This list of ''The L Word'' characters is sorted by last name (where possible), and includes both major and minor characters from the American drama ''

The L Word ''The L Word'' is a television drama that aired on Showtime from January 18, 2004 to March 8, 2009. The series follows the lives of a group of lesbian and bisexual women who live in West Hollywood, California. The premise originated with Ilene Ch ...

''.

A

* Felicity Adams: Lesbian, portrayed by

Latarsha Rose Latarsha Rose is an American film and television actress, best known for her role as Portia in the 2012 film ''The Hunger Games''. Background Rose is from Brooklyn, New York and attended Georgetown University. From the University, she performed ...

. ''Generation Q'' ** Ex-wife of Tyler Adams. ** Had an affair with Bette Porter while she was married to Tyler and while she was Bette's employee between the events of ''The L Word'' and ''Generation Q''. * Tyler Adams: Straight man, portrayed by Jeffrey Muller. ''Generation Q''. ** Ex-husband of Felicity Adams, who had an affair with

Bette Porter Bette Porter is a fictional character on the Showtime television network series ''The L Word'' and its sequel '' The L Word: Generation Q'', played by Jennifer Beals. Fictional character biography Before ''The L Word'' Bette is introduced as a ...

while she was Bette's employee. * Coleman Alt: Portrayed by

Brendan Penny Brendan James Penny (born November 9, 1978) is a Canadian film and television actor who first became well known to TV audiences as A.J. Varland in the first season of '' Whistler'' that aired in Canada from 2006 to 2008. He is perhaps best known ...

. Season 3. ** Slept with Frank in 1985. ** Slept with Bette Porter in 1985. * Marcus Allenwood: Portrayed by Mark Gibson. Season 1. ** Tina Kennard's

sperm donor Sperm donation is the provision by a man of his sperm with the intention that it be used in the artificial insemination or other 'fertility treatment' of a woman or women who are not his sexual partners in order that they may become pregnant by hi ...

, and the biological father of Angelica Porter-Kennard. ** Has a relationship with Lei Ling. * Andrew: Portrayed by Darrin Klimek. Season 1. ** Went on a blind date with Dana Fairbanks, before finding out she was a lesbian. ** Had a short-term relationship with

Alice Pieszecki Alice Elisabeth Pieszecki is a fictional bisexual character on the Showtime television network series ''The L Word'', and the sequel series ''L Word: Generation Q'', shown nationally in the United States. She is played by American actress Leisha ...

during season 1. * April: "

Former A former is an object, such as a template, gauge or cutting die, which is used to form something such as a boat's hull. Typically, a former gives shape to a structure that may have complex curvature. A former may become an integral part of the ...

" lesbian; character only alluded to during Season 3. ** Dated Alice's first boyfriend; mentioned during episode "Labia Majora". ** Had a rebound-affair with

; mentioned during episode "Labia Majora". * Kate Arden: Lesbian film director first chosen to direct the film version of Jenny's book ''Lez Girls''. Portrayed by

Annabella Sciorra Annabella Gloria Philomena Sciorra ( , ; born March 29, 1960) is an American actress. She came to prominence with her film debut in '' True Love'' (1989), earning an Independent Spirit nomination for Best Female Lead. Subsequent projects include ...

. Season 4. * Ivan Aycock:

Genderqueer Non-binary and genderqueer are umbrella terms for gender identities that are not solely male or femaleidentities that are outside the gender binary. Non-binary identities fall under the transgender umbrella, since non-binary people typically ...

, potentially a

trans man A trans man is a man who was assigned female at birth. The label of transgender man is not always interchangeable with that of transsexual man, although the two labels are often used in this way. ''Transgender'' is an umbrella term that incl ...

, portrayed by

Kelly Lynch Kelly Ann Lynch (born January 31, 1959) is an American actress and model. Her notable film roles include '' Cocktail'', '' Road House'', ''Drugstore Cowboy'', ''Curly Sue''. and TV show roles in ''The L Word'' (2004–2005, 2009), and '' Magic Cit ...

. Seasons 1 and 2. ** Has a five-year open relationship with Iris, an exotic dancer. Season 2. ** Courted Kit Porter during Seasons 1 and 2.

B

* Nick Barashov: Straight, portrayed by

Julian Sands Julian Richard Morley Sands''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, ...

; minor character with appearance in episode 1.05: "Lies, Lies, Lies". ** College professor who had an affair with Jenny Schecter during her college years. * Allen Barnes: Portrayed by

Sara Botsford Sara Botsford (born August 4, 1951) is a Canadian television and film actress. She starred in the CTV drama series ''E.N.G.'' (1989-1994) for which received Canadian Screen Award for Best Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role. Career Sh ...

; minor character with appearance during season 2. ** Barnes is an artist who is friends with Helena Peabody. ** Taught at Yale and Bette Porter took the course in college; Bette wrote a thesis about her work. * Sonny Benson: Straight, portrayed by

Roger Cross Roger Cross (born October 19, 1969) is a Jamaican-born Canadian actor who has made numerous appearances in several films and television series, mostly on productions shot in Canada. He is known for his work as CTU Agent Curtis Manning in the ...

; minor character with appearance during season 6. ** Stage name of Sunset Boulevard, professional female drag performer/dj who falls in love with Kit Porter. * Billie Blaikie: Bisexual man; portrayed by

Alan Cumming Alan Cumming (born 27 January 1965) is a British actor. His London stage appearances include ''Hamlet'', the Maniac in ''Accidental Death of an Anarchist'' (for which he received an Olivier Award), the lead in '' Bent'', The National Theatre o ...

; minor character with appearance during season 3. ** Has an affair with Max Sweeney during season 3. ** Was hired and then fired as the manager of The Planet in season 3 * Charlotte Birch: Portrayed by

Sandra Bernhard Sandra Bernhard (born June 6, 1955) is an American actress, singer, comedian and author. She first gained attention in the late 1970s with her stand-up comedy, where she often critiqued celebrity culture and political figures. She is perhaps b ...

; minor character with appearance during season 2. ** Teaches writing in college which Jenny attends. ** Friend of Burr Connor. * Annette Bishop: Straight, portrayed by

Sarah Strange Sarah Strange is a Canadian actress. She has worked in a variety of American and Canadian television and film projects, including Helen in the Canadian drama ''Da Vinci's Inquest'' and as the voice actor for Ranma Saotome. Life and career Strange ...

; minor character with appearance during season 1. ** Best friend of Jenny Schecter. ** Pretended to be dating Jenny Schecter in episode 1.08: "Listen Up". * Veronica Bloom: Straight, portrayed by

Camryn Manheim Debra Frances "Camryn" Manheim (born March 8, 1961) is an American actress known for her roles as attorney Ellenor Frutt on ABC's ''The Practice'', Delia Banks on CBS's '' Ghost Whisperer'', Gladys Presley in the 2005 miniseries ''Elvis'', and ...

; Volatile Hollywood producer who hires Shane McCutcheon in season 2. * Sunset Boulevard: Straight, portrayed by

; minor character with appearance during season 6. ** Stage name of Sonny Benson. ** Falls in love with Kit Porter. * Benjamin Bradshaw: Straight, portrayed by

Charles S. Dutton Charles Stanley Dutton (born January 30, 1951) is an American actor and director. He is best known for his roles in the television series ''Roc (TV series), Roc'' (1991–1994) and the television film ''The Piano Lesson (film), The Piano Lesson'' ...

; minor character with appearance during season 2. ** Married man who had an affair with Kit Porter during season 2. * Josh Brecker: Straight, portrayed by

Paul Popowich Paul Popowich is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Mr. Smith, an angel who helps people change their pasts, in season two of '' Twice in a Lifetime''. Popovich has performed in many television series, including ''Beverly H ...

; minor character with appearance during season 3. ** Attempted to have an affair with Tina Kennard in episode 3.07: "Lone Star". * Brooke: Character only alluded to during the "Pilot" episode. ** Slept with Heather. ** Slept with Nina. * Brooke: Straight, portrayed by

Chelsea Hobbs Chelsea Hobbs (born February 18, 1985) is a Canadian actress. She is known for roles such as Gerda in the 2002 television film '' Snow Queen'' and Emily Kmetko in the ABC Family teen drama ''Make It or Break It''. Early life Hobbs attended an ...

