And Now Meet the Woman Who Is ‘Ellen’s’ Love Match

Get it straight.

Lisa Darr is not, repeat, not ABC’s resident lesbian.

True, Darr portrayed the ill-fated lover of Officer Abby Sullivan on ABC’s “NYPD Blue” who was slain off-screen in this year’s season premiere.

And Darr is currently playing the “significant other” of Ellen Morgan on ABC’s controversial comedy “Ellen,” starring Ellen DeGeneres.

It has gotten to the point where the first question that some interviewers and others ask when they meet Darr is, “Are you gay?”

For the record, Darr is not gay. She is single and has a boyfriend, dogs and cats.

She adds that her casting on the two series is “a complete coincidence.” Producers of “Ellen” did not even see her two-episode appearance on “NYPD Blue.”

But Darr, 34, is thrilled with the two lesbian characters, particularly her recurring role as Laurie, the somewhat insecure mortgage broker and single mother who falls in love with Ellen. Two weeks ago, Darr gave DeGeneres her first romantic on-screen kiss since the actress and her character came out of the closet last season.

Their dating game continues in tonight’s episode when Laurie meets Ellen’s parents, and Ellen encounters Laurie’s 12-year-old daughter. In coming weeks, the two become more involved emotionally and physically. The consummation of their relationship--in an episode that has not yet been filmed--may reignite the furor over “Ellen,” which has largely quieted down since last season (see related story, F3).

For now, however, Darr is savoring the attention, especially after 10 years of steady but relatively obscure work in such failed series as “Crime & Punishment,” “EZ Streets,” “The Office” and “Profit.”

She sees her roles on “NYPD Blue” and “Ellen” as positive steps in the portrayal of gay people and their romantic lives.

“Playing characters like this is a nonissue for me, and I didn’t really think about it at all,” Darr said as she sat at a West Hollywood diner. “These are two women that just happen to be gay. Their sexuality is not the focus of who they are. I’m really proud to be able to bring this to the forefront. It’s a part of life, and should be accepted as such.”

“Ellen” executive producer Tim Doyle said that Darr and DeGeneres have a genuine chemistry.

“Lisa has the right balance,” he said. “She’s sexy and funny. She’s a good match for Ellen, and there is good energy between them. There is a naturalness with them, and you understand why she loves Ellen.”

Added Darr: “I have more chemistry with Ellen than with a lot of guys I’ve played opposite.”

Darr was initially scheduled to appear on four episodes, but the producers are so taken with her that they are expanding her role into additional episodes, Doyle said. “We were going to break them up, but we liked her so much, we’re going to keep going. We’re playing it by ear,” he said.

Doyle added that he expects less controversy, not more, when the couple finally sleeps together. “We’ve already covered the major issues, so I don’t think it will be that big a deal,” he said.

Still, Darr has already been swept up in the “Ellen” controversy.

Darr supports DeGeneres’ concerns about the network placing a “parental discretion” advisory before episodes of “Ellen” that are similar to the ones placed on “NYPD Blue.” DeGeneres has expressed anger with ABC, saying the show doesn’t warrant such warnings, and that they are being applied unfairly to her show as opposed to sitcoms with heterosexual leads.

“It’s horrible to put a warning on this show,” Darr said. “It’s an issue of consistency. On ‘Dharma & Greg,’ Dharma says ‘penis.’ Why is that OK but a two-second kiss between two women is something kids shouldn’t watch?”

Also, Darr said she is still mystified at being ordered to dub over a line of dialogue in the episode two weeks ago in which Laurie and Ellen became a couple.

During a scene in a crowded, noisy bar, Ellen, frustrated that Laurie cannot hear what she’s saying, turned the situation into a joke by saying in a voice that she presumed Laurie still couldn’t hear, “I want to take you like a wild animal.” Later, they moved to a quieter area and discussed whether they were just friends or on an official date. They kissed briefly and decided to leave.

In the scene as originally filmed, Ellen turned to Laurie and asked if it is an official date, to which Laurie said, “I hope so, especially since you want to take me like a wild animal.” A few days before the episode was broadcast, however, Darr was called back to the studio to change the line to “I hope so, since I’ve never dated a wild animal.”

Darr said: “I just didn’t see the point of changing it because it made it a much bigger deal than it was. But it was not my battle to fight. It just looked silly [on the air] because it was so obvious the line was dubbed.”

Producer Doyle declined to address the change, and would not specify whether it had been demanded by the network or by Touchstone Television, the Disney unit that produces “Ellen.”

“It’s not something I really want to go into,” he said. “Right now, diplomacy is the best course of action.”

Network executives could not be reached for comment concerning the dubbing or future story lines.

Darr said she is not trying to get caught up in the politics of “Ellen.” She is just happy to have a role that she cherishes.

“Laurie is so fleshed-out and well-drawn,” she said, comparing it to other TV roles she’s had. “I feel like I’ve finally gotten my art back.”

* “Ellen” airs Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. on ABC (Channel 7).