An Interview w/ Jill Bennett!

If you don't know Jill Bennett, you know nothing about the future of lesbian talent.

Already a favourite among the LGBTQ community, Jill has appeared in web series such as the hilarious 3Way, We Have to Stop Now and has appeared in queer favourite, Dante's Cove on TV.

What's perhaps most exciting is that Jill will be at Dinah this year!

Check out our interview with her right here.

All Things Lesbian: Firstly, it’s such an honor to be interviewing you – we’ve all been fans of yours for many years!

Jill Bennett: Thank you!   

ATL: Let’s talk your upcoming series, Second Shot. Can you give us any hints on what it’s about?

JB: Hint?  Why hint?  Here's a full synopsis: 

Katherine "Kat" McDonald (Jill Bennett) thought she had left her small Ohio hometown behind when she went out into the world to play pro soccer. When she gets word that her mentor, Dot, has died, Kat leaves her life in Miami and reluctantly returns home for the wake, only to learn she has inherited "Dot's Hole," the only gay bar in three counties. 

Kat's brief visit turns into her worst nightmare: being stuck in the tiny town she left, working with the local oddballs who call Dot's Hole home (Maile Flanagan, Maia Madison), and reconnecting with her first love, Allison (Amanda Christensen), who is now married to a man. Meanwhile, back in Miami, Kat's demanding girlfriend, Julia (Rosa Blasi), is wondering when she's coming home so they can get married.  

ATL: We know you worked with Dara Nai on your vlog, We’re Getting Nowhere and with Nancylee Myatt in 3Way. What was it like working together again?

JB: It was an absolute blast.  I adore both of these women, and it was an honor to be able to collaborate with them again.  The entire above the line production staff was made up of women - the creators, producers, writers and director. And most of the cast is female. I'm very proud of that fact.  

ATL: Tell us a little about what you’ll be doing at Dinah this year.

JB: First and foremost, the Friday night screening of Second Shot and Out in the Desert.  On Saturday, I'll be participating in the charity poker tournament benefiting HRC. In between those two events, who knows what kind of trouble I'll get into? Probably attending a pool party or two, enjoying the concerts, dancing and hanging out with friends. I'm really looking forward to it. 

ATL: Will We Have To Stop Now be coming back for a new series? (Or 3Way, for that matter.)

JB: We hope to do the last season of WHTSN sometime in the future, but there's no set plan as of yet.  I really care about that project and we want to wrap up that story and those characters... they were a huge part of our lives for many years. There was talk about a 3Way feature film at some point, but you'll have to ask Nancylee about that.

ATL: Will Second Shot be available online after Dinah?

JB: As of now, Second Shot will ONLY be available online for 48 hours during Dinah weekend.  We are offering a sneak peek of the first two episodes on April 6th and 7th for $4.99.  You can watch straight from our website or Facebook page - www.secondshot.tv or www.facebook.com/secondshotseries

We are offering a sneak peek because we haven't settled on a distribution model yet.  We are gathering numbers from that weekend to show a potential network or studio that we have a core demographic.  We need people to tune in!  We have 3 episodes in the can, but hope to do a full season and beyond.

ATL: Some fans have asked if the series will be available in the UK and Australia. Do you have any insight into that?

JB: Anyone from anywhere in the world can access it Dinah weekend at those web addresses.

Questions from fans:

First off, I think you’re a great actress! Do you have any desire to direct? And totally unimportant question but what’s your beer of choice?

- Shannon

JB: At this point, I have no interest in directing, but I do have an interest in producing, even projects that I'm not in. I find producing to be quite creative and I enjoy the process. Favorite beer: Anything from Germany.  I was there this summer and every pint I had was a little slice of heaven.

Considering how technology has changed our daily lives (not just social media but also the digital revolution in film/TV making) suppose someone wants to get into the film/TV business as an actor/actress now, what is a good course of action?

- Naomi, Netherlands.

JB: A good course of action is to make your own destiny by being your own production company. Sure, take the typical path of auditioning, getting an agent etc, but don't count on anyone else to create your career - that's entirely up to you.   

Did you watch the Oscars? Who’s your biggest girl crush right now? I’m curious!

- Sophie, Minnesota

JB: It's a tie between Charlize Theron and Kate Winslet.

***

You can follow Jill Bennett on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DailyJill, or like her Facebook fan page at  https://www.facebook.com/melindabennett75.

Be sure to look out for Jill at Dinah this year, where she'll be introduced her new web series, Second Shot! (Click HERE for the Facebook page.)