‘The L Word’ Creator Ilene Chaiken and Star Jennifer Beals Launch Multimedia Brand Run-A-Muck

Two forces behind the beloved Showtime series The L Word have found their way back together.

Creator Ilene Chaiken and star Jennifer Beals have teamed to launch Run-A-Muck, a company described as a cross-platform queer media brand designed to produce content across film, TV and live events. Though they are not ready to reveal any projects that are already packed in their pipeline, the pair did reveal their business partners on the Run-A-Muck endeavor. Beals and Chaiken are joined by queer founding partners, WME’s director of impact and inclusion, Caroline Joyner, and business executive and entrepreneur, Jenn Smira.

“Queerness is no longer peripheral, but central to the creation of culture,” said Chaiken, whose other credits include The L Word: Generation Q, Empire, Law & Order: Organized Crime, Stumptown and The Handmaid’s Tale. “We’ve reached a threshold at which queer artists are dominating the entertainment space, and Run-A-Muck will simply be a media company that connects those creators with consumers who love their work.”

In her own statement, Beals, who is straight, noted how audiences respond to queer culture regardless of how they identify. “The media industry is transforming, and the queer community is at the forefront. Our mission is to tell the most meaningful, compelling, and entertaining stories that resonate across generations and communities,” said the actress, famous for Flashdance and a long list of credits like Taken, The Book of Boba Fett, Proof, Lie to Me, The Chicago Code, Lauren, Swamp Thing and Law & Order: Organized Crime. “What I learned from The L Word is that when you center queer culture, it gives everyone, regardless of how they identify, permission to be their most authentic selves.”

Chaiken teased that the company is “down the road” with a major business partner expected to be announced in the future. On that note, Run-A-Muck will also serve the market by helping brands tap into cultural relevance and continuity. “We know that this opportunity for brands is massive,” she said.