Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever.
By Malinda Lo
Source: AfterEllen

IT MUST HAVE BEEN FATE
One of the joys of my TCA experience has been tracking down women who’ve made it onto our Hot 100 list and informing them of their status as a lesbian crush. OK, sometimes it’s a tad embarrassing, especially when there’s a gaggle of other (probably straight) reporters also sticking their recording devices in said celebrity’s face. Therefore, I always prefer to break it to them in private. Like in a photo booth. With the curtains drawn.

Let me set the scene.

I was supposed to interview Lena Headey, the woman who turned Piper Perabo’s character gay in Imagine Me & You , last Monday afternoon directly after the press conference for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles , where Lena plays the title character. However, she slipped away without anyone noticing, and when the Fox publicist finally tracked her down for me, she had already left the premises.

“She’ll be at the party, though!” the publicist said. “I’m really sorry!”

Every reporter who has tried to make an arrangement to interview a celebrity has had this happen to them at sometime or another. So I said, “No problem, I’ll find her there.” Of course, this meant that I arrived at the party with my eyes peeled, wondering how on earth I was going to spot her in the crowd. I was relieved when I saw her wandering around with her manager and a drink (gin and tonic, I think) near the ferris wheel.

“We’re so sorry!” they both insisted when I introduced myself. “We can do the interview now!”

Unfortunately the party was very loud. There were speakers blasting music everywhere (lots of Rihanna, I remember). So after wandering around looking for a quieter corner for several minutes, Lena saw a photo booth and suggested we go in there. I had no choice: I followed her in.

Once ensconced inside in curtained privacy, the photo booth forced us to select from a variety of random images and pose for what seemed like a thousand pictures. I thought to myself: I just got off the plane and I look half-dead! I’m in a photo booth with Lena Headey! I didn’t put on any makeup! I’m in a photo booth with Lena Headey! Etc.

I eventually got around to telling her about her ranking in this year’s AfterEllen.com Hot 100.

AfterEllen.com: I don’t know if you are aware we have this Hot 100 list every year, where our readers vote —
Lena Headey: Am I on it?

AE: Yes, you are.
LH: Yay!

AE: This year you are number 10.
LH: [shocked] No!

AE: Yes! [laughs]
LH: Excellent.

AE: Yes, but last year you were number four.
LH: [gasps]

AE: In 2007, so you have fallen—
LH: My God, I have to go to the gym! I’ve fallen six. That hurts.

AE: What do you want to tell your fans?
LH: Vote for me! Vote for me, I’ll change the world! [laughs]

After the interview (we’ll have more of it for you later), I climbed out of the photo booth and discovered that our moments (including my horrible attempts at making funny faces) had been recorded. Here they are, framed by puppies (apparently that’s what Lena selected as the border):

The moral of the story? If your interview subject gets away the first time, ambush them later and force them into a photo booth. You won’t be disappointed.