; minor character with appearance during season 4. ** Dated Max Sweeney without knowing Max was a trans man. * Faye Buckley: Leader of an extreme right-wing activist group bent on shutting down Bette's art gallery, portrayed by

Helen Shaver Helen Shaver (born February 24, 1951) is a Canadian actress and film and television director. She has received Emmy and Saturn Award nominations, among other honours. Early life Shaver was born and raised, with five sisters, in St. Thomas, O ...

in season one. Faye's daughter (Cora Buckley) became a pornographic actress after running away from home to escape her abusive father. Faye paid off a district court judge to expunge the record (child services report, missing persons report).

C

* Melanie Caplan: Lesbian, minor character alluded to during season 1 and appearance in season 2. ** Former girlfriend of Dana Fairbanks; mentioned during the "Pilot" episode. ** Slept with Heather; mentioned during the "Pilot" episode. * Jean-Paul Chamois: Portrayed by Robert Gauvin; minor character with appearance during the "Pilot" episode. ** Was contacted by Bette Porter and Tina Kennard as a possible sperm donor for Tina's insemination. * Chandra, portrayed by

Holly Dignard Holly Elissa (born 1 October 1979, as Holly Elissa Dignard), is a Canadian artist, actress, filmmaker and activist. She is an advocate for women's rights, child welfare, social injustice and discrimination as well as a supporter of animal and e ...

* Adele Channing: Portrayed by

Malaya Drew Malaya Rivera Drew (born February 6, 1985) is an American stage, film and television actress. Drew is best known for her role as Adele Channing on the cable television series ''The L Word'' (2008) and for her role as Katey Alvaro on NBC's long- ...

; Bisexual; introduced in season 5 ** Jenny Schecter's personal assistant/saboteur/stalker/doppelgänger ** Kissed Niki Stevens while impersonating Jenny ** Blackmails Tina's studio into letting her take over directing Jenny's movie ** Dates the actress portraying "Karina", A.K.A. Begonia, in ''Lez Girls'' * Jamie Chen: Lesbian, portrayed by

Meiling Melançon Meiling Melançon (born March 3, 1980), also known as Mei Melançon ( ja, 明依), is an American actress, screenwriter and former fashion model. She has appeared in major feature films as well as indie productions, television shows, and more ...

; minor character appearing in season 6 episodes 3 through 9. ** Is a social worker at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Community Center ** Becomes best friends with/a third wheel to Alice Pieszecki and Tasha Williams ** Admits she has fallen in love with Tasha Williams in the series finale, season 6, episode 8 * Lover Cindy: Lesbian; portrayed by

Alicia Leigh Willis Alicia Leigh Willis (born March 1, 1978) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in soap operas. Personal life Alicia was born in Atlanta, Georgia. She is one of four children. Sisters Kimberly and Tiffany, and brother Ryan. Her fat ...

, generally referred to as "my lover Cindy" or "her lover Cindy" ** Has long-term, open relationship with Dawn Denbo. ** Had a three-way with Dawn and Shane ** Had a tryst with Shane without Dawn's permission or knowledge ** Revealed that her name is actually Cindi Tucker. * Claybourne: Lesbian, portrayed by Jill Christensen; minor character with appearance in episode 2.02: "Lap Dance". ** Married to Robin in 2002. She cheated on her during her wedding celebration. ** A connection to Lara Perkins is shown on the final chart that appears in the third season finale. * Katherine Claymore: Lesbian, minor character only alluded to during season 1. ** Was the first girlfriend of

after college; mentioned in episode 1.03: "Let's Do it". * Clive: Gay, portrayed by

Matthew Currie Holmes Matthew Currie (born May 26, 1974) is a Canadian actor, screenwriter, producer, and director who has appeared in over 40 film and television projects. Filmography As an actor and producer Currie Holmes has appeared in the Canadian television ser ...

; minor character with appearance during season 1. ** Friend of

Shane McCutcheon Shane McCutcheon is a fictional lesbian character from the American Showtime television drama series ''The L Word'', and the sequel series ''L Word: Generation Q'' played by Katherine Moennig. Character development in The L Word Shane was origi ...

. ** Slept with Harry Samchuk. * Roberta Collie: Portrayed by

Cynthia Stevenson Cynthia Stevenson (born August 2, 1962) is an American actress. She first played a leading role in the syndicated parody comedy series ''My Talk Show'' (1990–91), before starring in a number of sitcoms, including ''Bob'' (CBS, 1992–93), ''H ...

; minor character with appearance during season 3. ** Roberta was the adoption-case social worker assigned to evaluate the petition placed by Bette Porter and Tina Kennard. * Burr Connor: Portrayed by

Tony Goldwyn Anthony Howard Goldwyn (born May 20, 1960) is an American actor, singer, producer, director, and political activist. He made his debut appearing as Darren in the slasher film '' Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives'' (1986), and had his breakthr ...

; minor character with appearance in 2.08: "Loyal" and 2.09: "Late, Later, Latent". ** Was deeply closeted movie star. ** Friend of Charlotte Birch. ** Hired Jenny Schecter to get to ghost write his memoir; fired her, re-hired her, confessed his sexuality to her, then fired her again, feeling that she had greater things to write for herself.

D

* Slim Daddy: Straight, portrayed by

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

; minor character with appearance during episodes 1.10: "Luck, Next Time" and 1.11: "Liberally". ** Recorded a song with Kit Porter. * Gillian Davis: Portrayed by

Kelly McGillis Kelly Ann McGillis (born July 9, 1957) is an American stage actress. She is known for her film roles such as Rachel Lapp in ''Witness'' (1985), for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations; Charlie in ''Top Gun'' (1986); ''Made in ...

; minor character with appearances during episodes 5.7: "Lesbians Gone Wild" and 5.8: "Lay Down the Law". ** Was a

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

in the

Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States A ...

and a JAG

officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...

. ** Was the lead Army investigator in Tasha Williams' homosexual conduct investigation. ** While not explicitly stated, showed strong signs of being a closeted lesbian or bisexual woman herself. ** Called Alice Pieszecki to testify during Tasha's separation board but backed off from her attempts to prove Tasha was a lesbian after Alice made a comment about the possibility of an unwilling person being outed. * Dax: Lesbian, portrayed by Luvia Petersen; minor character with very brief appearance in Season 1. ** Friend of Ivan who works with him in the mechanic shop. ** Appeared as the dancing cowboy in the Kings of the Night at The Planet. * Carmen de la Pica Morales: Lesbian, portrayed by

Sarah Shahi Aahoo Jahansouzshahi ( fa, آهو جهانسوز شاهی; born ), known professionally as Sarah Shahi (), is an American actress and former model. She played Carmen on ''The L Word'' in 2005, Kate Reed in the USA Network legal drama ''Fairly Leg ...

; main character during seasons 2 and 3. ** Daughter of Mercedes Morales. ** Niece of Begonia Morales. ** Her first lesbian experience was with Lucía Torres when she was 16. ** Had some one-night stands with

before starting a relationship with Jenny Schecter. ** Had a relationship with Jenny Schecter that started and ended in season 2. ** Admitted to have slept with someone named "Robin" during episode 3.10: "Losing the Light", while dating Shane. ** Was engaged to

until Shane left her at the altar in episode 3.12: "Left Hand of the Goddess". * Dawn Denbo: Lesbian, portrayed by Elizabeth Keener; minor character appearing in season 5. ** Miami-based club promoter and owner of Shebar. ** Long term open relationship with Lover Cindy ** Had three-way with

and Lover Cindy ** Business rivalry with Kit Porter. Later bought out Ivan Aycock's 51 per cent of The Planet and became majority owner. ** Vowed vengeance on Shane for seducing "my lover Cindy", and by extension all of Shane's friends * Gabby Deveaux: Lesbian, portrayed by

Guinevere Turner Guinevere Jane Turner is an American actress, screenwriter, and film director. She has written such films as ''American Psycho'' and ''The Notorious Bettie Page'' and played the lead role of the dominatrix Tanya Cheex in '' Preaching to the Perv ...

; also known as 'Lesbian X'; minor character with appearances in seasons 1 and 2, and allusions in seasons 1 through 4. ** Dated

during part of season 1 and before of show line story begins. ** Simultaneously dated Nadia while she was dating Alice during season 1. ** Dated Lara Perkins during part of season 2. ** Also involved with Eva "Papi" Torres at the start of season 6. * Dusty, portrayed by

Lucia Rijker Lucia Frederica Rijker (; born December 6, 1967) is a Dutch professional boxer, kickboxer, and actress. Rijker was sometimes dubbed by the press "The Most Dangerous Woman in the World". Early career Rijker speaks four languages and is a Budd ...

