|
Columns
Video
Currently Recapping
Popular People
TV Shows
Movies
Navigation |
Leisha Hailey's Alice to Star in "L Word" Spinoff
The previously announced online spinoff of The L Word will revolve around Leisha Hailey's Alice, Showtime announced today. Ilene Chaiken, creator and exec producer of The L Word, will write and produce the pilot, which will shoot in December. A shortened sixth and final season of The L Word will debut in January, with the series' finale setting up the premise for the spinoff. No details have yet been given around the spinoff's premise, which will initially debut online, with the potential to move to television. At the end of the fifth season, the once-bisexual Alice was contemplating breaking up with her girlfriend Tasha (Rose Rollins), and was aggressively pursuing a role in TV journalism. Alice (Leisha Hailey, right) with Tasha (Rose Rollins) In-between shooting The L Word, Hailey has been busy promoting her new rock band, Uh Huh Her, which recently released its first album, Common Reaction. Hailey with Uh Huh Her bandmate Camila Grey Alice has been a central character on Showtime's lesbian drama since it debuted in 2004. Much of the speculation among fans about which character would lead the spinoff has pointed to Alice Pieszecki as the most likely choice, given the character's overall likability, Hailey's availability, and the fact that she is openly gay (she recently became the new spokeswoman for lesbian cruise company Olivia). Hailey's popularity with lesbians — she topped AfterEllen.com's 2007 Hot 100 and came in fifth in 2008 — and the cross-over appeal of her music makes her a natural choice for the spinoff. "I've never really ever stepped back and thought about [how being openly gay has affected my career]," she told AfterEllen.com in a recent interview. "It's just who I am, and I think that I've been rewarded in that way because I just live my life openly and honestly. I think good things have come my way because of it." Stay tuned for more details about the spinoff as it unfolds. Get more info about the lesbian series on our main L Word page, and about Hailey's band at Uh Huh Her's official website |
User login
Recent blog posts
New forum topicsActive TopicsNew Comments
|
News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media
Congratulations Leisha
Congrats Leisha on the new spin off. I hope it's a success and the other characters come back as guests on it. :)
Who says being out affects your career negatively, eh? ;)
ps-wohoo, first post. i think this is a sign i need a life... lol :S
Don't Believe Everything You Read
I find it very funny that "AfterEllen.com" would post this announcement before showing on "Showtime", "The L Word" or "Ourchart.com" websites. I mean c'mon this is what everybody has been waiting to hear... and they would post it on Afterellen before their own websites? I think not. So don't believe everything you read until it shows on their websites!!!
And yes I went out to all 3 before sayin this - I wanted confirmation. Especially since Leisha has said she wants to quit and concentrate on her music.
It's not that I"m against Leisha being the lead. I'm just hoping Mia Kirshner will return as well.
Believe it!
The announcement was posted in Variety. That publication is basically the bible of entertainment news and contracts. For that publication to publish the article, it has to be a signed deal, not just innuendo or speculation.
What I find interesting about this deal is that back in October ('07) in LA (at the LA CON), Leisha basically said she was over being Alice and wanted to move on. She wasn't interested in playing Alice beyond Season 6. She didn't want to grow old playing Alice. Funny how money can change someone's perspective or perhaps the loss of steady income (that TLW has brought).
yay
Amazing!!
This news has been enough to stop me lurking and get me posting!
I think Leisha is a great choice and is enough to make me tune in...!
(I'd forgotten how hot that photo that was used on 2007 Top 100 was - wow)
Ten second dance break!
Ten second dance break! Whoo hoo!
Way to go, Leisha! I always knew it would be her to get the spin off. She was by far the most likely person to have her own show.
@Sarah: Good choice of photos. I always loved that last pic of Leisha. Totally awesome. :D
Well This Blows...and is kinda AWESOME..O Hell I'm confused
Tegan Q.: I can't confirm or deny that Sara exist, I think the real question here is does it matter? Feel me Sara huh? Feel it, snap!...I mean if Sara exist, which she doesn't.
http://jusjay.blogspot.com
Yes!
::happy dance:: Way to go Leisha!
Wahoo!
Great! I'm happy. I suggested, that it will be her character to lead the spin off, but now, that it is official, I'm really thrilled. She simply rocks the L Word :o)
Wow, she's gonna be busy!
Wow, she's gonna be busy! Hope this doesn't affect UHH too much.
But I'm a little wary of the spin off. =/ I've never really liked spin offs.. They lack something.
whoa
Yay!!
Yay!! You really made an italian girl (me! XD ) happy with this news!!
