Gina Torres

Gina Torres

Torres in January 2013
Born (1969-04-25) April 25, 1969
New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1992–present
Spouse(s) Laurence Fishburne (m. 2002)
Children 1
Website www.gina-torres.com

Gina Torres (born April 25, 1969)[1] is a Cuban American television and movie actress. She has appeared in many television series, including Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (as Nebula), Xena: Warrior Princess (as Cleopatra), the short-lived Cleopatra 2525, Alias (as Anna Espinosa), Firefly (as Zoe Washburne), Angel (as Jasmine), 24 (as Julia Miliken), Suits (as Jessica Pearson), and The Shield (as Sadie Kavanaugh).

She starred opposite Chris Rock in the feature film I Think I Love My Wife, as Carla in the independent film South of Pico, and she reprised her Firefly role in its feature film sequel Serenity. Since 2011, she has had a main role on the USA Network series Suits as Jessica Pearson. She and real-life husband Laurence Fishburne played a married couple on the NBC television series Hannibal.

Early life

Torres was born at the Flower Fifth Avenue Hospital in Manhattan, the youngest of three children. Her family lived briefly in Washington Heights before moving to The Bronx.[1] Her parents were both of multiracial Cuban descent, and her father worked as a typesetter for La Prensa and The New York Daily News.[2] Torres speaks Spanish.

Torres, a mezzo-soprano, began singing at an early age and attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City. She also trained in opera and jazz and performed in a gospel choir. Torres applied and was accepted to several colleges but could not afford to attend.[3] She chose instead to pursue her dream of being a performer.[1]

Career

Torres in 2008

In 2001, she won the ALMA Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Syndicated Drama Series for her role in Cleopatra 2525.[4] In 2004, she was nominated for the International Press Academy's Golden Satellite Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Drama, for her role as Jasmine in Angel. Her film appearances include The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions.[1] In 2004, Torres appeared in seven episodes of the third season on 24 as Julia Milliken, a woman who has an affair with the White House Chief of Staff and becomes involved in a Presidential scandal. In 2005, she was tapped for the pilot episode of Soccer Moms. Also in 2005, she voiced the character of Vixen in numerous episodes of the animated series Justice League Unlimited and replaced the voice-over of Jada Pinkett Smith's character Niobe in The Matrix Online. She is also known for her role in Fox's short-lived Firefly series, which lasted only one season.[5] She reprised her Firefly role as Zoe in the film Serenity (2005).[1]

In 2006, Torres began her role as Cheryl Carrera in the short-lived drama series Standoff on the FOX network. Her character is the Supervisory Special Agent in Charge for Crisis Negotiation Unit, FBI Los Angeles.[6] Torres appeared in the film I Think I Love My Wife, playing the spouse of Chris Rock's character.[7] She was cast in Washington Field, a 2009 CBS television pilot from executive Producer Edward Allen Bernero, about the National Capital Response Squad, a unit of the FBI made up of elite experts in different areas who travel around the world, responding to events that affect American interests.[8]

In 2011, Torres was cast as main character Jessica Pearson on the USA Network legal drama Suits.

She was the voice of Wonder Woman in DC Universe Online MMORPG[9] until mid 2013 when the part was recast,[10][11] as well as Arachnid in the Transformers Prime cartoon.[9]

In 2013, Torres was reunited with fellow Firefly costar, Nathan Fillion, in an episode of Fillion's television show, Castle.[12]

In 2016, it was announced that Torres would be leaving the cast of Suits following the summer segment of season six. In addition to her contract being up, Torres stated she had grown tired of traveling between Toronto, where Suits is filmed, and her home in Los Angeles. She will be joining the season two cast of ABC's The Catch, which is filmed in L.A.[13]

