Gina Torres on fighting demigods, flying through space, and the time she unofficially played Catwoman
TV Features Gina Torres
Screenshot: Angel
The actor: “Formidable” is often used to describe Gina Torres’ onscreen presence, whether she’s playing the unflappable second-in-command on a ramshackle spaceship on Firefly, a midriff-baring Sumerian princess on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, or a high-powered lawyer intent on making the most of her second chance on Pearson. And the statuesque actor, whose genre-laden career now spans three decades, certainly emanates competence and poise, making her look like every bit the natural-born leader. But a closer inspection of the DNA of a Gina Torres character reveals as much warmth and vulnerability as poise and prowess—it’s not for nothing that Firefly’s Zoë and Wash are one of the most beloved TV couples in the ’verse.
Still, Torres, who almost singlehandedly expanded the Suits universe with the (ultimately short-lived) spin-off Pearson, shows an undeniable resilience. Even as she garnered little traction in more mainstream stories, the Manhattan native embraced genre shows like Xena: Warrior Princess, Cleopatra 2525, and Westworld—and these shows embraced her right back, providing her with a huge sandbox to play in as an actor. When The A.V. Club spoke to Torres in late January ahead of her debut as Tommy Vega on 9-1-1: Lone Star, the actor discussed that mutually beneficial relationship with genre storytelling, avoiding the “supportive wife” roles, and why it’s a great time to rediscover Cleopatra 2525.
9-1-1: Lone Star (2021-)—“Tommy Vega”
The A.V. Club: You’ve joined the Lone Star team as Tommy Vega. What made this the right role for you, following the creation of your own show with Pearson?
Gina Torres: It feels like a continuation of what I wanted to achieve with Pearson. After being this one character, after embodying Jessica Pearson for six-odd years, I never felt like we really got to know her, the entirety of her, which is what inspired the spinoff, Pearson. It was just such an opportunity to really meet her for the first time in some ways, and understand what makes her tick and the “why” of who this woman is.
Coming into Lone Star, I didn’t have to do the heavy lifting in terms of asking for more. She was already presented as this full human being with issues and doubts, and a beautiful skill set, being a badass. And I get to portray a frontline worker during a time that we certainly never saw coming. It just put a finer point on why I do what I do, the love of being able to bring actual human beings into the light, and to have a spotlight put on their lives as a way of understanding ourselves and each other. That’s what Tommy Vega brings to me, as a character, to be able to do that.
AVC: This is also one of the few shows right now that can lean into this new normal of masks and social distancing. What has it been like to film with all these new restrictions in the current reality?
GT: At the beginning, it could be a little overwhelming. You learn very quickly that even in this land of fantasy, you cannot get away from reality. It is very much a part of our everyday lives and it’s part of our work lives. There’s even a finer point put on it because we are portraying frontline workers—we owe it to them and we owe it to the reality that they are suffering through, to be as honest and careful as possible. Aside from that, once you wrap your brain around all the new protocols—and we do; the cast and crew as a whole have embraced the restrictions because A, we want to work. B, we love what we do, and if this is what we have to do to get that done and keep everybody safe, then that’s what we’ll do, it’s just that simple.
One Life To Live (1995-1996)—“Magdalena/Nell”
AVC: Soap operas can absolutely offer lifelong career opportunities, for actors like Susan Lucci, for example. But they also act as a training ground for many actors. Did it feel like that kind of experience for you?
GT: Yeah, I think it was really my first on-camera experience. I’m really sad that soap operas have gone the way that they have, that they’ve all but disappeared. I think maybe there are two or three on the air now. It was a tremendous opportunity to learn camera craft and blocking and all of those things—discipline, too. Because when you consider the fact that they would shoot that one hour in a day, where on weekly or nighttime television, it takes seven to 10 days to shoot an hour of television. So if you’re an actor on a frontrunner’s story line, you’re learning all of those pages every night, and you’re shooting every day. I just remember being this tertiary character in a frontrunner’s story line, and I think I worked that whole week. The first day I was good, the second day I was good, the third day I was a little nervous, and by the time the fourth day came, I was just behind. I was exhausted, and I didn’t know if I could keep up. And then by the grace of God I got through Friday. But it’s quite a grind, and hats off to actors who have done it and have done it well for years.
