Age: 55
Birthplace: New York City, New York, U.S.
Gina Torres (born April 25, 1969) is an 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 in the independent film South of Pico as Carla, and reprised her Firefly role in its feature film sequel Serenity. Currently, she has a main role on the USA Network show Suits as Jessica Pearson. She and real-life husband Laurence Fishburne played a married couple on the NBC television series Hannibal.
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. Her parents were both of multiracial Cuban descent, and her father worked as a typesetter for La Prensa and The New York Daily News.
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. She chose instead to pursue her dream of being a performer.
In 2001, she won the ALMA Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Syndicated Drama Series for her role in Cleopatra 2525. 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. 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. She reprised her Firefly role as Zoe in the film Serenity (2005).
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. Torres appeared in the film I Think I Love My Wife, playing the spouse of Chris Rock's character. 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.
She was the voice of Wonder Woman in DC Universe Online MMORPG until mid 2013 when the part was recast, as well as Arachnid in the Transformers Prime cartoon.
In 2013, Torres was reunited with fellow Firefly costar, Nathan Fillion, in an episode of Fillion's television show, Castle.
Torres and Laurence Fishburne were engaged in February, 2001, and married on September 22, 2002, at The Cloisters museum in New York City. They have one child, a daughter Delilah born in 2007. 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 Fishburne, born in 1991. They played a married couple on Hannibal.
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 |
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-present | Suits | Jessica Pearson | Main role, 60 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 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | TBA (voice) | TBA |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | Con Man |
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 |
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
1993 | Face Value | Marci Williams |
1994 | Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public, TheThe Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public | Terri Clark |