, Helena's cellmate (season five) and as Dana's trainer (season two)

E

* Eric: Straight, portrayed by Kyle Cassie; minor character with appearance during episode 1.12: "Looking Back". ** Was Tina Kennard's boyfriend in 1998, before she started a relationship with Bette Porter.

F

* Dr. Farber, portrayed by

Kate Clinton Kate Clinton (born November 9, 1947) is an American comedian specializing in political commentary from a gay/lesbian point of view. Early life and education Clinton was born in Buffalo, New York. She was raised in a large Catholic family in the ...

, a lesbian sex therapist to Bette and Tina. * Dana Fairbanks: Lesbian, portrayed by

Erin Daniels Erin Daniels ( Cohen) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Dana Fairbanks on ''The L Word'' (2004–2007). Her feature film work includes ''A Single Man'' (2009) and '' One Hour Photo'' (2002). Early life Daniels was bor ...

; main character from seasons 1 through 3. ** First lesbian experience was with tennis-mentor "Ralph", when she was sixteen; mentioned during the Pilot episode, episode 1.12: "Looking Back", and episode 3.11: "Last Dance". ** Daughter of Sharon and Irwin Fairbanks. ** Sister to Howie Fairbanks. ** Has a false heterosexual relationship with her doubles partner Harrison Scott; mentioned during the "Pilot" episode and during episode 3.11: "Last Dance". ** Dated Melanie Caplan; mentioned during the "Pilot" episode. ** Attempted to date Jenny Schecter in season 1, before deciding to remain friends. ** Dated Lara Perkins during seasons 1 and 3. ** Goes to a date with Andrew telling him she is a lesbian. ** Committed to Tonya during season 1, but later broke up with her in episode 2.06: "Lágrimas de Oro", after cheating on her with Alice for a while. ** Dated

during season 2, taking advantage of Alice's feelings while not returning them. According to the storyline, she broke up with Alice six months before episode 3.01, "Labia Majora", in order to be with Lara again. ** Died of heart failure in episode 3.10: "Losing the Light", after having discovered in episode 3.05: "Lifeline" that she had invasive ductal carcinoma, the most common form of breast cancer. * Howie Fairbanks: Gay, portrayed by

Andrew Francis Andrew Michael Scott Francis is a Canadian actor. He has appeared in many television shows and films including '' My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'' as Shining Armor, '' MegaMan NT Warrior'' as MegaMan.EXE, ''Hero 108'' as Lin Chung, ''Lam ...

; minor character with appearances in seasons 1 through 3. ** Son of Sharon and Irwin Fairbanks. ** Younger brother of Dana Fairbanks. ** Comes out as

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...

to Dana and Alice during episode 2.11: "Loud and Proud". * Irwin Fairbanks: Portrayed by Michael Hogan; minor character with appearance during seasons 1 through 3. ** Married to Sharon Fairbanks. ** Father of Dana and Howie Fairbanks. * Sharon Fairbanks: Portrayed by Susan Hogan; minor character with appearance during seasons 1 through 3. ** Had a lesbian experience when she was 17. ** Married to Irwin Fairbanks. ** Mother of Dana and Howie Fairbanks. * Gene Feinberg: Straight, portrayed by

Tygh Runyan Tygh Runyan (born June 13, 1976) is an actor and musician. Career Runyan has had a long career of character and supporting roles. His most notable roles are as Dr. Robert Caine in ''Stargate Universe'' and Fabien Marchal in ''Versailles''. His ...

; minor character with appearance during seasons 1 and 2. ** Dated Jenny Schecter until episode 2.01: "Life, Loss, Leaving". * Manfredi Ferrer: Portrayed by

Derek de Lint Dick Hein "Derek" de Lint (; born 17 July 1950) is a Dutch film and television actor, known for playing the role of Derek Rayne in '' Poltergeist: The Legacy''. Life and career Dick Hein de Lint was born on 17 July 1950 in The Hague in the N ...

; minor character with appearance in episode 2.02: "Lap Dance". ** Married to Marina Ferrer. * Marina Ferrer: Lesbian, portrayed by

Karina Lombard Karina Lombard is a Tahitian-born American actress. She appeared as Isabel Two in ''Legends of the Fall'', as chief Nonhelema in ''Timeless'', and as Marina Ferrer in the first season of ''The L Word''. She has also appeared in the films '' Wid ...

; main character during season 1. ** Italian countess married to Manfredi Ferrer hiding her sexual orientation. ** Has an open relationship with Francesca Wolff for five years. ** Has an affair with Jenny Schecter while she was engaged to Tim Haspel. ** Dated Robin Allenwood during season 1. ** Dated Claude during season 4. ** This character seems to be an allusion to

Kate Millett Katherine Murray Millett (September 14, 1934 – September 6, 2017) was an American feminist writer, educator, artist, and activist. She attended Oxford University and was the first American woman to be awarded a degree with first-class honor ...

's Sita (Millett's lover of Italian noble origin, one of whose middle names was "Marina", committed suicide in 1978) * Lucía Flores: Bisexual. Character only alluded to during season 2. ** Was Pablo Fuentes' girlfriend before she cheated on him with Carmen de la Pica Morales. ** She was Carmen's first lesbian experience when she was 16. * Dan Foxworthy: Straight, portrayed by

Daryl Shuttleworth Daryl Shuttleworth (born July 22, 1960) is a Canadian actor. He has had numerous small roles in a wide variety of North American television shows and films over the years, but is best known for his role as Detective Sean "Bub" Bailey in the gay-t ...

; minor character with appearance during seasons 1, 2, 5 and 6. ** Therapist of Tina Kennard, Bette Porter, Alice Pieszecki and Tasha Williams.

G

* Valerie Goins: Lesbian, portrayed by

Camille Sullivan Camille Sullivan (born July 7, 1975) is a Canadian actress. She has starred in various films and television series. Among her notable television appearances are ''Rookie Blue'', ''Da Vinci's Inquest'', ''Intelligence'' and ''Shattered''. She won a ...

; minor character with appearance in episode 2.07: "Luminous". ** Was committed to Leigh Ostin. * Shelly Greenlee: Portrayed by Linda Ko; minor character with appearance in episodes 2.12: "L'Chaim" and 2.13: "Loud & Proud". ** Was hired by Bette to care for her dying father. * Gregg: Straight, portrayed by Robin Nielsen; minor character with appearance in episode 1.12: "Looking Back". ** Was Alice's college boyfriend. * Barbara Grisham: Closeted lesbian, portrayed by

Dana Delany Dana Welles Delany (born March 13, 1956) is an American actress. After appearing in small roles early in her career, Delany received her breakthrough role as Colleen McMurphy on the ABC television drama ''China Beach'' (1988–1991), for which s ...

; minor character with appearance in episode 3.04: "Light My Fire". ** Senator of the state of

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

. ** Unsuccessfully attempted to seduce Bette Porter during episode 3.04: "Light My Fire".

H

* Becky Haspel: Straight, portrayed by Georgia Craig; minor character with appearance during episode 3.10: "Losing the Light". ** Wife of Tim Haspel. * Timothy "Tim" Haspel: Straight, portrayed by

Eric Mabius Eric Harry Timothy Mabius (born April 22, 1971) is an American actor. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, he graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York, with a degree in cinema studies. After working in theater productions, Ma ...

; main character during season 1 and minor character with appearances during seasons 2, 3 and 6. ** Married and divorced Jenny Schecter during season 1. ** Dated Trish Peverell, who was a student that he was coaching, during season 1. ** Married Becky during season 3. * Sean Heaney: Straight, portrayed by Bruno Verdoni; minor character with appearance during the "Pilot" episode. ** Was Tina Kennard's first unsuccessful sperm donor. ** Slept with

. * Heather: Character only alluded to during the "Pilot" episode. ** Slept with Brooke. ** Slept with Mandy. ** Slept with Melanie Caplan. * Arianna Huffington: Portrayed by

Arianna Huffington Arianna Stassinopoulos Huffington (née Ariadnē-Anna Stasinopoúlou, el, Αριάδνη-Άννα Στασινοπούλου ; born July 15, 1950) is a Greek-American author, syndicated columnist and businesswoman. She is a co-founder of ''Th ...

herself; minor character with appearance during episode 2.01: "Life, Loss, Leaving". ** Employer of both

and Carmen de la Pica Morales when they meet.

I

* Iris. Portrayed by Mikela J. Mikael; minor character with appearance in episode 2.09: "Late, Later, Latent". ** Has an open relationship with Ivan Aycock for five years.

