Showtime's Provocative Series The L Word(R) Signs Tony Award(R)-Winner Alan Cumming For Six Episodes for Season Three

NEW YORK, June 22 -- Showtime Networks' THE L WORD(R), which is currently in production on its third season, brings the multi-talented, Tony Award(R)-winning actor Alan Cumming (Cabaret, Showtime's Reefer Madness) to the series for six episodes. Twelve new hour-long episodes of THE L WORD(R) are scheduled to premiere in 2006 which currently stars Jennifer Beals, Erin Daniels, Leisha Hailey, Laurel Holloman, Mia Kirshner, Katherine Moennig, Sarah Shahi, Rachel Shelley and Pam Grier, with newest cast member Dallas Roberts.

Cumming portrays Billie Blaikie, a promiscuous, business savvy party promoter, who is hired by Kit Porter (Pam Grier) to manage her restaurant/nightclub. Billie comes to L.A. via New York, where he rose to fame in the underground club drag scene. The quintessential party boy, Billie is always looking to party hard with anything and anyone, but still manages to enjoy enormous success in his career. Although he is the best man for the job, Kit finds herself at odds with Billie on more than one occasion.

Tony Award(R)-winner Alan Cumming has had an eclectic career that not only includes acting, but writing and directing for film and television. His unforgettable portrayal of the "Emcee" in the Broadway musical Cabaret was one of the most celebrated performances of recent years. In addition to a Tony Award(R), his performance also won him the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Theater World and New York Press Awards. For the original London production, he received an Olivier Award nomination. His many feature film credits include the Spy Kids trilogy, X2: X-Men United, Nicholas Nickleby, Josie and the Pussycats, Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion, Emma, GoldenEye, Get Carter, Eyes Wide Shut and Julie Taymor's Titus.

THE L WORD(R) is executive produced by Ilene Chaiken through her production company Posse Productions, Inc. The series was created by Chaiken and Kathy Greenberg & Michele Abbott and is being distributed internationally by MGM International Television Distribution, Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Viacom Inc., owns the premium television networks SHOWTIME(R), THE MOVIE CHANNEL(TM) and FLIX(R), as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME(R) TOO(TM), SHOWTIME(R) SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME(R), SHOWTIME BEYOND(R), SHOWTIME NEXT(R), SHOWTIME WOMEN(R), SHOWTIME FAMILYZONE(R) and TMC xtra. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD(R), THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD(R), SHOWTIME ON DEMAND(R), THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND(TM) and FLIX ON DEMAND. SNI operates and manages the premium television network SUNDANCE CHANNEL(R), which is a venture between NBC Universal, Robert Redford, and Showtime Networks Inc. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME(R) PPV. Additionally, the advertiser-supported television network SHOWTIME is available in Turkey through a joint venture with UK-based Zone Vision.

SOURCE Showtime Networks
Web Site: http://www.SHO.com