AVC: Your time on One Life To Live overlapped with Nathan Fillion’s run on the show. Did you guys get to work together at all?
GT: No, the funny thing about One Life To Live is that I was on that show twice as different characters. I think the first time was pre-Nathan, where I was a nurse with a past. And then the second time, I think I was a wellness instructor that worked in the hospital part-time. We did quite literally cross paths, because during the second time I worked on One Life To Live, there was a big Fourth Of July picnic scene, which they often do, where every character on the show comes in and out. We did cross paths during that scene. And I remembered he absolutely caught my attention as someone who is gregarious and comes to laughter easily and is just happy to be there. Then we met later, and I’m sure we’ll get to that, but yeah, One Life To Live.
Xena: Warrior Princess (1997)—“Cleopatra”
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1997-1999—“Nebula/Beth Hymson”
AVC: Your appearances on Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys marked the start of your considerable work on genre shows. What about those experiences sticks out the most?
GT: I remember it being fantastical. Being flown to New Zealand, a place I had never thought of, much less thought of spending a whole lot of time in. On the other side of the world, far off into the International Dateline, and having fun. Once they fit you and you’re in these costumes and you’re playing with demigods and these wonderful, wonderful characters, I just thought, “Oh yes! I do play pretend for a living.” [Laughs.]
The other side of that, of course, aside from having a great deal, is your actor brain. It’s like, am I going to survive this? Because back then, genre television could be a bit of a death trap for an actor. Are you going to be pigeonholed; is anybody going to take you seriously after running around in peekaboo leather pants and a brass bra? Is anybody going to be able to see past this? It’s dueling realities: You’re so grateful to be working, you’re so grateful that you’re having a good time, that you’re getting to see the world, but then you’re going, “Is this it?”
AVC: As someone who’s followed your work for a while, and loves seeing Latinas in sci-fi and fantasy, it’s been great to watch you embrace genre shows.
GT: Early on in my career, I was very, very blessed that genre shows embraced me, because mainstream was not having me at all. [Laughs.] A little bit here and there, but for the most part, it was genre where I found a home. It was genre where I found exposure, it was genre where I got to hone my skills and get better. It was where I got to play royalty, and not worry about fitting into a certain mold that a young actress would have to fit into—playing the girlfriend or the supportive wife. The one standing next to the main character, whoever that is.
Cleopatra 2525 (2000-2001)—“Hel(en) Carter”
AVC: You have really made the most of these opportunities, too. Your work on Xena and Hercules led to you starring in Cleopatra 2525, which is a show on the verge of being rediscovered, especially now that everyone is on the hunt for hidden gems.
GT: Now that I have distance from it, quite a bit of distance, I have to say it is obsession-worthy! It was a lot of fun. They really did swing for the fences, as far as genre shows go.
I think you’re right, so many things are being rediscovered because networks and studios are going into their vaults and saying, “What can we put on our streaming service?” And Cleopatra 2525 may or may not come up, but it was a pleasant surprise, and it was incredibly flattering to have Rob [Tapert] say, “Hey, listen, I want you to come onto this show.”
AVC: And you won an ALMA (American Latino Media Arts) award for your work on the show.
GT: Another big surprise—that’s not usually a show anybody gets awarded for. And to get an ALMA award from my people was great. That was a great celebration; that was a great night.
Firefly (2002-2003) / Serenity (2005)—Zoë Washburn
AVC: Firefly is a show that has been endlessly pored over since it was canceled. In all of that discussion, what do you think people might still generally overlook about the show, or what is something about you wish people talked about more?
GT: It’s been so picked apart and analyzed over the last 20 years. They haven’t missed a thing. Lovers of the show are absolute lovers of the show, and they love the show because they get it. They get that we were a family—not just the characters, but also the actors. They love the relationships because it didn’t matter that we were in a spaceship, those were relationships that everybody could relate to. Zoë and Wash being such a beloved married couple, that’s something that I always loved; their relationship drew me from the start. It’s something I continue to go back to, because we all need connection, we all need community. Firefly is such a beautiful example of what that means, in good times and in bad times. The struggles, the fact that human beings are very different and you have to figure out a way to live together… that coupled with being able to connect on an intimate level, I think is just incredibly important, and serves as a mirror to our own humanity.