Personal life

Torres and Laurence Fishburne were engaged in February, 2001, and married on September 22, 2002,[14] at The Cloisters museum in New York City.[15] They have one child, a daughter Delilah born in 2007.[16] Torres is also the stepmother to Fishburne's two children, from his previous marriage to actress Hajna O. Moss: a son, Langston, born in 1987, and a daughter, Montana, born in 1991. They played a married couple on Hannibal.[17]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1996 Bed of Roses Francine
1996 Substance of Fire, TheThe Substance of Fire Maitre d'
2003 Matrix Reloaded, TheThe Matrix Reloaded Cas
2003 Matrix Revolutions, TheThe Matrix Revolutions Cas
2004 Hair Show Marcella
2005 Fair Game Stacey
2005 Serenity Zoe Washburne
2006 Jam Lilac
2006 Five Fingers Aicha
2007 I Think I Love My Wife Brenda Cooper
2007 South of Pico Carla Silva
2009 Don't Let Me Drown Diana
2010 Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths Superwoman (voice)
2013 Mr. Sophistication Janice Waters

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1992 Unnatural Pursuits Silken Episode: "I Don't Do Cuddles"
1992 Law & Order Laura Elkin Episode: "Skin Deep"
1994 M.A.N.T.I.S. Dr. Amy Ellis Television movie (series pilot)
1995 Law & Order Charlene Episode: "Purple Heart"
1995 NYPD Blue Dominican Woman Episode: "E.R."
1995 One Life to Live Magdalena 12 episodes
1996 One Life to Live Nell 5 episodes
1996 Dark Angel LaMayne Television movie
1997 Profiler Michelle Brubaker Episode: "FTX: Field Training Exercise"
1997 Gregory Hines Show, TheThe Gregory Hines Show Jeanette Episode: "Flirting with Disaster"
1997 Xena: Warrior Princess Cleopatra Episode: "The King of Assassins"
1997 Underworld, TheThe Underworld Unknown Television movie
1997–99 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Nebula Recurring role, 8 episodes
1998 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Beth Hymson, Casting Director Episode: "Yes, Virginia, There is a Hercules"
1998 La Femme Nikita Jenna Vogler Episode: "Open Heart"
1998 Encore! Encore! Opera Patron #3 Episode: "Pilot"
2000–01 Cleopatra 2525 Helen 'Hel' Carter Main role, 28 episodes
ALMA Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
2001–02 Any Day Now Stacy Trenton 3 episodes
2001–06 Alias Anna Espinosa Recurring role, 6 episodes
2002–03 Firefly Zoe Washburne Main role, 14 episodes
2003 Agency, TheThe Agency Dacia Banga Episode: "Absolute Bastard"
2003 Angel Jasmine 5 episodes
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
2003 Guardian, TheThe Guardian Sadie Harper 2 episodes
2003 Law and Mr. Lee, TheThe Law and Mr. Lee Vicki Lee Television movie
2004 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Warden Hutton Episode: "XX"
2004 24 Julia Milliken Recurring role, 7 episodes
2004–06 Justice League Unlimited Vixen/Mari McCabe (voice) 5 episodes
2004 Gramercy Park Mrs. Hammond Television movie
2005 Soccer Moms Jamie Cane Television movie
2006 Shield, TheThe Shield Sadie Kavanaugh 2 episodes
2006 Without a Trace Tyra Hughes Episode: "More Than This"
2006–07 Standoff Cheryl Carrera Main role, 18 episodes
2007 Dirty Sexy Money Princess Ama Episode: "The Nutcracker"
2008 Boston Legal A.D.A. Mary Franklin Episode: "The Gods Must Be Crazy"
2008 Bones Dr. Toni Ezralow Episode: "The Bone That Blew"
2008 Criminal Minds Det. Thea Salinas Episode: "Normal"
2008–09 Eli Stone Attorney Miller 2 episodes
2009 Dirty Sexy Money Princess Ama Episode: "The Facts"
2009 Pushing Daisies Lila Robinson Episode: "Water & Power"
2009 Unit, TheThe Unit Sgt. Natasha Andrews Episode: "Best Laid Plans"
2009 Drop Dead Diva Diana Hall Episode: "Make Me a Match"
2009 FlashForward Felicia Wedeck 2 episodes
2009 Gossip Girl Gabriela Abrams 2 episodes
2009 Applause for Miss E Maggie Television movie
2009 Washington Field SA Jackie Palmer Television movie
2010 Vampire Diaries, TheThe Vampire Diaries Bree Episode: "Bloodlines"
2010 Boondocks, TheThe Boondocks Ebony Brown (voice) Episode: "Lovely Ebony Brown"
2010 Huge Dr. Dorothy Rand Main role, 10 episodes
2011–13 Transformers: Prime Airachnid (voice) 12 episodes
2011–16 Suits Jessica Pearson Main role, 86 episodes
Nominated—ALMA Award for Favorite Supporting Actress on Television
2013 Castle Penelope Foster Episode: "Reality Star Struck"
2013–15 Hannibal Phyllis "Bella" Crawford Recurring role, 5 episodes
Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Guest Starring Role on Television
2015 Revenge Natalie Waters 3 episodes
2015–16 Star Wars Rebels Ketsu Onyo (voice) 2 episodes
2016 Westworld Lauren 2 episodes
2016 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TBA (voice) TBA

