Kate Capshaw (links) als Helen und Ellen DeGeneres als Janet

Dieser Film ist einfach schön! Romantisch, witzig, charmant und mit tollen Schauspielerinnen. Sie sind es, die diesen Film tragen, allen voran natürlich Kate Capshaw, die hier unter Beweis stellt, dass sie nicht nur die Frau von Steven Spielberg oder die Mutter von “Arizona Robbins” Jessica Capshaw ist, sondern auch eine interessante Frau und Schauspielerin.

Außerdem gibt es da natürlich Ellen DeGeneres als Helens Kollegin und beste Freundin Janet, eine Single-Frau mit ausgeprägtem Männerverschleiß, die sich nach der großen Liebe sehnt. Eine eher unerwartete Rolle für Ellen, die sie aber überzeugend und mit viel Charme und vor allem Witz spielt.

Blythe Danner als Helens Mutter Lillian ist zwar nur gegen Ende des Films zu sehen, sie hat dafür aber eine der besten und vor allem die überraschendste Storyline. Julianne Nicholson, Geraldine McEwan und Gloria Stuart (die übrigens in diesem Juli 100 Jahre alt geworden ist!) komplettieren die grandiose Damenriege. Ach ja, und auch die Männer stören nicht allzu sehr. (Okay, Johnny vielleicht ein bißchen).

Janet glaubt, dass George den Brief für sie geschrieben haben könnte

Davon, dass der Film leider kaum bekannt ist, sollte man sich also nicht täuschen lassen, denn er lohnt sich wirklich. Das Drehbuch hat übrigens Maria Maggenti geschrieben, die Regisseurin und Autorin von “Two Girls in Love”. Und für Fans von “Arizona Robbins” gibt es noch ein Highlight: Jessica Capshaw hat in dem von ihrer Mutter produzierten Film aus dem Jahr 1999 ebenfalls eine winzig kleine Rolle.

“Der Liebesbrief” ist bei verschiedenen Online-Versandhändlern erhältlich. Wer nicht gleich kaufen, sondern erst leihen möchte, kann dies unter anderem bei Lovefilm tun.

Naomi (Lily Loveless, left) and Emily (Kathryn Prescott) on “Skins”

AfterEllen released their list of the Top 50 Lesbian and Bisexual Characters this week, and judging from the comments on this blog alone, it is not surprising that the top spots went to Naomi Campbell and Emily Fitch from “Skins”.

If you – like me – are a late bloomer when it comes to “Naomily” and are wondering what it is about those two that makes them so popular and so special, I think that there is one scene in particular that explains it all.

In this week’s season finale, when it looks like there is nothing they can do anymore to save their relationship, Naomi makes an astounding confession:

“I’ve loved you from the first time I saw you; I think I was 12. It took me … three years to pluck up the courage to speak to you. I was so scared of the way I felt; you know, loving a girl, that I became a sarcastic bitch just to make it feel normal. I screwed guys to make it go away, but it didn’t work. When we got together it scared the sh-t out of me because you were the one person who could ruin my life. I pushed you away. I made you think things were your fault, but really I was just terrified of pain. I screwed that girl Sophia to kind of spite you for having that hold on me. [...] I didn’t want to be a slave to the way I feel about you. Can you understand? You were trying to punish me back, and it’s horrible. It’s so horrible because, really, I would die for you. I love you. I love you so much it is killing me.”

Need I say more?

You can watch all of Emily and Naomi’s scenes of the season finale here, or just the confession scene here. Also, for a deeper understanding of what happened on this show and with the two girls, I recommend reading Heather’s “Skins” recaps on AfterEllen (which is also where I “borrowed” the quote from).

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But back to the AfterEllen Top 50: Personally, I was delighted to see that Dr. Arizona Robbins, who is one of my favourite characters, came in third, and that the German character Carla von Lahnstein (#45) is on the list as well. In addition to those two, characters from my list who made it into the Top 50 were Bette Porter (The L Word, #5), Willow Rosenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, #7), Lucy Diamond (D.E.B.S, #14), Tara Maclay (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, #15), Ellen Morgan (Ellen, #20) and Idgie Threadgood (Fried Green Tomatoes, #24).