AVC: You’ve said in interviews that you haven’t often been considered for romantic lead roles, which has always boggled my mind because, as you pointed out, Zoë and Wash are very much in love. You lent Zoë so much warmth and charm. She’s a badass but she’s also this very layered character.
GT: Very much so, and I loved playing that and I loved layering all of that into her. She’s great at being scary, but those who know her best love her. And that’s true for a reason.
Angel (2003)—“Jasmine”
AVC: You describe genre shows as embracing you, but it really is this mutually beneficial relationship. We see that in your role on as Jasmine on Angel. You were the Big Bad that season, this world-ending threat. What went through your mind when you first learned that you’d be the antagonist?
GT: It’s fun being the bad guy; I couldn’t wait. And it came right after Firefly was canceled. Joss [Whedon] was kind of like, “Hey, I want to give you this, ’cause the other thing didn’t work out. And you only got to wear one costume on Firefly so now you get to wear dresses and look really pretty, And while you’re doing that you’ll also be eating souls.” So, okay! Let’s go for it, why not? Playing villains is so much fun, and then to be able to do it in that context—who else gets to do that? Really? Come on now. I understand—the mainstream stuff is fun, it’s good and it’s interesting. But when you talk about the stuff that we get to do in genre, it really is the nth degree of the playground. You’re in the sandbox and you’re making castles, and you’re making them high and as big as you can, and with as much sand as you can, and that’s what it feels like. You’re just a kid again.
Justice League Unlimited (2004-2006)—“Vixen/Mari McCabe”
AVC: We’ve talked different genre productions you’ve been a part of, but Justice League Unlimited was your first proper superhero project. Did that whet your appetite for more shows or roles in that vein?
GT: Justice League actually whet my appetite for more voiceover work. That was a lot of fun. I’ve happily been able to do more of that, as the years have passed along. And sure, in terms of doing live-action superhero stuff, when it first started getting big, it made me want to take that on. Do I wish I had been in Black Panther? 100%. Do I wish I had been in Wonder Woman? Yeah. Every time they threatened to make that movie in the last 20 years, I kept saying “Me! Please? Please me, please!” And none of that’s happened. But listen, I’ve been around long enough to know, never say never.
Alias (2001-2006)—“Anna Espinosa”
AVC: A character of yours that does feels very superhero or comic-book adjacent, at least, is Anna Espinosa from Alias. She’s seen as the inverse of Sydney Bristow, somebody who is just as highly trained, but with her moral compass set to a different direction.
GT: I would sometimes joke that I was her Catwoman—just coming around to slap you around a little bit, playing cat and mouse. But I was always the cat. Then as the series went on, Sydney got better—she got really good and we had to say goodbye to Anna. But that was such a fun job, and Jennifer [Garner] was such a doll and so much fun to work with. Again, I was just giddy at the kind of things that I got to do. Another supervillain with no remorse, no regret.
AVC: You like doing your own stuntwork, and this must have provided a ton of opportunities.
GT: Yeah. I think by the time I had started doing Alias, I had been doing my own stunts for five years. Just loved it. You want to get in there—you don’t want to just pop up on the screen pretending that you’re out of breath. You want to earn it, so we did.
I Think I Love My Wife (2007)—“Brenda Cooper”
AVC: This was the first time you played someone who was primarily in the supportive partner role that we discussed earlier. What was that experience like for you?
GT: It was interesting, in that I wanted to make her more than just the overbearing wife. Chris [Rock] and I talked about it, because I just felt that there was an opportunity there to not just have her be the shrew, where he’d be justified in going out and finding his happiness. I thought it was really important that we show this is his issue, his problem. As far as relationships and couples, you both realize that you’re putting stuff into the pot that creates estrangement. But this is about what’s going on in his brain. And I didn’t necessarily want to contribute to that in a very cookie-cutter way.
