Release
<div>STAR-STUDDED NEW SHOWTIME ORIGINAL SERIES "THE L WORD" TO DEBUT IN JANUARY</div>
New York, NY, December 3, 2003 -- A host of celebrities including Ann Archer, Roseanna Arquette and Holland Taylor have signed on to guest star on the new upcoming SHOWTIME original series THE L WORD, about a group of young women living in Los Angeles. The series follows their lives, careers, and romantic relationships -- both gay and straight. Co-produced by SHOWTIME and MGM, THE L WORD stars Jennifer Beals, Erin Daniels, Leisha Hailey, Laurel Holloman, Mia Kirshner, Karina Lombard, Eric Mabius, Katherine Moennig, and Pam Grier and it is slated to premiere on SHOWTIME on January 18 at 10:00 PM (ET/PT).
Joining the ensemble cast for guest appearances are: Anne Archer ("Fatal Attraction," "Clear and Present Danger"), Rosanna Arquette ("Things Behind The Sun," "Silverado," "Desperately Seeking Susan"), Lolita Davidovich ("Gods and Monsters," "The Unbearable Lightness of Being"), Ossie Davis ("The Tuskegee Airmen," "Dr. Doolittle," SHOWTIME's "Deacons For Defense"), Devon Gummersall ("My So-Called Life," "The Fugitive" series), Kelly Lynch ("Drugstore Cowboy," "Three of Hearts"), Tammy Lynn Michaels ("That '80s Show," "Popular"), Julian Sands ("Brideshead Revisited," "Leaving Las Vegas"), rap star/actor Snoop Dogg ("Bones," the upcoming "Starsky and Hutch" and albums including "Top Dogg," "Paid Da Cost To Be Tha Boss") and Holland Taylor ("Two and a Half Men," "Legally Blonde," "The Truman Show").
Jenny Schecter (MIA KIRSHNER) is a writer of fiction who has just graduated from college and arrives in Los Angeles to begin her "adult life" with her boyfriend Tim Haspel (ERIC MABIUS). They reside in West Hollywood, next door to Bette Porter (JENNIFER BEALS) and her partner Tina Kennard (LAUREL HOLLOMAN), who are trying to find the perfect sperm donor to help them start a family. Bette's and Tina's close network of friends includes Shane McCutcheon (KATHERINE MOENNIG), who is the resident heartthrob; Dana Fairbanks (ERIN DANIELS), a professional tennis player not yet out of the closet; bisexual journalist Alice Pieszecki (LEISHA HAILEY), and Bette's half-sister Kit Porter (PAM GRIER), who is a musician and a recovering alcoholic. In the two-hour pilot, Jenny's plans for her future are shaken when Marina (KARINA LOMBARD), a beautiful and compelling woman who owns a West Hollywood café, makes a pass at her at a party hosted by Bette and Tina.
Anne Archer guest stars as Alice's "B" actress mother; Roseanna Arquette portrays the wife of a studio head who comes in to get her hair cut by Shane and changes more than her haircut; Lolita Davidovich plays a costume designer who is also Marina's lover; Ossie Davis plays Melvin Porter, father of Bette and Kit; Devon Gummersall plays "Lisa" a lesbian identified man who has a relationship with Alice; Kelly Lynch portrays "Ivan," a drag King who falls for "Kit"; Tammy Lynn Michaels portrays a jilted lover of Shane who stalks her; Julian Sands plays a college professor of Jenny's; Snoop Dogg is "Slim Daddy," a rap star who samples a song that "Kit" wrote a number of years ago; and Holland Taylor plays "Peggy Peabody," an eccentric and wealthy art collector whom Bette convinces to allow her controversial Provocation collection to show at the CAC.
THE L WORD is executive produced by Ilene Chaiken, through her production company Posse Productions, Inc., Steve Golin and Larry Kennar. The pilot is produced by Kathy Greenberg, Michele Abbott and Bob Roe. The pilot teleplay was written by Ilene Chaiken, with the story by Ilene Chaiken and Kathy Greenberg & Michele Abbott. The pilot was directed by Rose Troche.
MGM Television Entertainment handles television development and production for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. Its series lineup includes the smash off-beat dramedy Dead Like Me; Fame, MGM's successful foray in reality programming showcasing the ultimate talent search; the hit syndicated action-adventure series She Spies; the popular post-apocalyptic drama Jeremiah; the award-winning, critically acclaimed series Stargate SG-1 and The Outer Limits; and The L Word, the forthcoming ground-breaking drama. For more information on MGM, visit MGM Online at http://www.mgm.com .
