By BetteAndTinaForever

Copyright 2008 L-word.com

I went to the GLAAD Awards in LA and bought a ticket to see the show and indulge in the fancy dinner afterwards. (A girl has to have fun...) I was preparing for the event and usually I get so anxious before I have to do interviews or take photos that I can’t eat, so I was famished by the time the show was over. So I’m really glad I had planned ahead, fancy dinner and all.

When I booked my ticket, I saw that it was a “black tie optional” party so I bought a new suit because I don’t wear high heels and anything flat would have made me look shorter; not quite the ‘look’ I was hoping for. The suit was black and the weather in LA was 90 degrees so when I finally arrived at the Kodak Theater, I was almost dead from the heat. But not dead enough to forget what I was there for! I got to the red carpet area and got ready for the pictures.
Again I was somewhere in the middle of the line with other interviewers so it took sometime until The L Word ladies got to me. Jennifer Beals, Laurel Holloman and Ilene Chaiken were there to represent the show, which got nominated for the best drama series and, of course, I was really excited about that. It has also been way too long since Jennifer and Laurel were appearing together in public at any event.

They were posing for pictures at the front of the line where I couldn’t squeeze in anyway, so I waited and waited and waited. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take their pictures together because Laurel only posed for a short time and she was leaving. She wasn’t even going to do any interviews. I saw her coming my way and I called her name, hoping to get a few shots of her.
Laurel stopped to say hello and she told her escort that she wasn’t planning on any interviews because she sprained her ankle but she would talk to me. I felt really honored and humbled and excited.

Here’s our short interview with some wonderful news that I have already posted on Laurel’s thread.

Laurel Holloman: First I want to tell you why I didn’t go to the convention.
B&TF: Some people thought you were pregnant.
LH: I’m not pregnant; I adopted a little girl.

B&TF: You did? Wow…
LH: On March 25.

B&TF: From where?
LH: It’s a domestic adoption. It’s all I can say. So I have two little girls now. I’m not going to say anything yet but it was an amazing experience. I had a wonderful experience with the birth mother who I spent a lot of time with before I left. Her labor was very touch and go and I was not going to leave her alone in that situation and go to London. Sean understood and now that we are back and we have our little girl, I feel more comfortable talking about it. I really wanted to go to London but I didn’t want to risk losing my daughter.

B&TF: Maybe you can come to L5 with Jennifer Beals.
LH: I think that it’s in the works; it’s a possibility. I’ve been asked and I think it would be really neat to go with her. I think we’ll have a great time together.

B&TF: So what do you think is in store for Bette and Tina in season 6? It’s only eight episodes, is that enough?
LH: I hope you’ll see them having a lot of fun. I really hope to see them laugh and play and have a really loving relationship. I think they deserve all of that. I really hope with the episodes we’re shooting; we’re only shooting eight, you know, so I hope within these eight episodes, we can tell a really great story about these women and everything that they’ve come through to arrive at where they are. I think it would be relaxing, it would be really nice.

B&TF: Well, remember, at L2 you were asked about what you envisioned for Bette and Tina in 30 years and you were talking about living on a farm with two kids…something like that?
LH: Yeah (laughing).

B&TF: What do you think about Bette and Tina getting back together through an affair?
LH: I think a lot of that is still destitute with cheating and everything but I think she’s grown a lot and they tried to do the right thing. I think ultimately they have a true love and it won out. I don’t think it’s the end of the world. It’s not like they started in an affair. The affair just brought them back together, like re-engaged them, I guess (laughing).

B&TF: Well, it’s just like Bette said, “It feels like coming home” because Jodi and Bette were never really a couple in my mind and there was no chemistry really.
LH: Yeah, I think the compatibility and chemistry is something that you can’t even explain, you know.

B&TF: I wish we had more time but I just wanted to tell you from your fans that they love you. You got so many new fans after season 5 and you were the best in that season.
LH: Thank you. Tell everyone that season 5 was my favorite, favorite season and I was so happy that it was written that way and I felt like I got to really show all the sides of Tina. Sides that I wanted to show earlier but just for the writing I was never given that opportunity. As soon as it was given to me, I jumped at it. I thought it was going to be the last season so I wanted to blow it out and make her strong and show that with every movie I’ve ever done I wanted to do an arch and I felt like I’ve given this character really great arch from season one to season five. She’s kind of a late bloomer, she had her kid, she’s having a career and she’s really strong. She’s strong in the relationship and that’s what I wanted to do. I feel like it’s icing on a cake that we’ve got the sixth season and now we’ll just make it even better. I feel like I set up something in season five that I’d like to keep going.

B&TF: Well, you know I go on different boards and even some fans who didn’t like Tina before, they became your fans and you’re many fans’ favorite character because of the storylines and your incredible acting.
LH: (with happy smile) Thank you, I got back in…I got back in.
B&TF: Thank you for your time.

I was so overwhelmed with the great news that I couldn’t help myself, and I asked Laurel for a hug and she gave it to me. Did I mention how amazing she is?

Laurel didn’t leave right away because she had to talk with some GLAAD staff member and I took a few more pictures. I really enjoy taking candid photographs when the cast members are not really posing because I find them very interesting and sometimes I can get a really candid pose or a smile or a gesture that captures who they are.

I really hope that Laurel makes it to L5 and I will have another chance to ask more questions about season five and Laurel’s plans for the future. I didn’t ask more questions about her daughter because Laurel mentioned that what she told me is all she could say for now and I didn’t want to press for more information. She’s such an amazing person and every time I meet her and talk to her, she becomes even greater and more wonderful in my eyes; if that’s even possible.

So, now you all know that Laurel and her husband have an addition to their family and we would like to extend to them congratulations and best wishes from l-word.com and all the fans.

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