J

* Randy Jackson: Straight, portrayed by Kwesi Ameyaw; minor character with appearances in seasons 1 and 3. ** Friend of Tim Haspel. ** Husband of Carolyn Varajian. * Cherie Jaffe or Cherie Peroni: Bisexual, portrayed by

Rosanna Arquette Rosanna Lisa Arquette (; born August 10, 1959) is an American actress. She was nominated for an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie, Emmy Award for her performance in the TV film ''The Executioner's Song ( ...

; minor character with appearances in seasons 1, 3, and 4, but alluded to in seasons 1 through 3. ** Mother of Clea Jaffe; mentioned in episode 1.11: "Liberally". ** Married to Steve Jaffe, later divorced him. ** Had an affair with

during season 1 and later also slept with her in seasons 3 and 4. * Clea Jaffe: Lesbian, portrayed by Samantha McLeod; minor character with appearance only in season 1. ** Daughter of Cherie Jaffe and Steve Jaffe. ** Infatuated with

during season 1. * Steve Jaffe: Straight, portrayed by James Purcell; minor character with appearance only in season 1. ** Married and then divorced Cherie Jaffe. ** Father of Clea Jaffe. * James: His sexual orientation is unknown, but in the last episode of the second season he appears holding a man in the funeral of Bette's father, portrayed by Preston Cook; minor character with appearances during seasons 1 through 6. ** Assistant of Bette Porter. * Candace Jewell: Lesbian, portrayed by

Ion Overman Ion Overman (born November 9, 1976) is an American actress, known for her roles on television, such as Gabriella Garza in ''Port Charles'' (2000–2002), Candace Jewell in ''The L Word'' (2004–2005), Detective Sam Blair in ''Ghost Whisperer'' ( ...

; minor character with appearances in seasons 1 and 2. ** Had a relationship with Yolanda Watkins; mentioned in season 1. ** Had an affair with Bette Porter and started all the friction between Bette and Tina during episodes 1.12: "Looking Back" through 2.01: "Life, Loss, Leaving". * Lisa Johnson: Straight, portrayed by Crystal Balint; minor character with flashback appearances during episode 4.07: "Lesson Number One" and 4.11: "Literary License to Kill" ** Appears in flashbacks of Tasha Williams' tour of duty in Iraq.

K

* Nadia Karella: Lesbian, portrayed by

Jessica Capshaw Jessica Capshaw (born August 9, 1976) is an American actress known for her roles as Jamie Stringer in ''The Practice'', and as Dr. Arizona Robbins on the ABC medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy''. Early life Capshaw was born on August 9, 1976, in ...

; minor character with appearance in episodes 4.02 "Livin' la Vida Loca", 4.03 "Lassoed" and 4.04 "Layup". ** Slept with Bette Porter. * Bryan Karikawa: Portrayed by

Peter Shinkoda Peter Shinkoda (born March 25, 1971) is a Canadian film and television actor who stars as Dai on the TNT science fiction series ''Falling Skies'' from Steven Spielberg and as Sektor in the Warner Bros. webseries '' Mortal Kombat: Legacy'' direct ...

; minor character with appearance during seasons 1 and 2. **

Subaru ( or ; ) is the automaker, automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate (company), conglomerate Subaru Corporation (formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries), the Automotive industry#By manufacturer, twenty-first ...

representative who works with Dana's advertising campaign. * Hunter Kirby: Straight, minor character; portrayed by

Chris William Martin Christopher William Martin (born January 17, 1975), also known as Corky Martin or Chris Martin, is a Canadian actor.Glen Schaefer, "Felicity's hair-raiser: Vancouver actor Chris Martin's job was to stir the pot and divert attention from star Keri ...

. ** Fellow writing student to Jenny in season 2. * Tina Kennard: Bisexual, portrayed by

Laurel Holloman Laurel Lisa Holloman is an American painter and actress. She is best known for playing Tina Kennard in ''The L Word''. Early life Holloman is the youngest child in her family. She has two older brothers. She graduated from Saint Mary's Schoo ...

. Main character. ** Mother of Angelica Porter-Kennard. ** Dated Eric previous to season 1; mentioned in episode 1.12: "Looking Back". ** Had an eight-year relationship with Bette Porter with a separation during season 2, a breakup in season 3, and a reunion in season 5. ** Courted by Joyce Wischnia during season 2. ** Dated Helena Peabody during episodes 2.05: "Labyrinth" through 2.13: "Lacuna". ** Attempted to have an affair with film producer Josh Brecker during episode 3.07: "Lone Star". ** Had a relationship with Henry Young, through episodes 3.09: "Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way" to episode 4.11: "Literary License to Kill". ** Courted by Kate Arden during season 4. ** Revealed to have had an

incest Incest ( ) is human sexual activity between family members or close relatives. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adoption ...

uous relationship with her sister from ages 11 to 15 in the post-season 6 "Interrogation tapes" (canonicity debated) ** Married Bette between the events of ''The L Word'' and ''Generation Q'', but cheated on her with Carrie, which led to their final separation and divorce. ** Became engaged to Carrie during the events of ''Generation Q''. * Leonard Kroll: Straight man, portrayed by

Bruce Davison Bruce Allen Davison (born June 28, 1946) is an American actor and director. Davison is well known for his starring role as Willard Stiles in the cult horror film '' Willard'' (1971) and his Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning perfor ...

; minor character with three appearances ** Husband/ex-husband of Phyllis Kroll ** Father of Molly Kroll * Molly Kroll: straight-turned-bisexual-turned-lesbian, portrayed by

Clementine Ford Clementine Shepherd Ford (born June 29, 1979) is an American actress known for her appearance as Molly Kroll on Showtime's ''The L Word''. In April 2009, she joined the cast of the soap opera ''The Young and the Restless'' in the role of Macken ...

** Daughter of Phyllis and Leonard Kroll. ** "Girl crush" on

, and later slept with her * Phyllis Kroll: Lesbian, portrayed by

Cybill Shepherd Cybill Lynne Shepherd (born February 18, 1950) is an American actress and former model. Her film debut and breakthrough role came as Jacy Farrow in Peter Bogdanovich's coming-of-age drama ''The Last Picture Show'' (1971) alongside Jeff Bridges. ...

. ** Wife/ex-wife of Leonard Kroll ** Mother of Molly ** Had her first lesbian infatuation/relationship with Alice. ** On again, off again relationship with her first divorce attorney, Joyce Wischnia. * Aaron Kornbluth: Straight, portrayed by

Brian Markinson Brian Markinson (born September 1, 1961) is an American-Canadian actor who has appeared in a wide variety of films and television shows. Some of Markinson's best known roles include a U.S. Attorney General in ''Shooter'', an unscrupulous industr ...

, introduced in season 4 ** Executive for Shaolin Productions ** Worked with Tina and Jenny during the making of ''Lez Girls'' ** Partnered with William and Adele at the end of Season 5

L

* Lacey: Lesbian, portrayed by

Tammy Lynn Michaels Tammy Lynn Michaels (née Doring), also known by the surname Etheridge from her relationship with Melissa Etheridge, is an American actress. Michaels was a regular cast member on The WB's ''Popular''. Career Michaels developed a passion for ac ...

; minor character with appearance during season 1. ** Slept with

. * Jodi Lerner: Lesbian, portrayed by

Marlee Matlin Marlee Beth Matlin (born August 24, 1965) is an American actress, author, and activist. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for a ...

; main character during seasons 4 and 5 who is credited on season 6. ** Sculpture artist; professor and student adviser at the California University School of Arts where Bette is dean. She had a serious long-term relationship with Bette Porter until Bette cheated on her to go back to Tina Kennard. * Lei Ling: Straight, portrayed by Taayla Markell; minor character with appearance in episode 1.07: "Losing It". ** Girlfriend of Marcus Allenwood. ** Becomes extremely upset after discovering Marcus donated sperm to Tina and threatens legal action to gain custody of the child. ** Stops harassing Tina after Marcus convinces her to leave Tina alone. * Lisa: Lesbian-identified Man, portrayed by

Devon Gummersall ''My So-Called Life'' is an American teen drama television series created by Winnie Holzman and produced by Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz. It originally aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from August 25, 1994, to January 26, 199 ...

; minor character with appearance during season 1. ** Dated

from episode 1.07: "Losing It" to 1.10: "Luck, Next Time". * Julia Lourd: Lesbian, portrayed by

Ann-Marie MacDonald Ann-Marie MacDonald (born October 29, 1958) is a Canadian playwright, author, actress, and broadcast host who lives in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. MacDonald is the daughter of a member of Canada's military; she was born at an air force base near ...