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Speaking of Arizona Robbins: Even though there was no new episode of Grey’s Anatomy, luckily, we didn’t have to go without “Calzona” altogether this week, as Jessica Capshaw stopped by at the women of “The View” to talk about her family, how she got the part on Grey’s Anatomy, and of course her character’s relationship with Callie Torres. Thanks to Jessica Capshaw Online, you can watch the interview (which includes a sneak peek at a scene of next week’s episode – Spoiler!) here.

Jessica Capshaw on “The View”

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As for the other serial lesbians on TV and the internet, there wasn’t much going on this week.

On “Marienhof”, Kerstin decided that she needs a change of location to figure out her feelings for Raul and Juliette. While she is gone, things between Raul and Juliette escalate. When Raul makes a disparaging comment about Juliette being a lesbian, he inadvertently puts her in danger of being raped.

After spending a night with her “roommate” Robin, Katherine spent the latest episode of “Desperate Housewives” trying to figure out what the night meant. Eventually, she decides that it just happened because she was drunk and that it doesn’t count. It only takes Robin one kiss, though, to convince Katherine of the contrary. (You can watch all Robin & Katherine scenes and some other hilarious scenes from last Sunday’s episode here.)

Katherine (Dana Delany, right) is trying to figure out whether
her night with Robin (Julie Benz) means that she is a lesbian

The sixth and final episode of “The Real Girl’s Guide to Everything Else” was released this week. If you like the show, you will be happy to learn that a second episode is already in the works, as Carmen Elena Mitchell, the creator of the show, told AfterEllen.

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Portia de Rossi received the Human Rights Campaign’s Visibility Award last weekend, and the laudator was her mother-in-law, Betty DeGeneres. You can watch Portia’s acceptance speech here.

There is also an article about Portia in People Magazine this week, in which she talks about Ellen on American Idol. Not surprisingly, Portia is her wife’s biggest fan.

That’s it for this weekend! As always, if I forgot anything, or if you have something to add, let me know in the comments.

TV Couples

Callie and Arizona (Grey’s Anatomy)

When it comes to the romance of Callie and Arizona on “Grey’s Anatomy”, the year 2009 could not have started in a better way. In the very first episode of 2009, the TV audience got to know pediatric surgeon Arizona Robbins, played by Jessica Capshaw, and only three episodes later, Arizona also introduced herself to Callie – by kissing her in the women’s room of a bar.

It took a few more episodes before they finally got together, but their relationship has evolved and deepend ever since. Arizona was by her girlfriend’s side when Callie clashed with her father, who had come to Seattle to  “pray away the gay” from his daughter, and Callie tried to support Arizona during a difficult time at the hospital, when Arizona was forced to perform surgery on a boy who she had grown fond of and who later died on the operating table. Though Callie eventually failed, her efforts were so sweet and well-intentioned that it prompted Arizona to tell Callie “I love you” for the first time.

What makes this storyline so noteworthy is not only the show’s trademark superb writing, but also the two actresses who bring the characters to life. “Callie” Sara Ramirez and Jessica Capshaw portray their characters in a way that lets them be believable but still fun to watch, a little edgy and complicated at times but still very likeable. And the entertainment media seems to agree: TV Guide just included Sara Ramirez’ portrayal of “Callie” in their list of the “Best Performances of the Year”,  and Jessica Capshaw aka “Arizona” was named “Girlfriend of the Year” by US Weekly.

The only thing that fans have kept complaining about ever since the beginning of season 6 has been the lack of intimacy between Callie and Arizona, aside from a few kisses and embraces. In 2010, this might finally change, at least according to TV Guide, who quote Jessica Capshaw as saying that “Callie and Arizona get a little sexy soon”.

Let’s wait and see, but honestly, as long as they keep Arizona away from the “parking lot of no return” on which Erica Hahn vanished and Callie away from Mark Sloan so they can have a relationship that survives this season and maybe even the next, I would be more than pleased.

Carla and Stella (Verbotene Liebe)

No end-of-year review would be complete without a mentioning of Carla and Stella. After all, they just won an AfterEllen2009 Visibility Award in the category “Best Lesbian/Bi Moment On Scripted TV (International)” and were runner-up in the category “Best Scripted TV Series with Lesbian/Bi Characters (International)”.

