What Did the ‘L Word’ Stars Do Before ‘Generation Q’? (PHOTOS)
The L Word: Generation Q
In March, Showtime terminated Generation Q, the sequel series to The L Word, after three seasons.
Chris McCarthy, the CEO of Showtime and Paramount Media Networks, name-dropped the L Word franchise in December 2022 when he announced his plan “to lean into Showtime’s strengths” and cited three key areas for the channel’s brand: “Complex and subversive antiheroes like Dexter and Yellowjackets, powerful high-stakes worlds like Homeland and Billions, and unconventional cultural takes like The L Word and The Chi — all to make the biggest hits possible and build them into hit franchises as we have done very successfully across the company.”
A revival of the original 2004 show is in progress under the working title The L Word: New York, with creator Ilene Chaiken on board.
Jennifer Beals (Bette Porter)
Beals has had a number of starring TV roles since The L Word ended — in Fox’s The Chicago Code, TNT’s Proof (shown here), NBC’s Taken, and DC Universe’s Swamp Thing. On the big screen, she appeared in The Book of Eli, Before I Fall, and After.
Katherine Moennig (Shane McCutcheon)
Moennig has starred on the Showtime drama Ray Donovan (shown here) since day one, playing investigative assistant Lena Barnum. She also starred in the short-lived CBS medical drama Three Rivers, and she’s been recurring on the Freeform sitcom Grown-ish.
Leisha Hailey (Alice Pieszecki)
In recent years, Hailey has guest-starred on the TV series Supernatural, Chasing Life, Code Black, and Silicon Valley (shown here) and recurred on Bosch. She has also released three albums with her electro-pop band, Uh Huh Her.
Sarah Shahi (Carmen de la Pica Morales)
Showtime hasn’t confirmed Shahi’s Generation Q reprise, but the actress — who starred in the NBC dramas Life and Reverie and more recently recurred on The Rookie (shown here) and City on a Hill — told The Hollywood Reporter she’ll be “heavily involved” in the reboot.
The other ‘L Word’ cast members
They may not be appearing in Generation Q, but the other L Word alums have kept busy these past 10 years. Laurel Holloman (Tina Kennard) has cultivated a painting career, Mia Kirshner (Jenny Shecter) starred in Defiance and recurred on Star Trek: Discovery, Pam Grier (Kit Porter) currently stars in Bless This Mess (shown here), Rachel Shelley (Helena Peabody) recurred on Once Upon a Time and Deep State, and Erin Daniels (Dana Fairbanks) recently wrapped production on the film The Surrogate.
Sing it with us now: “It’s the way that we live and looove!”
Ten years after The L Word ended its six-season run on Showtime, the premium cabler is continuing the story with The L Word: Generation Q and enlisting three of the O.G. stars for the reboot.
Veteran L Word actors Jennifer Beals, Katherine Moennig, and Leisha Hailey are starring in Generation Q, joining franchise newcomers Arienne Mandi, Leo Sheng, Jacqueline Toboni, Rosanny Zayas, and Sepideh Moafi.
In the lead-up to the reboot’s December 8 premiere, check out the gallery above to see what the original cast has been up to in the past decade.
The L Word: Generation Q, Premiere, Sunday, December 8, 10/9c, Showtime