Leisha is great and Alice is
(one of)my favourite character in the whole tv shows' history! I was just sad because I thought that with the new band commitment she would never be able to do the spin off... but I forgot that she's not like us, she's more like Wonder Woman!! XDGo Wonder Leisha, go!!
Poor Leisha, Spin offs
Poor Leisha, Spin offs never work
Get it while its hot http://www.youtube.com/user/HollywoodTOProd
spinoffs
Except, you know, The Facts of Life, Maude, The Jeffersons, Laverne & Shirley, Melrose Place, Angel, Frasier, Xena, Degrassi TNG, The Simpsons...
But, yes, for every one of these shows, there are a dozen That 80's Shows and The Ropers.
spinoffs
I'm not
sure about Melrose Place, but wasn't the Simpsons originally a small segment on the Tracy Ullman show?
"I don't kiss girls who wear doilies"
Melrose Place
OOOH Facts of
Yeah "Angel" never lasted
Yeah "Angel" never lasted more than 5 seasons after it spun off from "Buffy".
"Mork and Mindy" and "Laverne and Shirley" were complete duds for spinning off from "Happy Days".
"Frasier" from "Cheers"? No effing way anyone tuned into that.
Now, "After MASH" after "MASH". Dud. But, the spin-off character's show "Trapper John MD" lasted a few modest seasons.
And don't get me started on how "Law and Order:SVU" sucks compared to the original.
I could go on ...
The Potential to move to T.V?
Why are they so content on having it debut online? This is a show that has legions of fans and has been going strong for 5 seasons now.
Why an "online spin-off"? Do they wanna test the waters so to speak? I say dive in SHOWTIME! Leisha Hailey deserves more credit.
Probably because they haven't found a backer.
Indeed
It baffles me why Showtime won't just get on board. HBO obviously seems like a perfect setting for a show like TLW. It has guts and you can see that in their shows, ie, Sopranos.
I'm sure no one would want a watered down version of TLW, so that's why I was unimpressed by the on-line idea. Not that I have anything against online entertainment.
The one I would watch
Alice is the only character who could carry a spinoff. She has been the most consistantly loveable in the last 5 seasons, despite the character assassination attempts by the hack writing staff along the way. I give Leisha full credit. She has managed to mine the humanity from Alice, despite what was given to her on the written page. Let's hope the spin-off means more influence for Leisha and a new team of writers/producers.
Woo
My fave character!
(well, after Dana, Lara and Tina)
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=22059764903
WAHOOOOO
Me too. I'm so happy it's Alice, I love her! :D
I didn't think it would be 'cause I thought Leisha would want to focus on music but YAY! :))))
Go here for my view on all things lesbian: http://allthingslesbeau.blogspot.com
Yeah, I thought that
Yeah, I thought that too!
I hope she still carries on with UHH though
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=22059764903
YES!!
Right now I'm sooooo happy!!!
Alice is my fave character, and I just love Leisha Hailey. I can't wait for see the series!!!
Spelling nitpick
I don't think Leisha's had much of a chance to think about how being gay has affected her life...
But good news for the lead character in the spin-off. I was hoping it'd be her.
I totally caught that
I totally caught that too.
Tegan: Everytime I see it, I just want to punch her in the face because I'm so excited for her.
Oh god
Haha
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=22059764903
i noticed that too :p
i noticed that too :p mainly cus its like the one thing i don't screw up on myself. *damnit!* my mums friends husband was laughing uncontrollably today at my using the word 'like' a lot.. and now i realise im typing it too?!
YUS! but tough on Cam and UHH 'cus they already said how shooting schedules made writing and practtisinghard, and if the spinoff is focused on Leisha that's even more time she's be shooting (Unless it's not baed around her but simply she is the only L word character in it)
Question: i woulda thought Chaiken woulda wanted to continue TLW if it had been commissioned further seasons? so how come she can make a pilot? i don't know how this all works but wouldn't that need to be commissioned also? and without all the other stars surely they'd expect it to be less popular.. It's like I understand why 'Angel' would be made without many main stars because Buffy was still doing wel and ppl wanted more and the stars were tied up with that, but I don't get why you'd have a spin-of like this unless it wa cus the actresses wanted to finish... unless they just thought they couldn't go further with TLW and this was a fresh take on it.. i dunno
________________________________
"there's always time for a burrow..."
"We're getting fired, fired, fired, firedddd"
"Clippity-cloppity"
-------
I'm so excited!! I will
I'm so excited!! I will definitely be watching!!
While Mia Kirshner is a great actress Jenny annoys the hell out of me and I could not stand to watch an entire show based around her alone.
