by Jennifer Matos

Daniela Sea Chats with L-Word.Com PART 2

TLW: And the thing about the L Word, there are people who feel that it’s not an accurate representation of lesbians and lesbian culture. I think that there’s a great deal of diversity on the show, and I am happy to see that, but what are your thoughts on classism and class issues and how that’s portrayed on the show?

DS: Well, that’s an interesting question, you know, because usually what people ask me is if I feel that it represents lesbians accurately and then my answer would be, usually that, that’s a certain cross-section of people in L.A., and it happens to be a little diverse, which is nice for us. But as for class, and how it’s portrayed in the show, yeah, when it comes to TV, a lot of times, it’s, well, when it comes to media in general, when we’re infiltrated with it, we’re kind of expected to live up to these unbelievable or unattainable heights or whatever, you know? And all of the sudden we’re expected to have a nice car, or fancy Gucci clothes, and all that’s just definitely happening on the show, you know, people are wearing designer clothes, and the characters don’t make that kind of money that, you know, it’s unrealistic in certain ways, but then that’s kind of the fantasy of, I mean, I myself don’t have a television, so I’d never seen the show before I got the job or anything, so I’m coming from a different standpoint, that’s what I expect for TV, like in a way it’s a fantasy for people a little bit. I think that the L Word is great in that it brings up all this political stuff and it tries to be way more real than most of the other shows that I’ve ever heard about and then the other side is more the smoke and mirrors of it, like you know, people are really wearing make-up, even if they look like they’re not and you know, got whatever weird thing underneath to make you look a certain way and it’s all part of the smoke and mirrors of it. Yeah, it’s not a documentary but it’s, show business. I mean, I think it’s nice sometimes to be able to go into that fantasy land of movies or TV because it’s so different from our life. That class issue scene was one of my favorite ones to do because it was so satisfying, most of us have felt that way and it’s not often talked about. That feeling of not just being ostracized, but being financially left out, in a way, like being in a restaurant and everything is really expensive and you’re the only one who doesn’t have any money and you’re too ashamed to tell anyone so you’re just alone in this awkward situation. It was great to tell that story on TV.

TLW: Well, it was definitely something that resonated with viewers who thought “Oh, great! Finally, an L Word character who’s not rich or making tons of money or what-not and then, by the end of season three when he gets that job as an IT technician, he says “I’m making six figures.” How did you feel about that transition?

DS: Well, yeah, I definitely questioned that because I felt that this is exciting and that’s probably what resonated with people, and something that I definitely loved about the character. But if you listen to his story and what he actually wanted when he first set out to L.A., I think it does make sense, I mean, he said he liked computer programming, and wasn’t like an anarchist, like choosing not to have any money or something, he just didn’t have a job, so it made sense for the character, but yeah, for me, I was like, “Oh I wish it could have been, could be someone who didn’t have a lot of money on”, but you know, there’ll be other characters and we’ll see him go through different changes and stuff and that’s how he and I differ I guess, like he’s more driven in that way, he’s a bit into that stuff, the corporate stuff, you know, like having a nice car and all that.

TLW: And it also seems that he needs, or feels the need to prove himself out there.

DS: Yeah, and that’s the real thing is that, he and I come from totally different places in a certain way even though we’re similar in some ways, so that’s the thing, he wants to fit in, he wants to be a good member of society, be like a good guy, you know. And you know, from his background like lower-middle class background, that’s a way that he feels he can contribute and be a good member of the world, you know? I think that everyone should feel like they belong if hey can in some way or another.

TLW: Definitely. And in society it’s a shame that you just can’t feel like you belong or be yourself.

DS: Yeah, I mean, I have the opportunity to do it in a different way, you know, but everybody’s different.

TLW: How have the fans reacted with you regarding the character?

DS: You mean when people come up to me on the street?

TLW: Yeah, that, and what have you heard about responses to “Max”?

DS: I guess I’ve heard a whole range of stuff. I mean, I’ve definitely had guys or people writing me saying that I never knew what some of these certain feelings were, but now you know, I understand that I and “Max” have a lot in common because I think that maybe I’m actually a guy or down to like, people having a crush on “Max” and wondering if I’m anything like him or “Hey, we miss ‘Moira’, why does she have to become a ‘he’ when we have this butch character?” I guess it’s just been a range of stuff but one of my favorite things that happened lately, and this is just an example of it, but in New York, I was having all different kinds of people coming up to me and talking to me who watch the show and it was a whole range of people and it was actually rarely even lesbians. You know, I had this one guy in the Post Office, like a janitor, there, and he looked like he was about ready to retire, this old dude, and he came up to me and was like, “Hey, ‘Max’, where’s your suit?” or whatever, from like young people, I mean, I don’t know. A policeman stopped me one day and said “I just want you to know that I love your work.” A police officer never just talked nicely to me out of a car window before. That’s interesting to me to think that, a character like “Max”, not just a transgendered person, but like, whatever, just the kind of person that “Max” is and that’s in people’s consciousness, regular people of the country. I guess that’s how I hope it’s affecting some sort of positive change.

TLW: How do you deal with people who don’t like Max? How do you deal with that? How do you respond?

DS: Well, you know what, I’ve never really had anyone like come face to face to me or even send me emails that were particularly negative about, mostly it was this thing about “Why did ‘Max’ have to get so violent? I was so mad at him when he did that.” Or that sort of thing. I don’t take it personally because it’s not me. I just think of it like we’re talking about a character in a book or something even though I feel personally connected in a way. It all starts with an idea in the minds of the writers and then as actors we inhabit those ideas and hopefully help bring them to life, but it all can go back to ideas pretty quickly, too, you know?

TLW: I’ve read in interviews that you’ve said that you really like “Max”, that part of what you and “Max” have in common is that you are both “gentlemanly”. If you had to tell L Word viewers why they should like “Max” or what is appealing about him, or kind of his good traits, what would you say?

DS: Yeah, I just think he’s different things, I think he’s a gentle soul, I think he’s always thinking about everybody else in the room, always thinking about if everyone else has what they need, that kind of thing. He’s pretty cordial for the most part and he’d be a good friend to have, I’d think, he’d be loyal and sweet and strong and stuff.

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