; minor character with appearance during season 3. ** Project partner of Bette Porter for the ''Art of Discent'' exhibit.

M

* Winnie Mann: Lesbian, portrayed by

Melissa Leo Melissa Chessington Leo (born September 14, 1960) is an American actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and two Critics' Choice ...

; minor character with appearance during season 2. ** Former partner of Helena Peabody; mentioned in episode 2.06: "Lágrimas de Oro". ** Birth-mother of Wilson Mann Peabody. ** Adoptive mother of Jun Ying Mann Peabody. * Clea Mason: Lesbian, portrayed by

Melanie Lynskey Melanie Jayne Lynskey ( ; born 16 May 1977) is a New Zealand actress widely known for her portrayals of complex women in several independent films and television shows and also known for her command of American dialects. Lynskey is the recipi ...

; minor character with appearances in season 5. ** Attempts to start a relationship with Alice Pieszecki in episode 5.12: "Loyal and True". * Tom Mater: Gay, portrayed by Jon Wolfe Nelson; minor character appearing in seasons 4, 5 and 6. ** Interpreter for Jodi Lerner. ** Has a relationship with Max Sweeney in season 6. ** Impregnates Max Sweeney, and later abandons him in season 6. * Carla McCutcheon: Straight, minor character with appearance during episode 3.12: "Left Hand of the Goddess". ** Mother of Shay McCutcheon. ** Wife of Gabriel McCutcheon. * Gabriel McCutcheon: Straight, portrayed by

Eric Roberts Eric Anthony Roberts (born April 18, 1956) is an American actor. His career began with a leading role in ''King of the Gypsies'' (1978) for which he received his first Golden Globe Award nomination. He was nominated again at the Golden Globes fo ...

; minor character with appearance during episode 3.12: "Left Hand of the Goddess". ** Father of Shane and Shay McCutcheon. ** Married to Carla McCutcheon. ** While visiting

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

during episode 3.12: "Left Hand of the Goddess", he had an affair and ran away with a girl named Patty, leaving his wife and son behind. * Shane McCutcheon: Lesbian, portrayed by

Katherine Moennig Katherine Sian Moennig (; born December 29, 1977) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Shane McCutcheon on ''The L Word'' (2004–2009), as well as Jake Pratt on ''Young Americans'' (2000). Moennig played the role of Lena in ...

; main character. ** Daughter of Gabriel McCutcheon. ** Older half-sister of Shay McCutcheon. ** Slept with Mandy. Mentioned in the "Pilot" episode. ** Slept with Lisa. ** Slept with Lacey. ** Had an affair with Cherie Jaffe, and slept with her again in season 3. ** Roommate of Jenny Schecter since season 2. ** Had a relationship with Carmen de la Pica Morales that ended in episode 3.12: "Left Hand of the Goddess", when she left Carmen at the altar. ** Has slept with around 950 to 1200 people, mostly one-night stands of which names are unknown. Number is later given as 963 according to Alice's OurChart.com server, mentioned in episode 4.01: "Legend in the Making". ** Had a relationship with Paige. ** Object of Molly Kroll's "straight girl crush", and later slept with her, and later had a short-lived relationship in season 5. ** In a relationship with Jenny Schecter in season 6. * Shay McCutcheon: Portrayed by Aidan Jarrar. Minor character with appearance during episode 3.12: "Left Hand of the Goddess", and throughout the beginning of the 4th season ** Son of Gabriel and Carla McCutcheon, and half-brother of

** Moves in with Shane after his mother abandoned him in response to his father's affair. ** Is taken away by his father after he returns from his affair in "Lacy Lilting Lyrics". * Stacey Merkin: Lesbian, portrayed by Heather Matarazzo. A reporter interviewing Jenny Schecter posing as an ally she later reveals her true colors when she writes a jealousy-driven bad review of Jenny's book. * Claude Mondrian: Lesbian, portrayed by

Élodie Bouchez Élodie Bouchez-Bangalter (born 5 April 1973) is a French actress. She became internationally known for her role as Renée Rienne on the fifth and final season of the television show ''Alias'' and for playing Maïté Alvarez in the film ''Wild ...

. A French-Canadian freelance writer. ** Had an affair with Jenny in season 3. ** Had a relationship with Marina in season 4. * Begoña : Portrayed by

Patricia Velásquez Patricia Carola Velásquez Semprún (born 31 January 1971) is a Venezuelan actress and model. As an actress, she is known for her portrayal of Anck-su-namun in the 1999 film ''The Mummy'' and its 2001 sequel ''The Mummy Returns''. Early life Ve ...

; minor character with appearances during season 5. ** Plays the part of Karina in ''Lez Girls''. * Mercedes Morales: Straight, portrayed by Irene López; minor character with appearances during season 3. ** Mother of Carmen de la Pica Morales. Mentioned in episode 3.01: "Labia Majora". * Dylan Moreland: Straight-turned-lesbian, portrayed by

Alexandra Hedison Alexandra Hedison (born July 10, 1969) is an American photographer, director, and actress. She is married to actress and filmmaker Jodie Foster. Early life Born in Los Angeles, California, on July 10, 1969, she is the daughter of Bridget (Mori) a ...

; minor character with appearances in seasons 3, 4, and 6'. ** Has a boyfriend named Danny. ** Seduces Helena Peabody and later files sexual harassment charges against her as a means of extortion. In the process, she becomes a lesbian and develops real feelings for Helena. She later returns the money she extorted and has a relationship with Helena, who has forgiven her, in season 6.

N

* Nadia: Lesbian, portrayed by Natasha Jean; minor character with appearance in episode 1.04: "Longing". ** Dated Gabby Deveaux. * Nina: Character only alluded to during the "Pilot" episode. ** Slept with

; mentioned during the "Pilot" episode. ** Slept with Brooke; mentioned during the "Pilot" episode. * Nadia: Portrayed by

during the beginning of season 4. She was a teacher's assistant and worked with Bette. ** Had an affair with Bette.

O

* Leigh Ostin: Lesbian, portrayed by

Cobie Smulders Jacoba Francisca Maria "Cobie" Smulders (born April 3, 1982) is a Canadian actress. She is known for her starring role as Robin Scherbatsky in the CBS sitcom ''How I Met Your Mother'' (2005–2014) and as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill in the Ma ...

; minor character with appearance during season 2. ** Had a relationship with Valerie Goins; mentioned in episode 2.07: "Luminous" ** Dated Helena Peabody during episodes 2.11: "Loud and Proud" to 2.13: "Lacuna".

P

* Papi: Lesbian, portrayed by

Janina Gavankar Janina Zione Gavankar (; born November 29, 1980) is an American actress and musician. She is trained as a pianist, vocalist, orchestral percussionist and majored in theatre at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her roles include Shiva on ''The ...

; major character; first mentioned in episode 3.09: "Lead Follow or Get Out of the Way" when Carmen credits her with the reason she did not make it to her prom, her first appearance, however was on episode 4.02: "Livin' la Vida Loca". ** As of season 4 and according to Alice's chart, Papi has slept with the most people in the series; mentioned in episode 4.01: "Legend in the Making". ** Slept with

on episode 4.02: "Livin' la Vida Loca". ** Slept with Helena Peabody on episode 4.02: "Livin' la Vida Loca". ** Has a one-night stand with Ruby. ** Has an affair with Saskia on episode 4.06: "Luck Be a Lady". ** Slept with Tasha Williams during her college years; mentioned on episode 4.06: "Luck be a Lady". ** Has an affair with Kit Porter during season 4. ** Had an affair with Carmen de la Pica Morales during their college years agreeing with Alice's OurChart.com shown at season 4 finale. ** Slept with Gabby Deveaux on episode 6.01 ** Her real name is Eva Torres * Angus Partridge: Bisexual, portrayed by

Dallas Roberts Dallas Mark Roberts (born May 10, 1970) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Milton Mamet in the third season of AMC's '' The Walking Dead'' (2012-2013), Eliot Delson on ''Unforgettable'', and Owen Cavanaugh on ''The Good Wife' ...

; major character; first appearance in episode 3.01: "Labia Majora". ** Angelica Kennard's "manny" (male nanny). ** Boyfriend of Kit Porter. ** Had an affair with Hazel in season 4. * Helena Peabody: Lesbian, portrayed by

Rachel Shelley Rachel Shelley (born 25 August 1969) is an English actress and model. She is best known for playing Helena Peabody in the Showtime series ''The L Word'' and Elizabeth Russell in the Oscar-nominated Bollywood epic ''Lagaan''. Early life Rachel ...