We talked about that, and we talked about the moments that we could earn and the moments that every married couple could recognize, especially when they have kids or they’re working and they’re exhausted and they just keep missing each other. There’s a very specific moment where he comes home and she knows something’s up, and I just wanted it to be quiet. I didn’t want to have it be the explosive, “I’m going to blow up all your shit and make you miserable and how dare you.” I wanted it to be that moment of “What are you doing?” What is he doing?
Huge (2010)—“Dorothy Rand”
AVC: Huge seems to hold a special place for you.
GT: Absolutely. It’s a show that deserved a life. For those who, as teenagers, were on the fringes or the odd people out for whatever reason—they deserve this show. The show starts out with a bunch of kids who have to spend the summer at an overweight camp. But halfway through the first episode, their weight is no longer an issue or the focus. They’re just kids. It’s this microcosm of growing up; these kids who are scared and insecure, who want love and romance, and to be seen and understood. We needed that. We desperately needed that, in a sea of perfect-looking people everywhere you look. It really broke my heart when it didn’t get a chance to find its audience and live.
I got to play a woman who never, in her brain, really stopped being one of them, even though she so-called “countered” the weight thing. She still carries that with her and battles with it. She’s still wondering if she’s worthy of a great many things. That’s a show that I hope people find as well.
Hannibal (2013-2015)—“Bella Crawford”
AVC: When you joined Hannibal, it was your second time working with Bryan Fuller, after Pushing Daisies. What’s it like to collaborate with him?
GT: It’s always a treat. You never quite know what you’re in for. He presented this character of Bella, who’s so beautifully crafted. He told me what he wanted, and having lost a mother to cancer, as well as people dear to me, what was so important to both of us was that she keep her dignity during this battle. I think we were able to accomplish that. In the midst of all of this gore, in the midst of all of this psychological thriller, there was this story of a husband and a wife that was heartbreaking and triumphant at the same time, in this weird way. And I loved it. I loved going into those spaces.
Star Wars: Forces Of Destiny (2017)
Star Wars Rebels (2015-2018)—“Ketsu Onyo”
AVC: How familiar were you with Star Wars when you signed on to play Ketsu?
GT: I’m not a Star Wars fanatic; I’m a fan. I was coming of age when the first three [films], now known as the second three, came out. I remember that, seeing episodes three and four and five and thinking, “Wow, this is amazing, what a ride,” and the characters of Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, not to mention Princess Leia. What an incredible universe. A couple of decades went by, and I was onto other things, then one episodes one, two, and three came out. Then it exploded into all of these pieces, these fractured pieces of the story that are all part of the same universe. I found that it’s been really hard to keep up. But I’m thrilled that I’m part of it in some small way.
Suits (2011-2018) / Pearson (2019)—“Jessica Pearson”
AVC: So many of the roles you’ve taken on are just rife with the potential for spin-offs. You’ve made these characters memorable, whether we’re talking about Jasmine on Angel or Anna Espinosa, who very well could have had her own show about being more of an anti-hero, which is something we see a lot of these days. But with Jessica Pearson, this was your first opportunity to make good on that potential. The idea for the Pearson spin-off was your own, correct?
GT: Yes, absolutely. We’ve come full circle on this conversation. It was 100% my idea. You were talking about potential, but to this day, and in some ways even more so, because it’s so hard to recoup money on a lot of these endeavors, they’re always looking for the biggest star they can find. Especially if we’re talking 10, 15 years ago, I just did not meet the requirements of stardom that a lot of studios deemed necessary. And then comes Jessica Pearson, and the popularity of Suits; not just the popularity of that show, but the character that I portrayed. It seemed like a natural progression. The mothership was on its way out, and we knew that fans would be craving a piece of that world to wean themselves off of Suits. And I was more than happy to provide them that, because I had a great idea. I thought we should follow this woman, see what’s next in her evolution. Let’s go on that ride.
Thankfully, the studio and everyone who had a say in it said, “Yeah, let’s do it. That sounds like a really good idea. And if anyone can pull it off, Gina can.” But a lot of that confidence is based on time earned. When I say they said, “If anyone can pull it off, Gina can,” it’s because they had been watching me for the better part of six years, or the 25 years prior to that—my reputation as a professional, as an artist, what I was bringing to the table. I had proven to be a good bet by that time.
