Marja-Lewis Ryan, Arienne Mandi, and Rosanny Zayas unpack the surprising season 2 premiere.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What can you tease about what happens next, right after Finley’s shocking entrance?
ROSANNY ZAYAS:We’re going to see a different side of Dani for a split second there.
Arienne Mandi and Rosanny Zayas on ‘The L Word: Generation Q’.Elizabeth Morris/SHOWTIME
That’s going to be exciting, to see her reaction to what happens, and Ari nails it.
That’s what I’m most excited for.
What was your reaction to the season 1 cliffhanger?
Arienne Mandi and Rosanny Zayas on ‘The L Word: Generation Q’.Elizabeth Morris/SHOWTIME
ARIENNE MANDI:Truthfully, I didn’t even know who Sophie was going to pick.
I was like “Well, who’s she going to pick?
Obviously me, right?”
And Jacqueline was like, “No, she’s totally going to pick me.”
I was definitely on just as much of a cliffhanger as Dani was.
ZAYAS:I remember at the table read for the episode, it was pretty crazy.
When we hit the last page, all you hear was me saying, “Oh my God.”
It was a total shock, it was a huge surprise to everyone, and that was super-fun.
What was your reaction to finding out the wedding would play out like that?
MANDI:I was in shock that it went down like this.
I don’t know why I thought for some reason that she was going to choose Finley.
It’s heart-shattering, and in that moment I felt just awful.
ZAYAS:I definitely did a “Oh hell no.”
It was definitely one of those moments.
It’s a shocker, and it reminded of the last episode running in the airport.
I didn’t know who I was choosing, but for some reasons I saw Dani in my head.
I was running toward Dani.
What makes the Sophie-Finley dynamic work?
ZAYAS:It’s about how much fun they have together.
When you feel loved unconditionally by someone and that you’re free to be yourself.
That’s something Sophie gravitates towards when it comes to her relationship with Finley.
Dani admits to having had a crush on Bette [Jennifer Beals].
Do you think she’s repressing stronger feelings?
MANDI:There have always been a lot of feelings towards Bette, she’s all of the things.
Dani wants to be like her, be her friend, and be a professional like she is.
Dani finds her very attractive as well.
The one thing that was definitely always true for Dani is her commitment to and love for Sophie.
In the premiere, Sophie gets a great new work opportunity from Alice [Leisha Hailey].
What can you share about we’ll see from her professional life this season?
ZAYAS:I’m personally excited about that!
It’s cool to see Dani and Bette do it, and Finley and Shane [Katherine Moennig].
Alice really helps facilitate that and wants to help tell those stories.
I’m super-excited for that because I don’t know if there’s enough of that on TV.
What do you think each of your characters have to learn coming out of this situation?
Season 2 for Dani is all about honoring herself and what she wants this time around.
She’s asserting herself in a different way than we saw last season.
Life has a way of slapping you in the face.
The L Word: Generation Qairs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.