Web series

Year Title Role Notes
2015 Con Man

Video games

Year Title Role
2005 Matrix Online, TheThe Matrix Online Niobe (voice)
2011 DC Universe Online Wonder Woman (voice)
2012 Transformers: Prime – The Game Airachnid (voice)
2014 Destiny Ikora Rey[18]

Theatre

Year Title Role
1993 Face Value Marci Williams
1994 Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public, TheThe Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public Terri Clark

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Gina Torres- Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  2. "Latinas 'Go Red For Women' & Rock Red Dresses in The Heart Truth Red Dress Collection 2014 Fashion Show". latinapost.com. Feb 7, 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  3. "Gina Torres". Gina Torres. Retrieved 2010-04-09.
  4. "Gina Torres: Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  5. Patches, Matt (August 4, 2012). "GINA TORRES ON 'FIREFLY' 10TH ANNIVERSARY: 'I JUST ABOUT BURST INTO TEARS'". hollywood.com. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  6. "Gina Torres on Standoff and Serenity". September 12, 2006. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  7. Schwarzbaum, Lisa (March 14, 2007). "I Think I Love My Wife". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  8. Sullivan, Brian Ford (November 4, 2009). "The Futon's First Look: "Washington Field" (CBS)". thefutoncritic.com. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  9. 1 2 Dickens, Donna (January 28, 2013). "Dear Hollywood: Cast Gina Torres As Wonder Woman". buzzfeed. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  10. Jens "Spytie" Anderson, Ted "Mepps" Stone. Sons of Trigon: Gotham Wastelands. YouTube: DCUniverseOnlineGame. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
  11. "It's a wonder: the voice actors of DC Universe speak out". Gamespot.com.
  12. Carlbert, Michelle (February 11, 2013). "'Castle' Episode 5.14 Preview: Gina Torres Guest Stars in 'Reality Star Struck'". buddytv.com. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  13. SHATTUCK, KATHRYN (September 15, 2016). "Gina Torres on Why She Decided to Leave 'Suits'". nytimes.com. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
  14. Barron, James (24 September 2002). "Boldface Names: An Amicable Merger". The New York Times, Section B; Column 3; Metropolitan Desk, p. 2.
  15. "Laurence Fishburne And Wife Gina Torres Are Expecting Their First Child". KABC-TV. Associated Press. January 8, 2007. Retrieved July 28, 2011.
  16. "Update: Laurence Fishburne and Gina Torres welcome first child; spotted out in Hollywood". Moms & Babies. People.com. November 14, 2007. Retrieved July 28, 2011.
  17. "Gina Torres on 'Hannibal' TV series: "It is chilling"". Jan 18, 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  18. Destiny - End Credits - IGN Video. IGN Video. 2014-09-11. Retrieved 2014-12-04.
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