Q&A: Jennifer Beals Talks Dresses, Triathlons

PLAYING A WELDER who dreams of being a ballerina, Jennifer Beals shimmied her way to fame in "Flashdance." Since then, she's tackled roles from Frankenstein's honey in "The Bride" to a noir heroine in "Devil in a Blue Dress." She just began her fifth season on Showtime's "The L Word" (Sundays at 9 p.m.).

» EXPRESS: Having a kid, job turmoil, the death of a parent — your character, Bette, has been through a lot. Does she get a break this season?
» BEALS: In some areas, yes. With her child, she gets a break. I think you'll see her sorting out her love life, too.

» EXPRESS: As a straight woman, what's most intriguing about playing a gay one?
» BEALS: There's a call to authenticity. If somebody's gay and out, it's incumbent on me to embrace that.

» EXPRESS: You've gotten positive feedback from the lesbian community, right?
» BEALS: It's encouraging, because it's a no-holds-barred crowd. They let you know when they're not happy with something, so I feel honored when they're happy. It's exciting, because in the first few seasons, when the community was critical, I felt like it was part of the democratic process. That doesn't happen often in politics, so it's nice for it to happen on television.

» EXPRESS: You get lots of props for your love scenes. Why do you think that is?
» BEALS: I don't get why people notice that more than other things. I'm just trying to figure out where the character goes in the story.

» EXPRESS: What's your favorite thing to wear on the red carpet?
» BEALS: Clothing is good! Not naked for sure. To be comfortable is always desirable, but it's rarely doable. Somehow pajamas haven't made it there yet. I've got a couple of Alberta Ferrettis, and I find Diane von Furstenberg things great and easy. I'm not a huge fashion person, but I appreciate it. It's like sculpting.

» EXPRESS: How do you feel about the return of 1980s styles like leg warmers?
» BEALS: I think I've seen some of it, but not on real people.

» EXPRESS: In addition to acting, you're also a passionate photographer?
» BEALS: I haven't been shooting much lately — mostly, I've done stuff at work, friends or family. I used to shoot predominantly strangers. It was exciting, because you'd have an entry into another world, not entirely unlike acting.

» EXPRESS: Do you display your work at home?
» BEALS: I only have a couple pictures of mine up, a few of Sri Lanka. A lot of my stuff is too depressing to have up there.

» EXPRESS: I hear you're a triathlete now?
» BEALS: I did just one, in the spring. Next year, I want to do another. It comes from having given birth without medication. I realize what my body is capable of.

» EXPRESS: What was the biggest challenge of the triathlon?
» BEALS: For me, the run. I always ran by myself before, so the idea of running in a group was terrifying. But then you start to feel the collective energy.

Photo courtesy of Naomi Kaaltman/Showtime