Jennifer Beals is the August covergirl for DIVA, the lesbian mag available only online and in the UK. I was a bit surprised that Our Lady Jennifer Beals stuck to her usual pre-programmed answers, even while interviewed by Helena Peabody herself, Rachel Shelley. The most interesting part of the article is actually Rachel’s intro, which manages to pull back the curtain on Jennifer Beals for a hot minute.
“It was on the red carpet for the second season L Word premiere that I first realized how exceptional Jennifer Beals is. She was mid interview with E! Channel or some such, and had just expressed her very real grief at the death of actor Ossie Davis who played her father in the series. Barely acknowledging her words or giving her space to draw breath, the interviewer was straight in with his next question – what was she wearing tonight? Jennifer paused. Amidst the madness of flashbulbs and cacophonic name-calling that is a crazed red carpet experience, she had the wherewithal to fix the guy with a hard stare. Struggling to be heard over the hubbub, she chided him concisely: did he not hear what she had just said? How could he plunge into inanities when she had been marking the life of a great and esteemed man?
I was blown away. Those red carpet interviews represent life at its most vapid, yet it didn’t deter Jennifer from her true nature. The easier response may have been just to name the designer.To give good interview and pass it off as a Hollywood moment. But Jennifer’s not prepared to reduce her life or emotions to a series of easy sound-bites for media satisfaction. Everything she is or does is without compromise, and with total commitment to the truth.
So I have to admit, I was a little trepidatious about interviewing Ms. Beals. As much as I’ve come to love you, dear DIVA reader, I’m not about to ruin a valued relationship by (asking the wrong question and) blurring the lines between journalist and personal friend. There have been, of course, many conversations and experiences she and I have shared over the years that would be unsuitable for a magazine article, whether she was famous or not. Most are obvious, others are wonderfully weird, like the names of her pets. She is, by her own admission, a very private person.”
Within the actual interview, Beals talks about missing her Bette Porter wardrobe and attitude, but you’ve kind of heard it all before. She also discusses her L Word photography book, which she talked about with Autostraddle back in March (AHEM best JBeals interview EVER!) and her return to TV next year as a hot Chief of Police in the brand new FOX series, Ride-Along.
Rachel Shelley has a regular column in DIVA, where she shares anecdotes about her time on The L Word and relates them to her present day experiences.
This interview is an example of Ms. Beals in all her badass glory:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83GYnG2VzWs
What an amazing ally!
I love when she lays the smackdown on Deborah Norville.
The commentary of Beals by Shelley was find but where was the “interview”!. I read the entire article at another site. Other than a couple of little anecdotes and quotes from Beals that ended up being pretty much the standard shit she always says what was new?? The short comment about camp was the only thing I had not read or heard before.
There was an internet amateur reporter from one of TLW sites that covered that bit about Beals chiding the reported right after it happened. It was part of her coverage so not even that was new.
Pictures were nice.
You mean there were words on this page?
Damn.
i love jennifer beals she is sooooooooooo hot. i hope they have more seasons of the lword.ha may be bette and tina ge married. i love you always and 4 ever jennifer[bette] your number 1 fan cc.
JB conundrum: keep your name out there, but don’t really ever say anything new.
I still admire her to bits and pieces, tho’, just for her brains and her principles alone.
the godess
smart,beautiful,unreal
Still georgous….go figure.
JENNIFER BEALS SO HOT!!!!!!! LOVE!!!
Jennifer Beals and Rachel Shelly WoWwwww
Forgive me for this, but when I saw that interview all I could say was…”Dayyyyum, J.Beals stomped out that ass!”
A minor departure from my normal expressions of shock and surprise. Lol.
Anywhooo, this was great! And I smiled all over again, reading the interview!
Jennifer Beals thumbs up for uuu!!! Am a huge fan of yours…U ROCKS