67 Comments
I’m sad that we haven’t watched more stuff Torres is in, because she’s always great.I’m having a daydream right now that one time Joss tried to pull some of his abuser bullshit on her and she just slapped his ass to the floor.
I am positive that Joss never tried, specifically BECAUSE she would have slapped his ass to the floor, haha.Maybe there was an Avengers/Marsters-level screaming match, but Joss clearly preferred to terrorize pregnant women and teenage girls.
I am positive that Joss never tried, specifically BECAUSE she would have slapped his ass to the floor, haha.You’re positive? Are you sure it’s that easy to stand up to a powerful abuser?
Power is relative, and abusers choose their targets accordingly.Torres wasn’t a star, but she was an established genre actress with relationships around the industry – she’d headlined her own show.Howe had a lot less power over her than someone like Carpenter or Trachtenberg.
I think your last comment is probably correct. Actors like Torres or Nathan Fillion had been working in television and film for around 10 years each and wouldn’t be or couldn’t be intimidated by Whedon. They’ve been around, worked with a lot of different people, Fillion was in Saving Private Ryan.But Carpenter’s first credit was in 1994 and then she gets Buffy in 1996 and basically only works for Whedon until she’s fired from Angel in 2003.
Exactly – the sort of abuse Whedon’s accused of is about opportunity as much as anything.
an Avengers/Marsters-level screaming match
I don’t know the story/stories this is referencing.
There’s a story of him screaming at Marsters that he was going to kill off Spike now matter how many fan girls he had.Meanwhile, the Scepter Argument scene was apparently an absolute nightmare to film, and Whedon was a giant ball of stress, and spent the entire time yelling at everyone.
I’m having a daydream right now that one time Joss tried to pull some of his abuser bullshit on her and she just slapped his ass to the floor.How about a daydream where the actress you admire isn’t being harassed or intimidated? This might be a cool fanboy fantasy for you, but I doubt it would be for her.
Oh, look, the Disingenuous Questions brigade has arrived.
Please, elaborate. I’m struggling to see how this hypothetical “daydream” of yours (based on your perception of her physicality) is helpful to anyone. I happen to think fantasizing about someone in a victim scenario is creepy and weird, regardless of how well you think they’d acquit themselves. But hey, maybe I’m being unfair. Can you write one where Harvey Weinstein’s reign of terror is thwarted by a spinning heel kick?
We never should have taught sea lions how to type.
Sea-lioning implies that I was attempting to seem polite. I wasn’t.
At some point you’re going to figure out that I’m not going to engage with your stupid questions.
No, Sealioning implies you’re pretending to be reasonable, as you seem to think you are.
I mean, it would be great if vulnerable actors weren’t abused by Joss Whedon, but that’s kind of up to Joss Whedon, really. And he made other choices.
I was at a Serenity fan screening that Gina Torres attended, and the woman, in person, resembles a goddess.
I did an original recipe Law & Order rewatch last March when Miss Rona was just kicking off in my area, and the season three episode “Skin Deep” features a young Claire Danes, a young Lauren Ambrose, and in perhaps the single easiest bit of casting you’ll ever see, a young Gina Torres as the beautiful model who discovers the murdered photographer in the cold open. Positively Amazonian.
I watched that episode recently too, loved seeing her pop up there! It was a great little “see the stars before they were famous” Law & Order moment.
I think it was Jon Rogers (of Leverage, etc fame) who described the process of writing for tv/movies as spending six months in a dank cave sweating out nicotine and caffeine and then watching impossibly beautiful people read out all the words that the troll wrote.
Back in the early 2000’s my wife took me to a small, high end sushi restaurant in NYC. She was able to score us seats at the counter which was a big deal at the time. As we walked through the restaurant, we passed Laurence Fishburne, who was sitting with an amazingly stunning woman (I was also a bit happy that we got a better table then him). It was something we talked about for a while afterwards. It wasn’t until a few years later that we realized it was Gina Torres. You are absolutely correct when you say she’s resembles a goddess.