Even though it was sometimes painful to follow the love story of Gräfin Carla von Lahnstein (Claudia Hiersche) and Stella Mann (Anne Wis), especially as it seemed to take forever until they finally got together, it attracted the attention of lesbians worldwide, who – thanks to the internet – shared Stella’s pain when Carla once again chose the family business over her relationship, and were overjoyed when Stella proposed to Carla and Carla said yes.

Knowing that they would at least have a happy ending even made it a little easier for “Starla” fans when the couple left the Lahnstein family estate to go on a “round-the-world” trip – that, and knowing that they would not be gone forever, but that the actresses would return for guest appearances, the first one coming up this January.

Olivia and Natalia (Guiding Light)

Another couple who attracted the attention of fans worldwide this year were Olivia Spencer and Natalia Rivera aka “Otalia” on the U.S. soap opera “Guiding Light”. Maybe it is a soap opera thing, but much like it was the case with Carla and Stella, it seemed to take forever until they finally admitted their feelings for each other.

Unfortunately, and unlike on the German “Verbotene Liebe”, where Carla and Stella were allowed to role in the hay almost naked when they finally got together, the couple was never shown in any intimate moments, and it was barely noticeable that they were, in fact, a couple. Still, when the show ended its 72-year-long run in September, “Otalia” at least got a happy ending.

Frustrated “Otalia” fans also had their happy ending of sorts in December, when the new web series “Venice” started, which is co-produced by “Olivia” Crystal Chappell and which also stars “Natalia” Jessica Leccia. In the very first scene of the very first episode, the two of them are shown in bed together. And no, they are not sleeping.

Arizona (Jessica Capshaw, right) is trying to comfort Callie (Sara Ramirez) after a fight with her father

Last year, the producers of Grey’s Anatomy seriously annoyed fans of the lesbian couple “Callica” (aka Callie Torres and Erica Hahn) when they all of a sudden and without warning decided to end the storyline, let Erica break up with Callie and walk off into the night in the direction of the hospital’s parking lot to never be seen again. Even though the series’ creator Shonda Rhimes promised that the end of “Callica” did not mean that Callie would stop dating women, fans were skeptical, and a lot of them stopped watching the show.

Which is too bad, because it looks like the producers are working hard to keep Shonda Rhimes’ promise. Only a few episdoes after Erica disappeared on the parking lot of no return, they introduced a new lesbian character: pediatric surgeon Arizona Robbins, played by Jessica Capshaw (“Bones”, “The L Word”).

Arizona introduced herself to Callie by kissing her in the women’s room of a bar, only to later tell her that she could not date her because Callie was still a “newborn” when it came to dating women. Luckily, she changed her mind, and they have been dating ever since. The audience even got to see them in bed together – naked and apparently after they had sex.

A few weeks ago, the new season of Grey’s Anatomy started in the U.S., and Callie and Arizona are still an item. The producers even went so far as to make Jesscia Capshaw a regular cast member and thereby her character one of the very few lesbian characters on American prime time TV. But there has also been criticism about the lack of intimacy between them – in the first few episodes, they were never shown kissing and only barely touched each other, let alone anything else.

On the plus side, what the audience does get to see is a growing commitment on both sides, and a relationship that is based on trust, understanding and care for each other. The level-headed, experienced Arizona regularly calls Callie out on her impusive, sometimes irrational outbursts, but there are also moments when Arizona is vulnerable and insecure and turns to Callie for help.

The dynamic of the relationship can best be seen in the episode “Invasion”, which aired the week before last. Callie’s father comes to Seattle, bringing along the family’s priest in the hope that he can convince his daughter to go back to dating men. Callie refuses to talk to him, telling him that he “can’t pray away the gay”, but Arizona makes her see where her father is coming from and convinces Callie to “cut him some slack”.

When the meeting of father and daughter ends in a disaster, leaving Callie crying in Arizona’s arms, it is Arizona who manages to convince Callie’s father that Callie is still the same, even though she now loves a woman, by telling him about her own family and about Callie and why she, Arizona, cares for her so much: “I love your daughter. And I protect the things I love. Not that I need to. She doesn’t need it. She’s strong and caring and honorable. And she is who you raised her to be.”

Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) talks to Callie’s father (Hector Elizondo)

A great episode with a very powerful message and amazing acting on all sides. Let’s just hope that Arizona and/or Callie manage to stay away from the parking lot of no return long enough to keep Callie’s promise to her father to “give her mother a wedding”.

Compliations of Callie & Arizona scenes of previous episodes can be found on this YouTube channel.

Pictures: ABC

Lesbische Emmys

Ende September wurden in Los Angeles die Primetime Emmy Awards vergeben, Hollywoods wichtigster Fernsehpreis. Neben Film-Größen wie Glenn Close ( “Damages”) und Toni Collette (“United States of Tara”) gehörten zu den Preisträgerinnen unter anderem die Schauspielerin Cherry Jones und die irische Regisseurin Dearbhla Walsh. Beide sorgten mit ihren jeweiligen Danksagungen bzw. – in Jones’ Fall – mehr damit, wem sie nicht dankten, für einige Spekulationen.

Dearbhla Walsh (links) und Cherry Jones mit ihren Emmys

Dearbhla Walsh, die den Emmy für die Dickens-Verfilmung “Little Dorrit” gewann, ließ bei lesbischen Zuschauerinnen das Gaydar ausschlagen, als sie die Worte “my partner” verwendete und diese ganz offensichtlich an eine Frau im Publikum gerichtet waren. Dabei handelte es sich – wie GLAAD später berichtete – um die irische Fernsehmoderatorin Anna Nolan. Die strahlte über das ganze Gesicht und ließ sich auch nicht davon irritieren, dass Walsh ihr für die Nacht einen flotten Dreier ankündigte: Sie gedenke nämlich, so Walsh, den Emmy mit ins Bett zu nehmen.

Mit solchen Ankündigungen hielt sich Cherry Jones, die den Preis als beste Nebendarstellerin für ihre Rolle als amerikanische Präsidentin in der Serie “24″ erhielt, zwar zurück. Dennoch sorgte auch ihre Rede für Spekulationen, weil sie ihre Partnerin, die Schauspielerin Sarah Paulson (“Was Frauen wollen”), darin nicht erwähnte.

Ellen DeGeneres wird Jurorin bei “American Idol”

Nicht nur hier in Deutschland, auch in den USA wird regelmäßig ein Superstar gesucht, nur heißt Superstar dort “Idol”, die bissige Bemerkungen kommen statt von Dieter Bohlen von Simon Cowell und die Sendung hat unter anderem einen großen Fan: Ellen DeGeneres. Die war daher ganz aufgeregt, als sie Anfang September die Neuigkeit verkünden durfte, dass sie ab Januar die Sängerin Paula Abdul als Jurorin ablösen wird:

Nicht jeder war allerdings so begeistert von dieser Ankündigung wie das Publikum in Ellens Studio. Kritiker meinen, dass Ellen schlicht nicht qualifiziert und außerdem zu harmoniebedürftig für die Jury einer Casting-Show sei. Angesichts Ellens Beliebtheit wird es den Einschaltquoten der Show wohl nicht schaden, wenn Ellen an Bord ist. Und der Sichtbarkeit lesbischer Frauen im amerikanischen Fernsehen auch nicht.

Lesben in Serie: Neue Serien in den USA, Beziehungsglück und Ehekrise in deutschen Soaps

• Apropos Ellen: Carol Leifer, Produzentin von Ellens kurzlebiger zweiten Sitcom “The Ellen Show”, entwickelt für den amerikanischen Fernsehsender CBS eine Serie, deren Hauptfigur eine lesbische Frau ist. Wie AfterEllen berichtet, soll es in “You and Me and He” (Arbeitstitel) um eine frisch geschiedene Frau gehen, die eine Beziehung mit einer Frau eingeht, nur um dann festzustellen, dass sie von ihrem Ex-Mann schwanger ist. Kommt einem irgendwie bekannt vor? Eine ähnliche Storyline gab es bei “Friends”, wo Ross’ Ex-Frau Susan den gemeinsamen Sohn Ben mit ihrer Frau Carol aufgezogen hat.

