin. But we always knew that he did, he just never expressed it vocally. IC - please bring back the flavor and the freshness of TLW's fist season and don't try to change the who the characters really are. The only consistent character was Jenny, who was f****k up from the first season. She overcame most of her deeply seated problems but she is still the person she was to begin with and i commend most of all Mia Kirshner for that. Bette has changed drastically, Tina has changed completely (most of all for the pogo-stick), Alice has changed, Dana is dead, Moira is a waste of time and Helena, even though I like her better now has changed from being a ruthless bitch to suddenly being a saint willing to do anything for these "friends" who were anything but in season 2. The core of the show, TiBette exists no longer and that has been in my eyes the most important mistake IC has made in season 3. All in all, I just hope that they restore some sort of core (even if it's not TiBette anymore) to the program. I'd like to see a healthy lesbian relationship between two main characters - maybe Helena and Bette or bring Tina and Bette back together, or Tina and Lara, because that would give us the circle of friends we had in the first season held together by this healthy and loving relationship. Some changes MUST be made, let's just hope IC sees that and moves season 4 into the right direction but in order to do that serious changes to the cast (and directors/writers) must be made. Come on ladies, let us not give up on TLW, it's the only show we have after QAF had ended that reflects the lesbian/gay lifestyle, we need to be loyal to it. And as hard as it was for me to watch the third season, imo, the worst season to date, but I am not going to give up hope and "see the glass as half full- rather than half empty.
2006-05-05, 10:47:15 AM
From: corkur
Comments: Sorry ladies, i could not "preview" my post and realized i made some grammar mistakes - just overlook them please!
2006-05-05, 10:54:53 AM
From: corkur
Comments: I forgot to mention that even though Rose Troche is leaving and she did direct excellent sex scenes, let's not forget that there are plenty of other lesbian directers out there, who will or can fill her place and give us great sex scenes as well. Let's not forget the numerous lesbian movies besides "Go Fish" that have had great sex scenes in them, that were not directed by Rose Troche. I admit she is a great director but there are numerous great directors out there who can bring us what we are looking for. (I.e. the director who gave us the wonderful sex scenes in "A Girl Thing" with Kate Capshaw and Elle MacPherson!)
2006-05-05, 16:37:19 PM
From: zee4
Comments: May I suggest Lisa Cholodenko of High Art. I think Rose Troche is a more than adequate director , but there are many talented women out there, that perhaps could establish a more consistent style and coherent plot and character arc if given the chance to direct more than one or two episodes. High Art is a wonderful film, I vote Cholodenko all the way!!!!
2006-05-05, 16:47:26 PM
From: Dawsons23
Comments: SERIOUSLY, WHY ARE THEY LOOSING PEOPLE LEFT AND RIGHT? Troche is an ASSET to the show, they'd be well advised not to loose her. I don't know about you all but the show is going further and further down hill.
2006-05-05, 21:09:37 PM
From: gale26
Comments: What is the show coming to???? I mean everyone seems to be leaving the show. What's up with that????? :o(
2006-05-06, 13:52:34 PM
From: Keisha
Comments: the day, they announce that BETTY will not be in any form apart of the show, and until they say that The character Henry will only be in the first 2-3 episodes, then gone forever, than I will never be happy! ... but this is a loss!, I don't understand ... aint they heard the term if it aint broke, dont fix it! s1 cast & crew was amazing, then ilene and co fast up, and change, and now Look *roll eyes*, anyhoo good luck to those two in the future!
2006-05-08, 02:48:24 AM
From: countessboobula
Comments: I'll bet it's B.S. Rose leaving and all. I'm upset though. If Bette has a new love interest in Marlee Matlin, where does that leave Tina? In the arms of, ugh, Henry? Is TLW team kidding?
2006-05-08, 08:55:32 AM
From: columbia76
Comments: lol, my girlfriend told me not to tell her the goss for season four... am getting the tissues ready for when she realises that she can't druel over carmen anymore... am still grieving the loss or marina....
2006-05-08, 20:47:37 PM
From: Gigi88
Comments: i have to say i disagree w/ the comments about marlee matlin joining the cast. i for one am really excited she is joining. i absolutely loved her in 'what the bleep do we know"? i think she's wonderful and will bring alot to the show. she also seemed really interesting in interviews and i liked what she had to say about wanting to bring a face to "deaf lesbians". (i'm not sure she phrased it exactly like that, sorry if that's not the PC term)...i will be devestated if carmen leaves though:( which it seems she is. waaah.
2006-05-09, 03:15:58 AM
From: Caesar
Comments: Its sad that DJ Carmen will not be in Season 4, she and the original L-word team, is what makes it such a spectactular preformance.
2006-05-09, 19:04:22 PM
From: Berlinwall
Comments: Its so sad to see this happening to the show...I honestly feel that IC'S affliation with EZ has brought on alot of this....maybe not all..but alot.The cast has to be discontented...they already were last year with the departure of ED. I will try to remain optimistic about S4 .......but as of now if don't look good. Maybe we will be presently surprised......I hope.
2006-05-10, 14:05:40 PM
From: QuikSilver146
Comments: This is all sad. What will i do if i have to see Sarah Shahi playing a straight girl from now on? She is too talented to be a lame ass "token hottie". She has a character with emotions and history and a life in The L Word...anything else is just using her as eye candy, and that's not cool. Teachers is a boring show, and i only watch it because she's on it, and because it's between 2 good NBC shows on Thursdays...Touche NBC...good tactics.As for Rose Troche leaving, i hope it isn't true. She's incredible, and she's a major part of The L Word. There has been alot of drama and saddness in the past season, but i still love the show. But i do fear that if we keep loosing people, the show will just go downhill, and from what i read from other fans, it already has.On The Bright side...Go Fish part 2? AWESOME!Out of all the characters that are leaving and dying....i just have one question. DO WE REALLY NEED TINA? I mean, come on...is anyone interested in her story anymore? I mean, we just want to know what's gonna happen to Bette and the baby. But if any character needs to leave, it's Tina. Sorry Laurel, you're amazing, but Tina...she needs to go..or at least snap back into reality. Lets just hope season 3 was a big nightmare for all the characters after a night of crazy partying, and they'll all wake up in the arms of their lovers, and the worst thing will be, that they all have bad hangovers. I remain loyal to the show, i hope i dont get let down.
2006-07-27, 00:47:02 AM
From: chinaeyes_22
Comments: me too, love shane and carmen... wish them both to fix the misunderstandings and hopefully the stories will end up good for both of them... i will miss carmen(sarah shahi) as a lover of shane! anyone can make a way to bring carmen back to L Word?! please....
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