I can’t hear the word “jasmine” without seeing Gina Torres and hearing David Boreanaz and Vincent Kartheiser sing “… and I’ll love you forever, oh Jasmine!”
She would have made a great Wonder Woman (as would Lucy Lawless, if we’re going with Xena era folks).
The moment it looked like a Wonder Woman movie was a serious proposition, Gina Torres was pretty much my one and only name on my dream cast. She just embodies the strength, the wisdom, and the sense of awe you want from the character.
Joss [Whedon] was kind of like, “Hey, I want to give you this, ’cause the other thing didn’t work out. And you only got to wear one costume on Firefly so now you get to wear dresses and look really pretty, And while you’re doing that you’ll also be eating souls.” As someone who was trapped in a chest freezer for the past month and has only just now emerged and read this interview, I’m sure glad that nothing in the public discourse could possibly have recontextualized this quote in a way that makes it sound borderline horrifying. Nope nope nope!
You’ve had a chest freezer to be trapped in all this time and didn’t invite the rest of us? You lucky bastard.
I am guessing that this conversation took place just before the whole Whedon discussion blew up. This is not a defense of him, but it also seems clear that different actors’ mileage varied greatly with him. He also gave immeasurable career boosts to numerous actors. Some of them, like Charisma Carpenter in particular, he treated horribly. Some of them he did not. Torres and Nathan Fillion were both brought to Angel and Buffy respectively immediately after Firefly’s cancellation for about 5 episodes each, and it’s hard to know how their experiences as guest stars on those shows were informed by those of other regular cast members. Often, guest stars are kept somewhat apart from whatever social dynamics are happening on a long-running show. Maybe Firefly was not such an unhappy set? They only got to make 14 episodes. It’s hard to get a full picture without hearing from everyone who was there in something more detailed than what is possible in social media messages. I am sure we will be hearing more, but I am also sure that Torres wishes (and deserves) to be known for more than just her association with Joss Whedon.
It may well be that Joss was terrific with actors he respected and that didn’t upset his plans and that he turned much worse when things didn’t go his way (Charisma getting pregnant, being on the Justice League set with actors he didn’t hire and were loyal to Snyder, etc.). Basically, the good and fun boss when things are going great and the ugly boss when things aren’t.
Right before getting into the interview, the state that it took place late January.She’s probably glad she dodged the bullet of being questioned about it.
I just rewatched Winter’s Bone and there’s a scene where Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawks are talking about how her father could have become a snitch. Hawks says for a long time he wasn’t and then he was. He wasn’t, he wasn’t, he wasn’t and then he was. Joss was a good director, and then he wasn’t.
The elephant in the room is that Gina was Charisma’s replacement. It’s not Gina’s fault at all, but she absolutely benefited ftom it.
Well, Gina’s character was Cordelia’s replacement, in the sense that the Jasmine arc replaced the “Cordelia goes evil” arc that the writer had originally planned for the end of season 4. But that was a change mandated by Charisma Carpenter’s pregnancy, not by her firing, which didn’t take place until the beginning of season 5, at which point Jasmine was dead and Torres was off the show.
That’s why I was so skeptical when the Whedon stuff first came out – he just has had so many actors that have worked with him on multiple projects (Like Torres, and Fillion and Eliza Dushku) that I figured “how bad could he be?”
national treasure. LOVED her in ALIAS. i may rewatch ALIAS.
She’s stunning.
Justice League Unlimited was so good, I’m currently re-watching it on HBO Max. Someone should think about turning it into a feature film, there’s potential there.
There are a surprising amount of good to very good DC animated movies actually. It’s pretty disappointing given the general meh to okayness of the live action movies. Sadly, no Gina Torres voice acting in them.
Superwoman…
That’s it! I wouldn’t say they’re better than JLU, but they’re head’s and shoulders above the Joss Whedon/Zack Snyder messtake of Justice League. Seriously, fuck those guys.
I wonder if some day Snyder will come across JLU on HBO Max and think to himself, “Oh, that’s what the Justice League is about! Who knew?”