"Power is never given back. When it's stolen, if you want it back, you have to take it." - M. Caballero
Journey2enlightenment.blogspot.com
Not my first choice...but definetly my 2n
I was rooting for Jenny (Mia) all they way....love her messed up, crazy character but I'm not dissapointed Alice (Leisha) was the chosen one...she's pure comedy and really deserves it...
I wouldn't mind seing Mia guest star on the show once it takes off...
:D
The "L" stands for Leisha!
Alright...
Now that's a spin-off that I can get behind. Leisha Hailey has time and again proven herself to be both a wonderful dramatic as well as comedic actress and I think that she really has what it takes to be a star, given the right material to work with.
I would say that my only concerns are going to be with the writing (hence, the material she will be given). There has been, since the start of The L Word much debate about the material that Illene has written for the characters (in particular Jenny) and I have been a fan of Leisha and her character Alice from day 1 of the show and moaned and groaned my way through some of the material she was given (ie: the lesbian identified man). It was the saving grace of Leisha's acting that made it all bearable, but here's hoping that she gets some better material to work with if a show all about Alice is to succeed!
(Self Appointed) "#1 Bridget McManus Fan"
Yes!!!
Online Entertainment Is Where It's At!
www.myspace.com/lunakiss7
Online entertainment is where it's at. Haven't you been reading in the news about the decline of some television networks (cough) ATEN (cough)PBS. Ratings are going down. I've watched television shows come and go. Lot of them were good. It's too competitive. So any smart business person would know how to find a different outlet to capture different kind of crowd. Online you have more freedom and less restriction. Within the past few years, Online radio has been HOT! Majorily HOT! They are still going strong. E-books(Electronic books) also has a cross over appeal. Not as popular but certainly has some scholars publishing books already talking about the subject. Film students are putting their work online. I can watch CNN.com Live online. It's the wave of the future. Get it?
Some Spin-offs do work. With strong writing (sauce of secret success of spin-offs),great actresses/actors (another important one), and awesome directing(you can do it). The trick is how to get L Word fans to transition from L Word sttings to a new setting with an L word feel. Can't wait.
Leisha Hailey is a hustler. I give my props to anyone who keeps getting gigs in Hollywood and has been not phased out.
Congrats Leisha, you're the womyn.
online entertainment has its pitfalls...
i have to admit my heart sank when i read that the L Word spin off series would have its debut online. What about us who are deaf and thus are lost without subtitles? Of course, if the spinoff is sold on dvd, I'd be in the queue to buy my own copy. However, my point remains... A lot of online programmes aren't even captioned/subtitled, which removes a lot of the fun for me. Without captions... not worth watching, for me. I mean, come on. would you watch a programme like the l word without understanding what's being said. I think not.
Rant over.
Congrats Leisha on getting the role.
Congrats Ms Chaiken on the whole L Word phenomenon.
Great news
Well since we don't know what the spin-off will focus on I can't really comment on that but it's great to hear Leisha is rising up as of late. She's such a talented girl &I'm happy to know that even after The L Word disappears I'll still be able to see Leisha acting regularly, and of course rockin' out with Cam in Uh Huh Her.
Congrats Leisha, on the show &the new album too.
___//♫♪ let your girlfriend do what your boyfriend can't
Yay! So glad it's not Shane!
This and the news about 13 in House ... My god, am I content. :)
Happy, happy days! :)
<>Love, Crayon <>
I second that, I was
I second that, I was surprised how many people wanted to see a Shane spinoff. I mean really? I don't think a character who seems to play the same tired ass game would be at all fun to watch, considering the backward ass character development. I would only want to watch if the story revolved somethign about her and Shay. Other than the butchering of season 5 season, I think Alice is a great choice.
Although I really hope this doesn't mean UHH will be put on the backburner too much.
Alice.. but of course!!
Now it's out there, I feel I should've guessed. As bksn says, Leisha's the one who can carry a show. I hope she gets the material she deserves: consistency of character and a script to run with.
That is sooo cool. The best
Awesome! This really made my
OMG!
<3 Leisha!!!!!
Yeah!!!!! :D
I totally thought it was gonna be Kate... though
OMW!!!
I'm SO excited!!
=)
I can't wait to see it, she's amazing I'm glad they chose her =D
so EXCITED!!!
after the long wait of speculating and trying to think things out... finally they picked leisha!
im so excited for you career leisha! it's crazy... UHH and Lword Spinoff.. this is gonna be insane! Leisha craze!
and this is what I've been hoping for...