• Letzten Freitag lief in den USA die Pilotfolge von “Stargate Universe”. In der nunmehr dritten Serie der erfolgreichen “Stargate”-Reihe rettet sich eine Gruppe von Forschern, Militärs und Zivilisten von einem Erd-Außenposten auf einem entfernten Planeten auf ein noch entfernteres antikes Raumschiff. Eine der Überlebenden ist Camille Wray (Ming-Na, “ER”), politische Botschafterin, Beraterin – und lesbisch. Davon war in der ersten Folge zwar noch nichts zu sehen, aber im Überlebenskampf mit antiker außerirdischer Technologie spricht frau ja auch nicht zwingend als erstes über ihre Lebenspartnerin. Es bleibt also abzuwarten, wie sich die Figur weiterentwickelt. In Deutschland wir die Serie übrigens wie bereits ihre Vorgängerserien “Stargate” und “Stargate Atlantis” bei RTL II zu sehen sein.

Ming-Na als Dr. Camille Wray in “Stargate: Universe”

• Seit einigen Wochen laufen in den USA neue Folgen der Erfolgsserie “Grey’s Anatomy”. Mit dabei: Sara Ramirez und Jessica Capshaw als Dr. Callie Torres und Dr. Arizona Robbins. *** Spoiler*** Nach Küssen im Damenklo, verunglückten Dates und Pizza im Bett haben sich die beiden in der letzten Folge nunmehr auch ausdrücklich darauf geeinigt, “girlfriends” zu sein. Mit einem Kuss besiegelt oder sich gar sonstwie berührt haben sie sich zwar nicht, aber das kommt bestimmt – hoffentlich! – noch. *** Spoilerende

Arizona (Jessica Capshaw, links) und Callie (Sara Ramirez)

• Nicht nur in den USA, auch in Deutschland gibt es Serien mit lesbischen Charakteren und sogar Frauenpaaren. Doch während wochentags Carla Gräfin von Lahnstein und Schlossverwalterin Stella Mann endlich ihre “Verbotene Liebe” leben dürfen, kriselt es sonntags in der “Lindenstraße” gerade gewaltig zwischen Serien-Urgestein Tanja Schildknecht und ihrer rechtmäßig eingetragenen Partnerin Suzanne. Die Wochenendbeziehung München/Leipzig blieb nicht ohne Folgen, Tanja hatte einen Seitensprung mit Ex-Freundin Franziska, und in “Sannes” Leben spielt anscheind wieder ein Mann eine Rolle – jedenfalls stand der plötzlich in München vor der Tür und Suzanne hat ihn zurück nach Leipzig begleitet. Das Ende der Partnerschaft? Das bleibt abzuwarten. Zu hoffen ist nur, dass nicht folgt, was an sich vorprogrammiert ist: Ein Sorgerechtsstreit um den gemeinsamen Sohn Simon.

Tanja (Sybille Waury, links) und Suzanne (Susanne Evers) in glücklicheren Tagen

Pictures: Ireland.com, Glaadblog.org, ABC, WDR

Portia de Rossi in “Better Off Ted”

Kelly McGillis comes out
Actress Kelly McGillis, who is best known as Tom Cruise’s flight instructor/lover in “Top Gun” and recently had a guest appearance on “The L Word” as a closeted soldier, came out as a lesbian in an interview posted on “SheWired.com”. The 51-year-old, who was married to men twice, says that she’s “done with the man thing” and that her next partner will “definitely be a woman”.

Kelly McGillis

Jessica Capshaw to join Grey’s Anatomy as a series regular
AfterEllen.com reports that actress Jessica Capshaw aka Dr. Arizona Robbins is in final talks to become a series regular on “Grey’s Anatomy”. If the deal is done, Arizona Robbins, who is currently dating Sara Ramirez’s character Dr. Callie Torres, will be the only lesbian series regular on U.S. broadcast primetime television next year as of now.

Arizona (Jessica Capshaw, left) and Callie (Sara Ramirez) kiss

In related news, German TV station Pro Sieben is currently airing the beginning of the 5th season of Grey’s Anatomy including the budding romance between Callie and Dr. Erica Hahn. Wednesday’s episode was all about Callie’s jitters about going on their first date:

R.I.P., Bea Arthur
Actress Bea Arthur, best known to younger generations as “Dorothy Zbornak” from the sitcom Golden Girls, has died last Saturday from cancer. She was 86.

That’s it for today, look for more “MeL’s News of the Week” (hopefully) next week