The L Word Generation Q: New cast and returning stars revealed
The L Word: Generation Q cast members Jacqueline Toboni, Rosanny Zayas, Leo Sheng and Arienne Mandi
The cast has been revealed for the reboot of The L Word, and fans are already excited.
Showtime announced the cast for the reboot, officially titled The L Word: Generation Q, on Monday (June 24).
The lesbian TV drama is set to make its return a decade after the original series ended, but will largely focus on a younger generation of queer people.
The L Word: Generation Q features a new generation of queer characters (Showtime)
The show’s new cast is significantly more diverse, including a transgender actor and several queer people of colour.
The L Word: Generation Q to feature diverse young cast
Arienne Mandi has been cast as high-flying PR exec Dani Nùñez, trans man Leo Sheng will play professor Micah Lee, Jacqueline Toboni is set to star as the religious Sarah Finley, and Rosanny Zayas will play TV producer Sophie Suarez.
Meanwhile, original stars Jennifer Beals, Katherine Moennig and Leisha Hailey are all confirmed to return to their respective roles as Bette Porter, Shane McCutcheon and Alice Pieszecki.
According to information released ahead of its debut: “The L Word: Generation Q continues to follow the intermingled lives of Bette Porter, Alice Pieszecki and Shane McCutcheon, along with new characters Dani Nùñez , Micah Lee, Sarah Finley and Sophie Suarez as they experience love, heartbreak, sex, setbacks and success in L.A.
“Dani is a powerful and calculating PR executive whose ambition is only tested by her conscience. Micah is an earnest, soft-spoken adjunct professor who is forced to confront his fear of vulnerability.”
The L Word: Generation Q is set to air in 2019
“Sarah ‘Finley’ is a charming but unfocused assistant who struggles to reconcile her sexual orientation with her religious upbringing. Sophie is a TV producer who guards her heart and is quick to put other people’s needs before her own.
Original series creator Ilene Chaiken will serve as an executive producer for the project, handing off showrunner duties to Marja-Lewis Ryan.
Speaking to NBC previously, Chaiken said: “One of things Marja and I connected over in the very beginning and one of the reasons it was clear that she was so right to do that show is that she and I really like telling stories about sex and making film about sex and portraying it and enjoying it and exploring it.
“It’s really important to me that the person who takes over this show shares my enjoyment of telling sexy stories about sex.”
Asked about whether the revival will demonstrate greater awareness of diversity, Chaiken responded: “Absolutely. There’s no question.
“And there were criticisms of The L Word as well as of other shows. And what I would say is I accept all of those criticisms.
“The world has changed; we’ve learned a great deal, I’ve learned a great deal. “
She continued: “I know things now that I didn’t know then, and I’m glad to know them. I recognise the sensitivities.
“I also think that to some degree the kind of—I’m going to call them the rules, but I think it’s the wrong categorisation—they’re always evolving.
“Marja is really keenly attuned to the issues of representation and inclusivity… I think people will be gratified by how inclusive this show is.”
