Marja Lewis Ryan: Making stories for the LGBT
The Internet exploded recently with the news that the fan-favorite show, The L Word, had gotten a showrunner for its sequel: Marja Lewis Ryan, a noted writer and director of LGBT films.
So who is Ryan, and why is the lesbian community excited over her participation in a TV drama series about lesbian characters living in LA from Showtime?
Maybe it’s because Ryan is noted for creating stories that are about the LGBT community, specifically about lesbians. With her selection, we’re hopefully that our favorite TV show is in good hands.
Marja Lewis Ryan and The L Word
Ryan’s selection as the showrunner and executive producer of The L Word sequel by Showtime can be seen as the passing of the baton from original co-creator, writer, and executive producer of the series, Ilene Chaiken.
Both Ryan and Chaiken are members of the lesbian community and noted for creating good stories about LGBT people.
While Ryan will spearhead the sequel, Chaiken was also selected to executive produce the series together with other original series stars Jennifer Beals, Katherine Moennig, and Leish Hailey.
“Ilene and the original L Word made me believe that my voice mattered,” said Ryan.
“I am beyond excited for the opportunity to usher in the next generation of diverse queer people. I couldn’t imagine a better time to make this show,” she added.
Showtime had reportedly met with writers with ties to the lesbian community in their search for a showrunner.
Marja Lewis Ryan’s perspective on writing
Born on March 19, 1985 in Brooklyn, New York,Ryan is a noted writer, actress, and director. As from The Lord, she has upcoming movies like 6 Balloons, the reboot of Splash, and Buried Bodies.
She also adapted her play The Four-Faced Liar into a movie, which she also produced and starred in. This movie won awards like Outstanding First Narrative Feature at LA Outfest.
She graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with an honors BFA, studying at The Atlantic Theatre Company’s Acting School.
This is why her first love is theatre, having performed in regional theatre in both coasts.
In an interview with Joshua Fardon, she shared: “I think I prefer writing for theater because I’m much more interested in character development than I am in plot development.”
She further said she writes roles for women after a realization during a class with David Mamet: “If all we do is bitch about the lack of roles for women our age that are actually good, then there won’t be any.”
If you want to see more of Ryan’s writing chops, check out this movie trailer from The Four-Faced Liar.