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She got some good lezzie points for her walk and the way she wields that chopping knife.

Bette about Lara, "Let's Do It"

Lara Perkins is a recurring character in seasons one, two, and three of The L Word. She is portrayed by Lauren Lee Smith and debuts in "Let's Do It".

Background[]

Lara is the sous-chef at the country club that tennis player Dana Fairbanks trains at.[2] She has a younger sister and three brothers.[1]

The L Word[]

Season 1[]

In "Let's Do It", Dana is having a post-training snack at the country club restaurant, when sous-chef Lara sends a healthy vegetable dip over to her table. When Dana looks over, Lara gives her a polite smile and Dana is smitten. Dana enlists the help of her friends to determine if Lara is gay. They first look Lara up on The Chart but Lara is not on it, so they decide to organize a trip to the country club to suss out Lara for themselves.

The next morning, Lara and Dana run into each other in the locker room at the country club. Dana shyly tells Lara about her possible Subaru sponsorship deal. Later, Dana's friends arrive at the country club restaurant; they carry out their plan which includes scoring Lara based on how gay her attire is, her reaction to Bette and Tina making out, and her reaction to Shane's attempt to hit on her. In the end, they cannot determine if Lara is gay and leave disappointed.

Lara and Dana run into each other in the locker room again that evening. Lara is excited to learn Dana got the Subaru deal and kisses Dana against the locker, revealing that she was aware of what Dana's friends were doing all along.

In "Longing", Lara is cutting vegetables in the kitchen at work when Dana comes up to greet her. Lara accidentally cuts her thumb much to Dana's alarm, though Lara assures her it's not serious. Dana awkwardly asks Lara out on a date which Lara happily obliges. On the night of their date, Dana arrives to pick Lara up but Lara is embarrassed when she realizes that she is overdressed. Dana assures her that she looks beautiful and they go on their date.

In "Lies, Lies, Lies", Lara and Dana are lying in bed after sex; Dana is deeply embarrassed about something while Lara tries to comfort her. Dana later reveals to Alice that she had female-ejaculated during sex with Lara, something she has never done before. Later, Dana is at The Planet fretting because Lara still hasn't called her since Dana ran out of her own apartment in embarrassment. Just then, Lara shows up with a rose for Dana and they hug.

In "Lawfully", Lara and Dana are flirting at the end of Dana's tennis practice session. Dana's agent, Conrad, interrupts to tell Dana that Subaru is hosting a charity dinner that night and want her to be there. Lara assumes she is Dana's date for the event and shows up at Dana's house that night all dressed up. Lara feels foolish when she realizes the closeted Dana is going to the dinner with her doubles partner and fake boyfriend Harrison instead. Dana says Conrad insisted on it, but Lara leaves upset. Later that night, Dana shows up at Lara's apartment to apologize. Dana tells Lara that she wants to try again but Lara tells her she needs to start taking some steps towards being out.

In "Losing It", Lara and Dana turn up at Bette and Tina's house for poker night. They flirt throughout the evening much to the amusement of Dana's friends. At night, they attempt to have discreet sex in the living room surrounded by Dana's friends; they are caught much to Dana's embarrassment.

In "L'Ennui", Lara and Dana are waiting for a table at a restaurant. Lara is openly flirtatious but Dana is uncomfortable with the public displays of affection. Dana snaps at Lara when the latter tries to kiss her. Dana tells Lara that she is not ready to be openly gay. Lara apologizes for putting too much pressure on Dana, but Dana insists she cannot come out and breaks up with Lara. A few days later, Dana spots Lara walking by her practice session and stares after her sadly.

Season 2[]

In "Loyal", Alice runs into her ex-girlfriend Gabby Deveaux at The Planet. Much to Alice's shock, Gabby introduces Lara as her new girlfriend; Lara also happens to be The Planet's new chef.

In "L'Chaim", Lara greets Dana and her friends at The Planet. Dana is surprised to see Lara working there as Alice kept that from her. Lara and Dana catch up as Alice watches on jealously. Lara is no longer dating Gabby and asks Dana out for dinner. Lara is surprised to learn Dana is now dating Alice, but Dana agrees to have a friendly dinner with her anyway. Lara and Dana are enjoying themselves at their dinner, but when Lara suggests they do this again, Dana says they shouldn't because of Alice.

In "Lacuna", Lara is in charge of the catering for Melvin's wake at The Planet. Dana compliments her on the food as Alice watches them jealously.

Season 3[]

In "Labia Majora", after a six month time skip, Lara and Dana are now dating. Alice is taking her breakup with Dana badly and has been taking strong medication to cope. Lara and Dana are at The Planet hanging out with their friends when Alice shows up and makes things uncomfortable, causing Lara and Dana to leave. Some time later, Lara and Dana are having sex when Lara notices a lump in Dana's breast. Dana tells her not to worry about it but Lara insists she should have it checked out.

In "Lost Weekend", Lara and Dana are hanging out at The Planet when Alice walks up to them and empties a box of sex toys on their table, much to their embarrassment. Lara and Dana also attend The Planet's casino night, where Alice continues to make things uncomfortable for them. One night, Lara and Dana are relaxing in the bathtub together. Lara asks Dana how the doctor's appointment to check on her lump went, but Dana didn't go because she is not comfortable with a male gynecologist. Lara insists Dana make an appointment with a female doctor then, and Dana promises she will.

In "Lobsters", Jenny organizes a dinner to introduce her friends to her new girlfriend Moira, and Lara and Dana are in attendance. Their friends are discussing Jenny's recent self-harm and Lara mentions that she had a cousin who was a cutter. During dinner, Lara and Dana announce that they have booked a vacation next month to the south of France.

