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Laurel Holloman: The ‘Angel’ Behind the ‘DIVA’
Still very much influenced by the recent French QAF/TLW convention, I couldn’t help associating the two terms in the title of this post.
The former, a topic brought up during the convention not only due to a stunt Laurel, coincidentally, did in the back of the venue jumping over a 6-foot gate “channeling” Justine - the character she portrayed in Angel - but also because she discussed Angel in a bit more detail: from the humor and action it had in it and, nonetheless, being one of Jennifer Beals’ favorite TV shows, to Laurel’s wish of getting involved in an action-based project again.
The latter, because not too long before she came to Paris, Laurel hosted the DIVA magazine crew for the most sizzling photo shoot at her home in Los Angeles. Like in Jennifer’s case (see DIVA’s August issue), the photos were taken by the same amazing Kharen Hill. In charge as a stylist for DIVA’s December cover story was the one and only, Cynthia Summers - who made The L Word ladies “paragons of style for TV audiences”.
What do these two terms have in common? A woman who knows no obstacles. A woman who is comfortable in her skin. A woman who hates labeling people.
In an interview with her friend, former co-star and DIVA columnist, Rachel Shelley, Laurel Holloman talks about acceptance of people’s sexual fluidity, the new career path she has taken for the most part of this year as a painter, and life after The L Word.
But, probably, the most self-reflective part of her interview is at the very end of it: “Every day I strive to get to a place where I’m not affected by the external world (…) I strive for a state of equanimity and calm and a state of grace, so I can be free of definitions. If you are free, then you can create beautiful things (…)”
And this is what Laurel is doing while she follows her heart.
La DIVA Beals
I’m not a DIVA mag reader, but as soon as I heard Jennifer Beals would be the cover girl of August issue, I decided I must buy that one. For more than a month ahead, Twitter was full of heads-up starting from the @DIVAmagazine itself to all the fans who were holding their breath to see the new cover story of ‘La Diva Beals’. And, frankly, who - man or woman, gay or straight - would resist to a cover like this?
It was thanks to her friendship with Rachel Shelley, THE Helena Peabody of The L Word, that we got to read Jennifer’s answers to Rachel’s veeery carefully selected questions. Rachel 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.
Jennifer Beals’ DIVA photos, taken by Kharen Hill, are by far some of the best that I have seen. She simply exudes a haunting super sexiness that makes it impossible to look away from her. I really loved a remark I read a while ago about Jennifer saying that she “looks so good it defies medical science”. On the other hand, I’d rather not use or hear any longer these three words: “for her age”. She is definitely not 110, people! At 46 she is just in her full badass glory!
Her latest photographic project, The L Word photo book, has been selling like hot cakes. DIVA magazine will be auctioning a copy of the book signed by Jennifer with all proceeds going to Mia Kirshner’s I Live Here project. (Details at http://divamag.co.uk)
With a sky-rocketing career, being so in demand since The L Word, she has still so much in store for both herself and her fans. She partnered with Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman in post-apocalyptic tale The Book of Eli, she reminded us of the alpha female Bette Porter in her recurring Lie To Me role as the confident Assistant U.S. attorney Zoe Landau, she starred in the indie film A Night for Dying Tigers (currently in post production).
The icing on the cake? Her own show! Everyone who will Ride-Along Chicago’s first female Chief of Police, Superintendent Teresa Colvin, hopes for Jennifer’s recognition in the shape of an EMMY as the lead in Shawn Ryan’s new TV show.
Meanwhile, if you want to see how elusive, mysterious, enigmatic, secretive and – did I mention sexy? - Jennifer Beals can be, you can order the DIVA mag in print as well as digital. I have no doubt that you will enjoy it!