If it weren’t for JL and JLU, I wouldn’t have a sense for the fun and joy and camp that DC has – I wasn’t as familiar with the comics until later, and even then, was more a Teen Titans/Doom Patrol/Vertigo guy – and thanks to Snyder, would assume that JL is a brooding, dark, humorless series and give it a wide berth.
It’s embarrassing how much better the direct-to-video Suicide Squad movie is compared to the live action movie that cost over a hundred million bucks.
The first thing I saw her in was Cleopatra 2525 and became a fan. From what I remember it was a pretty decent show although very Matrix inspired. There’s actually a bunch of syndicated shows from that time that are worth revisiting (VIP and Relic Hunter come to mind).
Count me in as a fan of Huge. I thought the show was great.
Yes, me too! I was so pleased to see it mentioned, and even happier to see that she has such fond memories of it.
So you were a Huge fan?
Just watched Pushing Daises and it was a surprise to see her turn up. I always assumed she got Hannibal from being Laurence Fishburne’s wife. But I guess it was sort of the other way around.
I was just looking at her IMDb, and I was surprised to realize she only appeared in 5 episodes of Justice League Unlimited. She was such a great choice for Vixen and a big part of why that Green Lantern-Hawkgirl-Vixen love triangle worked as an interesting thread and not just a cookie-cutter will-they-won’t-they story. She definitely has the physical presence to play the character in a liv-action setting if they ever use Vixen for a movie.
I remember watching her as Nebula on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. She had a romance with Hercules best friend/sidekick Iolaus.
She’s great in everything, but Hannibal stands out for me because I freakin’ love that show and because her part was small but totally indelible – her slapping Hannibal was so great, and she and Laurence Fishburne just imbued their scenes with so much warmth and sadness.
I went into the show not knowing that she was going to be in it, and it was such a delightful surprise.
She’s probably the only person in that world (ok other than Will) who could get away with slapping Hannibal. Like he knew he deserved it.
She was so good and creepy and evil on Angel I’ve never really gotten over that.
if you hadn’t asked about hannibal i would have canceled you. thank god you did, and thank you for the clip(tho i do own the series). i love this show, recommend it to anyone and everyone, and bella’s story was so tragic and beautifully done.
Gina Torres is good in everything hashtaghottake
Awww … why isn’t this a video, said no one ever.
I love Gina Torres, but if my memory of Cleopatra 2525 can be trusted she was the only thing good about it.
The world needs more Gina Torres. She only gets her proper respect in the small(ish) circle of fandom, and that’s hardly what a woman of her skill deserves.
Always have smile on my face when I discover a show and she’s in. She played some really good characters.
Gina Torres has always been a ridiculously beautiful human being. Her turn on Angel as someone who makes people just fall to their knees and immediately worship her was probably the easiest casting decision ever made.
Gina Torres is wonderful.
I was so glad when she joined the cast of 911:Lone Star! Loved her on Suits.
Wrote a book with her in my mind’s eye as protagonist. Never went beyond self-publishing, but she is an inspirational woman.
To me, the most amazing thing about Gina Torres is her smile. Or smiles.
Somehow she can make her smiles: light up your day, make you feel warm and loved, know that a joke was well received OR politely dismiss you, will very well sue you into the poorhouse, shoot you dead, or maybe just suck out your soul and not be even a little sorry about it.
Feeling bad that I haven’t seen Pearson yet. Gotta get to that.
I can probably never watch ‘Firefly’ again after all the revelations about Whedon, and that’s a shame, because I think Torres was wonderful in it and genuinely transcended the “strong female character” trope. Yes, she was a soldier and an arsekicker, but you could see that having a loving, supportive relationship with her husband was super important to her, and she’d never let her life as a smuggler or a fighter jeopardise that.
An amazing get for Random Roles, she’s been in so many great things. I really liked hearing her thoughts on what she enjoyed about genre/non-mainstream stuff and how it provided her with a greater variety of roles—I’ll have to remember that the next time I’m talking to a snobby genre-fare hater.
Her episode of Angie Tribeca was incredible. Gina Torres is funny! Put her in more things.