My friend, my lover

Sure Jennifer Beals and Marlee Matlin are steaming up TV screen right now as Bette and Jodi on “The L Word,” but did you know the actresses have been good friends since the 80s? In a joint interview with TV Tattler, the women talked about the show, what it’s like to kiss an old friend and even Kristanna Loken’s recent claims of cattiness on set. Some highlights:

• Jennifer didn’t suggest Marlee for the role of Jodi because “they don’t listen to anything I have to say.” Well, that explains the Bette/Tina storyline meltdown.
• Jennifer said sex scenes with a friend are not so sexy. “Oh, it’s horrible. We laugh hysterically the whole time. It’s horrible, it’s horrible. I try to be professional, and she looks at me and gives me one little look of mischief and we just lose it, and it takes forever to shoot.” Suuure, that’s why it takes “forever.”
• Marlee asked if Jodi could be named after a lesbian friend of her’s who passed away. “I thought it would be nice to honor her, and they were more than open to it. Most television series would never do that.”
• Marlee said Kristanna’s comments about the L Word being “the most difficult cast” she had ever worked with were based around her problems with a specific cast member. “I’m sorry she expressed her feelings to an interviewer, when it was an experience she had on a one-to-one basis with someone. It’s a great show, and for me it was a wonderful experience.” So there, meow.