In "Light My Fire",

In "Lifeline",

In "Lifesize",

In "Lone Star", Lara accompanies Dana to her chemotherapy and doctor appointments. Lara tries to be supportive but Dana takes her anger over her illness out on Lara. At a gathering for Dana, Lara bakes Dana's favorite red velvet cake but Dana continues to snap at her. Lara admits to Alice that she doesn't know how to deal with Dana's anger. Alice assures her that Dana needs her, but Lara says it's Alice that Dana needs.

Back at Dana's house, Lara tries to help Dana when she is sick, but Dana wants to be left alone. Lara refuses to be Dana's punching bag and Dana tells Lara she should go to Paris and take that chef's course she'd been talking about. Lara doesn't want to leave Dana's side, but Dana insists she should go. Alice comes by later and Dana says Lara has abandoned her, but Alice points out Dana is the one who pushed Lara away.

In "Latecomer",

In "Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way",

In "Losing the Light", Lara is in a spa in Paris when she sees a woman who has had one breast removed due to cancer. She quickly leaves her companion and goes to call Dana's home phone, leaving a voicemail to tell her she misses her and wants to go home to be with Dana.

In "Last Dance", Alice has been trying to contact Lara who is still in Paris to tell her that Dana has died. Some days later, Alice arrives at Dana's house to find Lara waiting at the front door with her luggage. In their grief, they seek comfort in each other and have sex.

In "Left Hand of the Goddess", after a six week time skip, Lara and Alice are still seeing each other. During sex, Alice asks Lara to scratch her and make her bleed so that she can feel something. Lara has also been hired to make the cake for Shane and Carmen's wedding in Canada. The night before the wedding, Alice goes to Lara's hotel room looking for sex, but Lara tells her they should talk about their feelings; Alice isn't ready and leaves. After the failed wedding, Lara and Alice hang out and get to know each other better. Lara says she has something she needs to tell Alice, but their conversation is interrupted by Tina and Henry.

Season 4[]

In "Legend in the Making", Alice and Kit are having a chat the day after the failed wedding, and Alice tells Kit that Lara has accepted a job at a four star hotel in San Francisco and already left that very morning. Kit says Lara was very worried that Alice would take her leaving hard, but Alice assures her that she's ready to move on from Dana and Lara.

Physical appearance[]

Personality[]

Relationships[]

Notable relationships[]

Full list[]

No. Series Name Type Episodes
1 TLW Alice Pieszecki Girlfriend TLW: 3x113x12
  • Main article: Alice and Lara.
  • Following Dana's death, Lara and Alice seek sexual comfort in each other for six weeks in season three of The L Word.
2 TLW Dana Fairbanks Girlfriend TLW: 1x021x07
TLW: pre 3x013x07
3 TLW Gabby Deveaux Girlfriend TLW: pre 2x08 – post 2x08
  • Lara and Gabby are revealed to be in a relationship in "Loyal" (TLW 2x08), but break up by "L'Chaim" (TLW 2x12).

Career history[]

The table below shows the complete known history of Lara's career.

No. Series Type Position Episodes
1 TLW Chef Chef at an unnamed 4-star hotel TLW: post 3x12
2 TLW Chef Chef at The Planet TLW: 2x083x12
  • Lara is revealed to be The Planet's new chef in "Loyal" (TLW 2x08).
  • She presumably takes a leave of absence when she goes to Paris for a chef's course in "Lone Star" (TLW 3x07), and returns in "Last Dance" (TLW 3x11).
3 TLW Chef Sous-chef at an unnamed country club TLW: pre 1x02 – post 1x07
  • Lara is the sous-chef at a country club restaurant in season one of The L Word.

Episode appearances[]

The L Word, season 1
Episode Appearance Status
"Pilot"Absent
"Let's Do It"Appears
"Longing"Appears
"Lies, Lies, Lies"Appears
"Lawfully"Appears
"Losing It"Appears
"L'Ennui"Appears
"Listen Up"Mentioned
"Luck, Next Time"Mentioned
"Liberally"Mentioned
"Looking Back"Mentioned
"Locked Up"Absent
"Limb from Limb"Absent
The L Word, season 2
Episode Appearance Status
"Life, Loss, Leaving"Absent
"Lap Dance"Absent
"Loneliest Number"Absent
"Lynch Pin"Absent
"Labyrinth"Absent
"Lagrimas de Oro"Absent
"Luminous"Absent
"Loyal"Appears
"Late, Later, Latent"Mentioned
"Land Ahoy"Absent
"Loud & Proud"Absent
"L'Chaim"Appears
"Lacuna"Appears
The L Word, season 3
Episode Appearance Status
"Labia Majora"Appears
"Lost Weekend"Appears
"Lobsters"Appears
"Light My Fire"Appears
"Lifeline"Appears
"Lifesize"Appears
"Lone Star"Appears
"Latecomer"Mentioned
"Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way"Appears
"Losing the Light"Appears
"Last Dance"Appears
"Left Hand of the Goddess"Appears
The L Word, season 4
Episode Appearance Status
"Legend in the Making"Mentioned
"Livin' La Vida Loca"Absent
"Lassoed"Absent
"Layup"Absent
"Lez Girls"Absent
"Luck Be a Lady"Absent
"Lesson Number One"Absent
"Lexington and Concord"Absent
"Lacy Lilting Lyrics"Absent
"Little Boy Blue"Absent
"Literary License to Kill"Absent
"Long Time Coming"Absent

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 The L Word, 3x12: "Left Hand of the Goddess".
  2. The L Word, 1x02: "Let's Do It".
  3. The L Word, 4x01: "Legend in the Making".
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