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Showtime released the first teaser for The L Word: Generation Q today. Fans of The L Word who have been waiting 10 years for the show to return finally got to see Jennifer Beals, Katherine Moennig and Leisha Hailey again, if only for one minute. They also got their first look at new cast members, including Rosanny Zayas.

The L Word: Generation Q
Jacqueline Toboni, Leo Sheng, Arienne Mandi, and Rosanny Zayas in The L Word: Generation Q | Hilary B Gayle/SHOWTIME

Zayas plays Sophie Suarez, a TV producer, in The L Word: Generation Q. Zayas was on Showtime’s Television Critics Association panel for The L Word: Generation Q. After the panel ended Showbiz Cheat Sheet got to meet Zayas and speak about joining the cast of a show that meant so much to her. The L Word: Generation Q premieres Sunday, Dec. 8 at 10 p.m. on Showtime.

‘The L Word’ was the only representation of LGBTQ women of color Rosanny Zayas saw

The L Word was the first show dealing exclusively with gay female characters on television. It made a huge impact on Rosanny Zayas growing up watching it.

“It’s such a legendary show,” Zayas said. “It’s so exciting to be able to talk about the things that actually affect me every day. Growing up watching TV wanting to be an actor, you’re like I relate to this. I relate to that, but you only see it so many times being a woman of color on television.”

‘The L Word: Generation Q’ was more than just an audition for Rosanny Zayas

When Showtime decided to bring The L Word back, Rosanny Zayas had to be part of the cast. The L Word: Generation Q was looking for some new actors to represent the next generation of LGBTQ characters.

“I think the part of the audition that was so important to me was I cared about it a lot,” Zayas said. “I cared about this and so that just adds another element to it that doesn’t make it an audition. It makes it this is me wanting to help tell this story. So that was something that I really connected with. I hoped and I hoped. I was like, ‘Please’ and it happened.”

Rosanny Zayas got to make a difference with the ‘L Word’ cast even before filming

The L Word cast members attended the LA Pride parade this year. Zayas got to join them and have that special experience before filming The L Word: Generation Q began.

“When I got the job, my friend literally screamed at me over FaceTime for like 15 minutes,” Zayas said. “Then we did the Pride parade which was so amazing and we FaceTimed for two seconds and then I just turned the camera over and was like, ‘Hey, look who I’m hanging out with.’

Pride was another opportunity for Zayas to hear other stories of viewers impacted by The L Word.

“It’s amazing the stories that people tell about this show and how much it really has affected their lives and helped them grow into themselves in a beautiful way,” Zayas said. ”Now we get to do this show and talk about stuff, some of those conversations that you only talk to your homegirls about. To be able to work with Jen[nifer Beals], oh my God.”

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