; major character in season 2, main character since season 3; first appearance in season 2 episode 2.04 Lynch Pin. ** Director of the Peabody Foundation. ** Daughter of Peggy Peabody. ** Mother of Wilson and Yun Jing. ** Had a relationship with Winnie Mann, the biological mother of Wilson previously of season 2. ** Has an affair with Tina Kennard during season 2. ** Has an affair with Leigh Ostin during season 2. ** Has an affair with Isabella during season 2. ** Has an affair with Dylan Moreland who financially exploits her during season 3. ** Accused of sexual harassment by Dylan Moreland. ** Is cut off financially by her wealthy mother and becomes poor, homeless and goes to stay with Alice. ** Slept with Papi in season 4, episode 4.02 Livin' La Vida Loca. ** Has an affair with gambler Catherine Rothberg during season 4 and makes money for her. ** Was arrested in season 5 for stealing Catherine's money. ** Has an affair with Dusty while in jail after a fierce

nightmare A nightmare, also known as a bad dream, Retrieved 11 July 2016. is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong emotional response from the mind, typically fear but also despair, anxiety or great sadness. The dream may contain situations of d ...

. ** She gets back the Peabody fortune in the season 5 finale. ** She buys the SheBar (thanks to "Lover Cindi") to help Kit Porter, and they rename the club as "The Hit Club" ** Resumes her relationship with Dylan Moreland in season 6, after "testing" her in order to estimate whether Dylan is after her money and wants to exploit her again or actually cares for her. ** In her interrogation tape with Sgt. Duffy, she reveals she didn't hide Catherine Rothberg's money. She used it to piss her off, because Catherine was a big republican, so she donated it to lesbian centers, fertility clinics, etc. ** Returned to England between the events of ''The L Word'' and ''Generation Q". * Peggy Peabody: Bisexual, portrayed by

Holland Taylor Holland Virginia Taylor (born January 14, 1943) is an American actress. She won the 1999 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Judge Roberta Kittleson on ABC's ''The Practice'' (1998–2003). F ...

; minor character with appearances in seasons 1 through 6. ** Major supporter of the CAC and Bette Porter in Season 1. ** Mother of Helena Peabody, gave the reins of her Foundation to her daughter in Season 2. ** Had an affair with Marilyn in 1973. Restarted a relationship with her in episode 3.12: "Left Hand of the Goddess". * Lara Perkins: Lesbian, portrayed by

Lauren Lee Smith Lauren Lee Smith (born June 19, 1980) is a Canadian actress. She is known for her television roles, including Emma DeLauro in the syndicated science fiction drama '' Mutant X'', Riley Adams in the CBS forensics drama ''CSI: Crime Scene Investig ...

; minor character with appearances during seasons 1 through 3. ** Dated Dana Fairbanks during season 1, and later during season 3. ** Dated Gabby Deveaux during season 2. ** Starts a relationship with

during episode 3.11: "Last Dance", which ended before episode 4.01: "Legend in the Making". ** A connection to Claybourne is shown on the final chart that appears in the third season finale. * Isabella Pernao: Portrayed by

Carmen Aguirre Carmen Aguirre is a Chilean-born Canadian actress and writer. She plays a prominent role in ''Endgame''. Early in her life, she lived and worked as a member of the Chilean Resistance. Career Her 2011 book ''Something Fierce: Memoirs of a Revo ...

; minor character with appearance during season 1. ** Was the performer of the art piece ''Jesus Is in Me'', presented by Bette Porter during the ''Provocations'' exhibit. * Trish Peverell: Straight, portrayed by Nicole McKay; minor character with appearance during season 1. ** Dated Tim Haspel during season 1. * Franklin Phillips: Straight, portrayed by Michael Tomlinson; minor character with appearance during seasons 1 and 2. ** Board member of the CAC. Supervisor of Bette Porter. * Alice Pieszecki: Bisexual, portrayed by

Leisha Hailey Leisha Hailey (born July 11, 1971) is an American actress and musician known for playing Alice Pieszecki in the Showtime Networks series ''The L Word'' and '' The L Word: Generation Q''. Hailey first came to the public's attention as a musician ...

; main character. ** Daughter of Lenore Pieszecki. ** Dated Bette Porter in 1996. ** Mentions to have been involved with Sean Heaney (Tina's unsuccessful sperm donor) during the Pilot episode. ** Mentions to have slept with Nina while speaking to Dana during the Pilot episode. ** Was girlfriend of Katherine Claymore after graduating from college (mentioned in episode 1.03: "Let's Do It"). ** During college she had a boyfriend named Gregg, with whom she had a band named "Butter". Mentioned in episode 1.12: "Looking Back". ** Dumped Gregg for Tayo, a lesbian bass-player. Mentioned in episode 1.12: "Looking Back". ** Restarts and ends an on-and-off steady hot-and-cold relationship with Gabby Deveaux during season 1. ** Dates "Lisa", the 'lesbian-identified man', during part of Season 1. ** Dates Andrew, right after dumping "Lisa". ** Has a stable relationship with Dana Fairbanks, during most of season 2. ** Had a rebound affair with April, who was the former girlfriend of her first boyfriend. Mentioned in episode 3.01: "Labia Majora". ** Dates vampirologist Uta Refson during episodes 3.05: "Lifeline" through 3.07: "Latecomer" ** Goes on a date with Xandra which was interrupted by Dana Fairbanks unhealthy state. ** Starts a relationship with Lara Perkins in episode 3.11: "Last Dance" which ended before episode 4.01: "Legend in the Making". ** Sleeps with Papi on episode 4.02: "Livin' la Vida Loca". ** Has a relationship with Phyllis Kroll that lasts from episode 4.04: "Lay Up" to 4.06: "Luck Be a Lady". ** Has a relationship with Tasha Williams that starts in episode 4.06: "Luck Be a Lady". * Lenore Pieszecki: Portrayed by

Anne Archer Anne Archer (born August 24, 1947) is an American actress. Archer was named Miss Golden Globe in 1971, and in the year following, appeared in her feature film debut ''The Honkers'' (1972). She had supporting roles in ''Cancel My Reservation'' (1 ...

; minor character with appearance during season 1. ** Mother of

. ** Attempts to seduce

during episode 1.05: "Lies, Lies, Lies". * Angelica Porter-Kennard: Bisexual or lesbian, portrayed by Olivia Windbiel and Jordan Hull; main character appearing since season 2 and in ''Generation Q'' ** Daughter of Tina Kennard and Bette Porter. ** Her biological father is Marcus Allenwood. ** Started relationship with Jordi in "Labels" * Bette Porter: Lesbian, portrayed by

Jennifer Beals Jennifer Beals (born December 19, 1963) is an American actress and former teen model. She made her film debut in ''My Bodyguard'' (1980), before receiving critical acclaim for her role in ''Flashdance'' (1983), for which she won NAACP Image Awa ...

; the main character. ** Daughter of Melvin Porter. ** Half-sister of Kit Porter. ** Aunt of David Waters. ** Mother of Angelica Porter-Kennard. ** Slept with Coleman Alt in 1984. ** Kissed Kelly Freemont/Wentworth, her straight college roommate—mentioned during episode 6.02: "Least Likely". Her sister Kit later mentions that she almost killed herself over Kelly (episode 6.04: "Leaving Los Angeles"). ** Dated

in 1996. ** Had an affair with Candace Jewell starting in episode 1.13: "Locked Up" and ending in episode 2.01: "Life, Loss, Leaving". ** Had an eight-year relationship with Tina Kennard, with a separation at the end of season 1, due to her cheating with Candace, a reconciliation by the end of season 2, and a break-up during episode 3.09: "Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way". ** Had a one-night stand with an unidentified woman while in New York, during episode 2.04: "Lynch Pin". ** Had sex with a grad student of the university where she was the art department dean, named Nadia Karella, in episode 4.03: "Lassoed". ** Had a relationship with Jodi Lerner during seasons 4 and 5. ** Had an affair with the love of her life, Tina Kennard, in season 5 while she was dating Jodi Lerner, starting on episode 5.04: "Let's Get This Party Started". They later got back together. ** Phyllis Kroll said Bette "was, is and will always be the woman of her dreams" during episode 6.03: "LMFAO" ** Resists Kelly's attempt to seduce her during episode 6.06: "Lactose Intolerant". * Kate 'Kit' Porter: Straight, portrayed by

Pam Grier Pamela Suzette Grier (born May 26, 1949) is an American actress and singer. Described by Quentin Tarantino as cinema's first female action star (although, there are some who dispute that claim and believe Cheng Pei-pei actually holds that distin ...

