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Kate Moennig plays a hot new lesbian character with questionable morals on “Ray Donovan”

Showtime released the pilot of their new series Ray Donovan online last week, but if you haven’t watched it yet, you can see it on your TV this Sunday night when it premieres at 10 p.m. The show stars Liev Schreiber as “the go-to guy who makes the problems of the city’s celebrities, superstar athletes, and business moguls disappear.” You might have guessed he doesn’t do all of this in accordance with the law, and he also doesn’t work alone. Kate Moennig plays Lena, Ray’s assistant, who fields Ray’s calls at any time of day or night and responds to request of helping to cover up unexpected deaths by saying “I hate when that happens.”

Lena is described as “a no-nonsense lesbian who is both sexy and tough” that does research for Ray and handles his office work. This might sound boring, but it’s not when your boss is trying to help Hollywood’s richest people stay happy. We talked with Kate about the role she fits into perfectly and what her fans from The L Word might like about the show.

AfterEllen.com: You seem like such an obvious choice for Lena. Was it something Showtime came to you with from the beginning? How did you get involved?

Kate Moennig: I got involved the old fashion way of just getting sent a script and reading it. But I immediately responded to the pilot and I think I read it twice in a row because I loved it so much. But, you know, maybe there was a benefit to Showtime knowing me before, but I really just did the way any other actor would.

AE: What did you know about Lena before you started filming? Do you know how she met Ray or any of the details on her background?

KM: You know, I don’t have all the details yet about what her background is. Slowly but surely through the season we see more of her, we see where her impulses lie, and we find out some information about her history. I kind of had to come up with it on my own just to wrap my head around who she was. But in terms of what they address on screen, you know, I think it’s going to be a slow build-up as to figure out who she is and what makes her tick.

AE: One of the things that’s interesting about the show is we’ll hopefully be finding out which of the characters have any kind of conscience, if they do at all. Do you think Lena has a conscience? What’s her moral compass in terms of this job?

KM: [laughs] Yeah! I think every human being has a conscience, whether it’s minutely small or not. And there’s always an underlying reason as to why people are violent or make extreme choices. I think a lot of, with Lena, it’s part of her job to to think on her feet and make choices that aren’t exactly – that aren’t exactly likable. It’s part of the job description and she has to kind of mold into whatever she needs to become to get the job done. But I feel like every character on this show, regardless of what their actions may be, there is something, there is some sadness there. There is humanity with all of these characters, with her included.

AE: Are there any moments where Lena questions what she’s being asked to do?

KM: Well, no. Part of it – I think she looks up to him very much and that maybe one day she’d like to be like him. I find her to be very goal-oriented and nothing sways her. But also, I think there’s an element of wishing she could do more. That comes later on.

AE: In the pilot there’s such a huge cast and we have to be introduced to all of the characters, so it was hard to tell how much we’ll see of Lena. Will it change on an episode-by-episode basis?

KM: Well you know, it completely varies because the storyline – it’s like two storylines intercede with one another. One is Ray’s personal life and family and the other is work related and I’m on the work-related front. It always depends on how big the problem is at work. That shifts from episode to episode. It’s not a procedural show by any means, but every client has its own group of problems, so it really depends how extreme those issues are.

AE: We get a glimpse of a girl in bed with Lena in the first episode. Is that girl a girlfriend, or someone Lena just spent the night with?

KM: I think it was – I’m under the impression it’s someone that she’s dating. Again, she’s not really a relationship person, she’s very work-oriented. So anything that gets in the way of her work, she doesn’t tolerate.

AE: She kind of reminds me in a way, Lena, of Kalinda on The Good Wife. Do you ever watch that show?

KM: No, I’ve never seen it. I’ve heard great things but I’ve never seen it.

AE: She’s a private investigator that’s willing to do things that aren’t always so morally correct, so I just wondered!

KM: Exactly.

AE: What do you think L Word fans would like about Ray Donovan?

KM: Oh I don’t know! Well they’re two very different shows. That’s like comparing a sleepover to going to the Los Angeles Gun Club. They’re two opposite ends of the spectrum. In terms of Ray Donovan, the story is so rich, the actors are so fantastic, the writing is impeccable. And it’s such beautiful storytelling with complex characters. I think it’s – I really believe it’s the quality of television that seems to be making its mark these days. I’m hoping fans of The L Word see that in Ray Donovan and just enjoy the storytelling and the ballsy way its executed.

AE: I just ask that because I feel people that liked The L Word might see that you’re in it and want to watch it, so –

KM: I mean, The L Word, they’re just very different. Well that’s for them to decide, truly. I just hope they come along for the ride because it’s a really fun, interesting dark ride.

AE: I really loved the modeling you did for Wildfang. I was wondering if you’ll be having any involvement with them in the future.

KM: Oh I’m so glad you liked it. I love Wildfang and I love the girls who are involved. I believe I’m still going to do things with them but nothing set in stone just of yet. I really believe in that and the company they created, the brand. I’m open to anything with them.

AE: Is there anything else you’d want people to know about the show as they watch the premiere?

KM: It’s a very in-your-face show. It’s a show filled with characters that are very questionable and aren’t always likable but here is a humanity to each and every one of them. The talent on the show is so huge. So for those reasons, I hope you stick with it because it’s a class act all the way.

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