Geri Jewell talks about “Facts of Life” co-star Lisa Welchel who played her cousin Blair on the sitcom

When she had a recurring role on The Facts of Life, Geri Jewell not only played the cousin of rich and preppy Blair Warner, but she was also close friends with Lisa Welchel who played Blair.

Geri, who is now 54 and an out lesbian, was in her early 20s at that time of the series and coming to terms with her sexuality. In part 2 of our interview, she talks about that secretive time in her life. (Here is a LINK to part 1)

“The only person that knew was Lisa Welchel at least to my knowledge,” Geri tells Greg In Hollywood. “We were very close, we were roommates and spent a lot of time together.”

Welchel is famously Christian and the two did not stay in touch after Jewell stopped appearing on the show: “I have total and 1000 percent respect for Lisa. Even though we did not see eye to eye on religious issues, I’m very spiritual. I have a very strong spiritual base. I make sure every action and word I speak comes from a spiritual place for the highest good of everyone concerned. I was raised Catholic.”

“At the the time, of course, Lisa wanted me to be born again, that was her passion, her love, and I understood that. I did not resent her for that. I was just so conflicted. I was just trying to figure out who I was and what I wanted to do and struggling with so many issues: my sexuality, financial issues, not being an adult but being a child after being so protected by Special Ed for so many years. It was kind of a jungle. It”s a amazing that I even survived.”

“I hope ultimately [Lisa] is pleased with what I wrote about her in the book. I told the truth and, hopefully, what is conveyed is the respect and the love and the fact that we were kind of like sisters when we were roommates, looking out for one another.”

Geri’s autobiography, I’m Walking As Straight As I Can, comes out April 1. Former co-stars Charlotte Rae and Mindy Cohn have been publicly supportive of Jewell since she came out.

“It means the world to me, I am grateful for that,” she said. “I don’t know how Lisa Welchel will respond but the truth of the matter is I know you can love someone and not approve of a lifestyle and there’s nothing is wrong with that.”

Coming Sunday: The final part of Geri’s interview with Greg In Hollywood.