By BetteAndTinaForever

See all the photos from the Farewell party!

On March 3, 2009, Showtime held a Farewell Party to the ladies of The L Word in Los Angeles. It was a private party and l-word.com got an invitation to the red carpet. I arrived to West Hollywood earlier that day and after a few stops to a coffee shop, Fred Segal store on Melrose Blvd, and a gay/lesbian bookstore, I finally made it to Café La Boheme where the party was being held.

After a few hours of waiting and chatting with other reporters and photographers, I had to get ready because the guests finally began to arrive. You all saw the pictures, I hope and there are more coming that I took that evening. All the L Word ladies looked fabulous and there were a few cast members that came to the red carpet as a surprise.

There was a small crowd of autograph hunters and it was funny watching them yelling everyone’s names and asking for an autograph. I’m not sure how many of the cast members actually signed their autographs but I saw Laurel, Mia, Marlee, and Ilene doing it before the red carpet.

It seemed like most of the cast members haven’t seen each other since they finish filming the last season and there were a lot of hugging and laughing going on, while they were trying to pose separately and in groups.

Because there were too many photographers and reporters, I took my spot right on the edge in between people with cameras and people with microphones so I would have a chance to take photos and ask a few questions. The time was short and I was only allowed to ask one question from some cast members. Some of them talked a little longer to me and some didn’t have a time to stop and chat at all.

Laurel Holloman was one of those who couldn’t talk to me because she had to go through other reporters first and then she had to leave earlier because she had an audition the following morning. This was great news and I want to wish Laurel good luck in her future endeavors. I’m pretty sure there will be another chance for me talk to her because I, as the rest of the Tina fans, really would like to know her thoughts on the final episode and the now infamous interrogation tapes.

Anyway, as the evening progressed and the other guests were arriving and going inside the café to party, the cast members on the red carpet were finishing as well and I talked to a few of them. Some of them were really short with their answers and I think it was mostly due to the lack of time and because Ilene Chaiken was there and they didn’t want to say what they really thought about the last season. But this is just my assumption.

***
Kate Moenning stopped by me first and after she was done with another reporter, I asked her a question.

B&TF: What do you personally think about Shane and Jenny getting together because before at the convention you said it will never happen?

Kate Moennig: I don’t right this stuff but I personally like them better as friends.

***
Marlee Matlin was next and as usual, she was nice and kind and so different from Jodi. I couldn’t help myself but ask about the dance number she did in episode 607.

B&TF: They brought you back for episode 607 because it was sort of a tribute to the Dancing with the Stars. We know now that Jodi won the dance competition. Do you think it was fair that Jodi won?

Marlee Matlin: I think Jodi won fair and square and I owe a big thank you to Ilene for letting Jodi win.

***
And then there was Mia Kirshner. I had so many questions to ask her but was limited only to one and I decided to ask her about all the negativity towards Jenny in season six. By the way, Mia is coming to L6 Convention in Blackpool this September so I hope to have another chance for a longer interview with her.

B&TF: Instead of celebrating the show and the community in the last season, Ilene decided to make it more negative with a lot of negative emotions towards Jenny. Why do you think she chose to do it this way?

Mia Kirshner: I don’t know. I mean, I have no idea because she didn’t discuss this with me so I think it’s the question you should ask her.

***
Janina Gavankar was next and I might say that Janina is one of the friendliest and most energetic persons I know. She’s a lot of fun to talk to and I hope she will be able to make it to another convention so we can keep up with the news about her career.

B&TF: So you were only in one episode with Gabby. What were you actually doing when they were filming that scene with all the noises?

Janina Gavankar: Oh, wouldn’t you like to know? (Laughing)

B&TF: It sounded like you were having fun…

JG: Yeah…Gabby Deveaux…what a funny character and Guinevere is just crazy. We had all these hilarious ideas of things to do. We were actually going to go to a sound stage and bring props and do more horrible things. You have to ask Guinevere.

B&TF: She’s coming to L6 Convention so I will ask her.

JG: Is she? I’m so glad.

B&TF: You should come again too…you could be a really great MC.

JG: I’ll try.

***
Kate French was the last person I talked to and she did mention a few things that made me understand her character a little bit better.

B&TF: Your character seems to be undecided about who she wants to be with in the last season, Jenny or Shane. What’s going in Niki’s head?

Kate French: I think Niki Stevens’ love was Jenny. I think she really fell in love with Jenny and she enjoyed it because it was a serious relationship. With Shane it’s like a challenge of conquering a woman that conquers all and I think that Niki kind of had that going for her as well because she’s a celebrity and she’s young. When Shane and she got together, I feel like it’s almost a competition to see who can be the sexiest and who dominates who and that was the allure with the whole Shane character. I think she actually really loved Jenny.

B&TF: So who killed Jenny? Everyone had something against her…Niki was hiding behind the bushes…

KF: I don’t know. I thought it was going to be me, honestly, but then we shot the last episode all on green screen and I have no idea. They kept changing different pages for the script and so none of us actually knows. I honestly think that it will end up being an accident or something because I really don’t think that anyone has a motive strong enough to kill her. Who knows, I have no idea but I hope it’s an accident.

B&TF: Me too.

***
And that was pretty much all. The cast members and other guests had to go inside where executives from Showtime were saying goodbye to The L Word and the cast. I stayed until the end and was even invited inside by one of the Showtime representatives but the party was almost over at that time and I decided to wait outside, in case there will be time for some short interviews after the party.

Laurel and Mia left pretty much after the red carpet was over; Kate and Rose left together and quickly walked away, chased by some autograph hunters down the street; Janina and her manager left at about the same time and I had a little chat with her while she was waiting for her car; Ilene left soon as well, signing a few more autographs; Daniela Sea was one of the last cast members to leave and a huge limousine was waiting for her. The car left through a back exit and all the autograph hunters ran in that direction, some of them almost getting under the tires to get autographs through an open window. It was hilarious.

It was an exciting and also a very sad evening because it’s probably one of the last times when most of the cast members would gather together at the same time. It was already evident from their hugs in the beginning that they already moved on with their lives and probably see each other very rarely.

The show is over but there will be more events and conventions in the future and we will continue bringing you news and photos and keep you updated about The L Word cast members.