Mandana Jones

From 1999–2001, Mandana Jones played the iconic lesbian inmate Nikki Wade on Bad Girls, the British TV show now being rebroadcast on Logo (AfterEllen.com's parent company). These days, Jones has a 2-year-old son and says she's more qualified to review children's TV shows like Postman Pat than recent films, but she offered several awards based on movies she's seen in the past five years.



Favorite Movie: "House of Sand and Fog. I was just sobbing with it. I loved the pace and thought the performances were quite staggering. It was about hopes and love and lost love, and just the agony that is life, really. I was so affected by it."

Actor I Most Want to Work With: "I am a great admirer of Philip Seymour Hoffman. I would love to act with him and wouldn't miss him if he was appearing in town. I saw his play Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train twice."

Actor/Writer I Most Admire: "Ricky Gervais. He is a f---ing genius. I came to know him through The Office, and he's great in Extras too. He takes the viewer on a journey: One minute you're racked by the mundanity of the human experience — how difficult and tragic and impossible it is, how predictably unsatisfying — and the next moment you're laughing at how totally hilarious it is. He never sells out, ever, ever, ever, and there's a real poignancy and perceptiveness about the work he does."

Favorite Love Scene: "I can't think of any man-woman or woman-woman love scene I've thought was particularly stunning, but I've never forgotten Moonlight Mile, in which Susan Sarandon goes through a fantastic range of emotions related to her daughter's death. You can watch something like that between a mother and child, and it will get to you so much more because it's so universal."

Always good to hear from Mandana! I really appreciate that she thought about the best love scene in terms of 'man-woman' and 'woman-woman'. I imagine most straight people wouldn't even stop to think of the latter.

Definitely agree with you, DontUWish and her comments have the typical Mandana touch, especially where she says "she's more qualified to review children's TV shows like Postman Pat than recent films." It does have that down to earth realism.

Person I would most want to be stuck in an elevator with--Mandana Jones hands down. I just find her so interesting and would love a conversation with her. The fact that she's so sexy has nothing to do with it. (yeah right..who am I kidding) **blushes**

I too enjoy reading what she has to say. She's quite articulate and intelligent, not to mention sexy. What is a girl to do other than form a huge ginormous Crush? I wish she was lookin' at me in that picture!

Her comments about how certain people and films reflect life's mundane problems, and complicated experiences with love are wonderful.

I wondered why Simone wasn't included but just came across this article about Robson Green:

http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/0300ent...50081-20516016/

Seems they're busy filming Wire until the end of March.

Has anyone seen House of Sand & Fog or Moonlight Mile? Just curious. I read about both and both sound devastating maybe especially in regards to the roles for the mothers.

Excellent article. That "woman-woman" line is to ensure that the girls love her forever. :D I know I will . . .

As always it's good hearing from Mandana. I so look forward to seeing her on television again.