; main character. ** Daughter of Melvin Porter. ** Half-sister of Bette Porter. ** Mother of David Waters. ** Intended to start a relationship with Ivan Aycock during season 2. ** Had an affair with Benjamin Bradschaw during season 2. ** Has a relationship with Angus during season 3 and 4. ** Has an unsuccessful affair with Papi during season 4. ** Business rivalry with Dawn Denbo. ** Relationship with professional female impersonator and straight male named Sunset Boulevard in season 6. * Melvin Porter: Straight, portrayed by

Ossie Davis Raiford Chatman "Ossie" Davis (December 18, 1917 – February 4, 2005) was an American actor, director, writer, and activist. He was married to Ruby Dee, with whom he frequently performed, until his death. He and his wife were named to the NAACP ...

, minor character with appearances in seasons one and two. ** Bette and Kit Porter's father; and David Waters and Angelica Porter-Kennard's grandfather. ** Openly disapproved of Bette's lesbian relationship with Tina, to include refusing to acknowledge Tina's unborn child as his grandchild or calling Tina by her first name. ** Diagnosed with advanced

prostate cancer Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that sur ...

during the episode "Loud and Proud" and decides to refuse medical treatment. ** Dies in the episode "L'Chaim" with Bette and Kit by his side.

Q–R

* "Ralph": Portrayed by Tara Wilson; minor character with appearance alluded to during season 1 and 3. ** "Ralph" is a famous tennis player, whose real identity is kept secret by Dana because of her celebrity status. Mentioned during the "Pilot" episode. ** "Ralph" was Dana's first lesbian experience when she was 17. It is first mentioned during the "Pilot" episode. "Ralph" appears during a flashback of Dana's coming out story in episode 1.12: "Looking Back". * Uta Refson: Bisexual, portrayed by

Erica Cerra Erica Cerra (born October 31, 1979) is a Canadian actress, best known for her portrayal of Deputy Jo Lupo on the Syfy series ''Eureka'', and artificial intelligence A.L.I.E. and her creator Becca on ''The 100''. Career Cerra was born in Vancou ...

; minor character with appearance during season 3. ** Dated

during episodes 3.05: "Lifeline" through 3.07: "Lone Star". *

Melissa Rivers Melissa Warburg Rosenberg (previously Endicott; born January 20, 1968), known professionally as Melissa Rivers, is an American actress and television host. She is the only child of comedian Joan Rivers and producer Edgar Rosenberg. Early life M ...

: Bisexual, portrayed by herself; minor character with appearance during season 2. ** Starts a relationship with Tonya in episode 2.06: "Lágrimas de oro". * Robin: Lesbian, portrayed by

Anne Ramsay Anne Elizabeth Ramsay is an American actress best known for her role as Lisa Stemple on ''Mad About You'', for which she shared a Screen Actors Guild Awards, Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Best Ensemble in a Comedy series. Early lif ...

. Dated Jenny from episode 1.12: "Looking Back" to 2.03: "Loneliest Number". Also dated Marina Ferrer briefly. * Catherine Rothberg: Lesbian, portrayed by

Sandrine Holt Sandrine Claire Holt (born Sandrine Vanessa Ho; 19 November 1972) is a British-born Canadian model and actress. Early life Holt was born Sandrine Vanessa Ho in Croydon. Her middle name was later changed to Claire. Her father, Man Shun ("Horace" ...

; minor character appearing in season 4. ** Is a professional gambler. ** Enslaves Helena Peabody under the guise of a relationship in season 4, as a means of getting money back that Helena owes her. ** Convinces Helena Peabody to bet $100,000 on a horse race, which she ends up losing and, consequently, is unable to fund Alice Pieszecki's "Our Chart" website.

S

* Harry Samchuk: Gay, portrayed by

Colin Cunningham Colin Alexander Cunningham (born 1966) is an American television and film actor. Cunningham is best known for his roles as John Pope in the TNT science fiction series ''Falling Skies'' and as Major Paul Davis on ''Stargate SG-1''. Career Cunn ...

; minor character with appearance in episodes 1.06: "Lawfully" and 1.07: "Losing It". ** Pays Clive to sleep with him. ** Attempts to seduce

, until Shane tells him she is a woman. (Episode 1.07: "Losing It"). * Jenny Schecter: Lesbian, portrayed by

Mia Kirshner Mia Kirshner (born January 25, 1975) is a Canadian actress, writer and social activist. She is known for television roles as Mandy in '' 24'' (2001–2005), as Jenny Schecter in ''The L Word'' (2004–2009), as Amanda Grayson in '' Star Trek: D ...

; main character. ** Daughter of Sandy Ziskin. (First name revealed in Episode 1.07: "Losing It", and last name revealed in 3.01: "Labia Majora"). ** Stepdaughter of Warren Ziskin. ** Engaged and married to Tim Haspel during season 1. By the beginning of season 2, they already were divorced. ** Best friend of

** Writes a story for "The New Yorker", which later becomes a book and ultimately a Hollywood movie starring Niki Stevens, entitled "Lez Girls", based on the lives of herself, Tina Kennard, Bette Porter, Marina Ferrer,

, Alice Pieszecki, Tim Haspel, Kit Porter, Dana Fairbanks and Helena Peabody, in the book, named respectively: Jesse, Nina, Bev, Karina, Shaun, Alyse, Jim, Kat, Donna and Helen. ** Seduced by Marina Ferrer and had an affair with her during season 1, Jenny's first relationship with another woman. ** Had an affair with Nick Barashov during her college years. Mentioned in episode 1.05: "Lies, Lies, Lies". ** Attempted to date Dana Fairbanks during episode 1.11: "Liberally". ** Dated Robin from episode 1.12: "Looking Back" to 2.03: "Loneliest Number". ** Dated Gene Feinberg from episode 1.13: "Locked Up" to 2.01: "Life, Loss, Leaving". ** Had a relationship with Carmen de la Pica Morales during season 2. ** Had a relationship with Max Sweeney during season 3. ** Started an affair with Claude during episode 3.12: "Left Hand of the Goddess". ** Had a relationship with Niki Stevens during season 5. ** Had a relationship with

during season 6. ** Died by suicide in the series finale; manner of death confirmed in ''The L Word: Generation Q'' * Harrison Scott: Closeted gay, portrayed by Landy Cannon; minor character with appearance in seasons 1 and 3. ** Doubles partner and make-believe boyfriend of Dana Fairbanks before she came out as lesbian. * Paige Sobel: Bisexual, portrayed by

Kristanna Loken Kristanna Loken (born October 8, 1979) is a Norwegian American actress and model. She is known for her roles in the films '' Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines'' (2003), ''BloodRayne'' (2005) and ''Bounty Killer'' (2013) and on the TV series ''P ...

. Has a relationship with

during season 4. ** Mother of Jared Sobel, school friend of Shay McCutcheon * Niki Stevens: Lesbian, portrayed by

Kate French Kate Lauren French is an American actress and model. She is perhaps best known for her role as Niki Stevens on ''The L Word''. Early life Kate Lauren French was born in Flemington, New Jersey. Career Following in her parents' footsteps, Frenc ...

; recurring character appearing in seasons 5 and 6. ** Famous movie star reportedly based on

Lindsay Lohan Lindsay Dee Lohan ( ; born July 2, 1986) is an American actress and singer. Born in New York City and raised on Long Island, Lohan was signed to Ford Models at the age of three. Having appeared as a regular on the television soap opera '' An ...

. ** Is

closeted ''Closeted'' and ''in the closet'' are metaphors for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and other (LGBTQ+) people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity and aspects thereof, including sexual identity and human ...

in her public life. ** Had a relationship with

Jenny Schecter Jennifer "Jenny" Diane Schecter is a fictional character from the American Showtime television drama series ''The L Word'', played by Mia Kirshner. Jenny debuted on-screen during the pilot episode and remained until the series' final episode. Jen ...

in season 5. ** Hooked up with

after her relationship with Jenny Schecter ended in season 5 and pursues a relationship with her in season 6. ** Dated a boi named Jimmi. Mentioned in episode 5.05 "Lookin' at You, Kid" ** Had an affair with

Paris Hilton Paris Whitney Hilton (born February 17, 1981) is an American media personality, businesswoman, socialite, model, and entertainer. Born in New York City, and raised there and in Beverly Hills, California, she is a great-granddaughter of Conra ...

