Most people may know her from “Flashdance,” but “NCIS: New York” star Jennifer Beals was also once the star of the groundbreaking Showtime series “The L Word,” which is now streaming online for free via Pluto TV. Beals played the character Bette Porter on “The L Word,” which first aired in 2004, and she reprised the role for the sequel, “The L Word: Generation Q,” in 2019. The series was considered groundbreaking for queer representation at the time, and it earned two GLAAD Media awards during its run, including outstanding drama series in 2006.
In a 2015 interview with The Huffington Post, Beals reflected on the impact of her role in “The L Word” and her hopes of being a beacon of hope for young lesbians in marginalized communities. “There was always my secret hope, even when we were shooting the pilot, that it might be helpful to some young girl out there who identified as lesbian who maybe didn’t have access to a larger community and might be able to see herself represented in some way as a real human being rather than being a trope on some film or television show,” said Beals.
Beals credits the showrunner and a dog for getting her on NCIS: New York
After such a long and decorated career, Jennifer Beals likely has plenty of options for how to spend her time. During a panel at New York Comic Con 2026, Beals explained why she signed up for a series that could potentially go on for decades, if the previous “NCIS” is any indication.
“I so loved working with Byron, and I had heard so many wonderful things about Todd,” said Beals, referring to “NCIS: New York” showrunner Byron Balasco and LL Cool J, whose real name is James Todd Smith. She added, “As soon as he told me my character had a dog in the office, I was like, ‘I’m so in. This is gonna be really fun.’ And I love that dog. His name is Duncan.”
It’s no surprise that Beals was drawn to getting to work with a dog on screen again considering how important her character’s dog was in “Flashdance.” Perhaps the secret to getting Beals aboard a project is to ensure that she has a man’s best friend at her side. “NCIS: New York” Season 1 is now airing on CBS.