. Mentioned in episode 6.02 "Least Likely" * Max Sweeney: Bisexual trans man portrayed by Daniel Sea. Joined the main cast during season 3. First appeared in episode 3.01: "Labia Majora". ** Has a relationship with Jenny Schecter during season 3. ** Has an affair with Billie Blaikie during season 3. ** Dated Brooke during the beginning of season 4. ** Has an affair with Grace during season 4 that bridges into friendship during season 5. ** Dates Tom, the interpreter for Jodi Lerner, during season 5. ** Is impregnated and abandoned by Tom in season 6.

T

* Tayo: Lesbian, portrayed by Marta Jaciubek; minor character with appearance only in season 1, episode 1.12: "Looking Back". ** Had an affair with

during her college years. Mentioned in episode 1.12: "Looking Back". Tayo is Alice's first lesbian experience. * Tonya: Lesbian, portrayed by Meredith McGeachie; minor character with appearance in seasons 1 through 3. ** Was engaged to Dana Fairbanks until episode 2.06: "Lágrimas de oro". ** Had a relationship with Melissa Rivers that started in episode 2.06: "Lágrimas de oro", but ended somewhere before episode 3.10: "Losing the Light".

U–V

* Carolyn Varajian: Straight, portrayed by Jennifer Copping; minor character with appearance during season 1. ** Married to Randy Jackson. * Conrad Voynow: Straight, portrayed by

Ari Cohen Ari Cohen (born in Winnipeg, Manitoba) is a Canadian stage and television actor. He was a cast member of ''My Babysitter's a Vampire''. He is from Winnipeg and attended the University of Manitoba, where he was an alumnus of the Black Hole Theatre ...

; minor character with appearance during season 1. ** Conrad was Dana's manager during season 1, before she came out as a lesbian during the

campaign.

W

* David Waters: Straight, portrayed by

Colin Lawrence Colin Lawrence is a British-born Canadian actor known for his roles in film and television. Early life Lawrence was born in London and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He is of Jamaican descent. Career Since 1994, he has parti ...

; minor character. ** Son of Kit Porter. ** Nephew of Bette Porter. ** Grandchild of Melvin Porter. ** Does not accept Bette and Tina's decision to raise their daughter Angelica together in a lesbian relationship and refuses to vouch for them in front of their adoption social worker. * Yolanda Watkins: Lesbian, portrayed by Kimberly Hawthorne; minor character with appearance in season 1. ** Dated Candace Jewell. * Mark Wayland: Straight, portrayed by

Eric Lively Eric Lawrence Lively (né Brown; born July 31, 1981) is an American actor. He played the role of Andy Evans in '' Speak'' (2004), Carey Bell in ''So Weird'' (1999–2001), and Mark Wayland in ''The L Word'' (2005). Early life Eric Lawrence Liv ...

; major character in season 2. ** Documentary film maker; roomed with

and Jenny Schecter. ** Betrayed Jenny Schecter and Shane McCutcheon by setting up hidden cameras throughout the house. * Kelly Wentworth: Bisexual, portrayed by

Elizabeth Berkley Elizabeth Berkley (born July 28, 1974) is an American actress. She played Jessie Spano in the television series ''Saved by the Bell'' and Nomi Malone/Polly Ann Costello in the 1995 Paul Verhoeven film ''Showgirls''. She voiced the title role o ...

; minor character appearing in season 6. ** College roommate of Bette Porter ** Opens an art gallery in Los Angeles with Bette Porter in season 6. ** Unsuccessfully tries to seduce Bette Porter in season 6. * Tasha Williams: Lesbian, portrayed by

Rose Rollins Rose Rollins (born April 30, 1981) is an American actress. She is known for her role as Tasha Williams in the Showtime (TV network), Showtime drama series, ''The L Word'' (2007–09) and as Valerie Anderson in the American Broadcasting Company, AB ...

; major character with appearances in seasons 4 through 6. ** Best friend of Papi. ** In a relationship with Alice Pieszecki in seasons 4, 5 and 6. ** Was a

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

in the

and a

Military Police Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. In wartime operations, the military police may support the main fighting force with force protection, convoy security, screening, rear recon ...

. ** Did a tour in

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

, where she witnessed some of her subordinates getting killed. ** Suffers from

Posttraumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental and behavioral disorder that can develop because of exposure to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions, child abuse, domestic violence, or other threats on ...

as a result of her wartime service. ** Was

discharged Discharge may refer to Expel or let go * Discharge, the act of firing a gun * Discharge, or termination of employment, the end of an employee's duration with an employer * Military discharge, the release of a member of the armed forces from serv ...

from the Army under "

Don't ask, don't tell "Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) was the official United States policy on military service of non-heterosexual people, instituted during the Clinton administration. The policy was issued under Department of Defense Directive 1304.26 on December ...

" by confessing her love for Alice Pieszecki during her separation board on the episode "Lay Down the Law". ** Continued to date Alice after her discharge, but had relationship problems stemming from various issues to include Alice making more money than her and the introduction of Jaime Chen. ** Decides to become a civilian police officer and was attending the police academy as of season 6. * Joyce Wischnia: Lesbian, portrayed by

Jane Lynch Jane Marie Lynch (born July 14, 1960) is an American actress, comedian and author. She is known for starring as Sue Sylvester in the musical comedy series ''Glee'' (2009–2015), which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award. Lynch also gained recogni ...

; minor character with appearances in seasons 2 through 6. ** Slept with almost all of her clients. ** Joyce was Tina Kennard's lawyer during the separation case she filed to Bette Porter, during season 2. ** Courted Tina Kennard during season 2. ** Became Bette Porter's attorney for the sole custody petition she filed against Tina Kennard during season 3. Later served as a mediator to settle shared custody during season 4. ** Had a relationship with Phyllis Kroll during seasons 4, 5 and 6, after having recused herself as Phyllis's divorce attorney because of their romantic interest. * Dr. Wilson: Portrayed by Judith Maxie; minor character with appearance in seasons 1 through 3. ** Dr. Wilson is Tina Kennard's

gynecologist Gynaecology or gynecology (see spelling differences) is the area of medicine that involves the treatment of women's diseases, especially those of the reproductive organs. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, forming the combined area ...

. ** Dr. Wilson was also the doctor of Dana Fairbanks when she was diagnosed with

breast cancer Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or a re ...

. * Francesca Wolff: Lesbian, portrayed by

Lolita Davidovich Lolita Davidovich ( sr-Latn, Lolita Davidović, italic=unset; born July 15, 1961) is a Canadian-born film and television actress, best known for portraying Blaze Starr in the 1989 film '' Blaze'', for which she received a Chicago Film Critics Ass ...

; minor character with appearance in season 1. ** Partner of Marina Ferrer; mentioned during season 1. ** Had an affair with a prima ballerina in Portugal; mentioned during season 1.

X

* Xandra: Lesbian, goes on a date with Alice in episode 3.10: "Losing the Light" before Dana gets sick.

Y

* Henry Young: Straight, portrayed by

Steven Eckholdt Steven Eckholdt (born September 6, 1961) is an American actor. He has appeared in many television series and film roles. He is best known as Saun in ''The Runnin' Kind'', Patrick Flannigan in ''L.A. Law'', Mark Robinson in '' Friends, ''and Dou ...

; minor character with appearances in seasons 3 and 4. ** Father of Mikey Young. ** Had a relationship with Tina Kennard that began in episode 3.09: "Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way", unaware that Tina was using him to get sole custody of Angelica. He ended the relationship and had her move out of his home in season 4 when he realized the truth. * Mikey Young: Minor character with appearance in season 3. ** Son of Henry Young.

Z

* Sandy Ziskin or Sandy Schecter: Straight, portrayed by

Margot Kidder Margaret Ruth Kidder (October 17, 1948 – May 13, 2018), known professionally as Margot Kidder, was a Canadian-American actress whose career spanned five decades. Her accolades include three Canadian Screen Awards and one Daytime Emmy Awa ...

; minor character alluded to during seasons 1 and 2, with appearance in episode 3.01: "Labia Majora". ** Mother of Jenny Schecter. Her name is revealed in season 1. * Warren Ziskin: Straight, portrayed by Stephen Aberle; minor character with appearance during episode 3.01: "Labia Majora". ** Married to Sandy Ziskin. ** Stepfather of Jenny Schecter.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q–R

S

T

U–V

W

X

Y

Z

References

Further reading