Toya Turnerhas frequently appeared in small roles in TV and movies over the years, but in the 2020s, she’s begun to have more central parts in notable productions. Turner began her professional acting career in 2006, appearing in the short filmAdiain the starring role. She went on to appear in smaller roles in lesser-known TV series, though she always gave memorable performances for whatever little screen time she was afforded. In 2024, Turner had a one-episode role inChicago Fire, her first of many appearancesin theChicagouniverse.
Though she was getting roles throughout the 2010s in some more notable series than she had previously, Turner was still only appearing for either one-episode guest parts or small roles in a handful of feature films.It wasn’t until 2020 that Turner earned her first starring rolewith her performance in thecanceled too-soon TV seriesWarrior Nunas Shotgun Mary. Since then, Turner has built up a more significant filmography with memorable guest arcs in popular series, and guest roles in shows that allow her to show much more of her range.
Empire
Cast
Empire is a musical drama series that follows a father who acts as the CEO of Empire Entertainment, a major hip-hop record label, and his family. When Lucious Lyon discovers he is diagnosed with ALS, he realizes his time is short, and he must find a successor to his empire. Forcing his three sons to compete with one another to earn the right, what follows is a vicious journey of power and control - only complicated further by his ex-wife’s entry into the fray.
Fox’sEmpireis a 2015-2020 music drama about the Lyon family, headed by patriarch, Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard), a powerful and intelligent hip-hop mogul who has to fight forces inside and outside his family to protect his company, Empire Entertainment. The series ran for five seasons and was popular with audiences and also earned two Golden Globe nominations, with Taraji P. Henson winning for Best Actress.Empirealso earned six Emmy Awards.
Every Ashley Aufderheide Movie & TV Show, Ranked
Ashley Aufderheide is an up-and-coming actress who has already appeared in several notable films and TV shows in critical roles despite her young age.
Toya Turner only appears in one episode, “Poor Yorick”, which is episode 4 of season 2. It’s a minor part, and she only has a few lines, but it was her first appearance in a major show or movie sinceChicago Firein 2014 and indicated that producers and directors were beginning to notice her talents and presence.This is also the first of Turner’s many law enforcement roles, a character she has often returned to.
The Mick
The Mick follows Mackenzie “Mickey” Murphy, a tough, outspoken woman who relocates to Greenwich, Connecticut, to care for her affluent sister’s children after her sister evades legal troubles. As Mickey faces the challenges of managing spoiled kids, she navigates the chaotic dynamics of an upscale lifestyle.
The hilarious TV showThe Mickwas canceled after only two seasons, but the Kaitlin Olson-led Fox sitcom remains a charming look at parenting. The series, which premiered in 2017, follows Mackenzie “Mickey” Molng (Kaitlin Olson), a foul-mouthed, bad-mannered woman from Rhode Island who suddenly becomes responsible for her niece and nephews after her sister goes on the run to escape fraud and racketeering charges.
Now having a bunch of young people to look out for, Mickey has to clean up her act and give her new wards a proper home. Toya Turner appears in season 2, episode 15, “The Juice”, as a “cop”. In the episode, Mickey bets on an amateur soccer game between a Canadian and US team. It’s another small role for Turner, who only has a handful of lines, but her comfort in a comedy show revealed a bit more range for the actress who had mostly played dramatic characters.
Chicago Fire
Chicago Fire follows the lives of firefighters, rescue squad members, and paramedics of Firehouse 51 in Chicago as they face professional and personal challenges, showcasing their dedication, teamwork, and resilience.
Toya Turner has appeared in multiple shows in theChicagofranchise, but her first part came inChicago Fire. It was also arguably her first performance in a widely recognized production.Chicago Fireis in along line of Dick Wolf TV shows, and one of four shows in theChicagofranchise. Like the other shows,Chicago Fireis set in Chicago, Illinois, though this series specifically focuses on the lives of the firefighters, rescue personnel, and paramedics of the fictional Firehouse 51 in Chicago.
It’s a small role for Turner, but the producers must have paid special attention to her performance considering how often she would return to the franchise.
Chicago Firewas the first of theChicagofranchise TV shows and Turner appears in season 2, Episode 13,“Tonight’s the Night”, as a sex worker named Peaches. The episode follows the aftermath of a drunk driver knocking out a transformer, leaving an entire neighborhood of the city without power in the dead of winter. It’s a small role for Turner, but the producers must have paid special attention to her performance considering how often she would return to the franchise.
Animatoris an action-adventure fantasy where an artist, Neal (Levenix Riddle), learns that he can rewrite the past with his drawings. When his girlfriend, Tina (McKenzie Chinn), takes her own life, Neal rewrites history to bring her back but inadvertently changes his life and Tina’s, resulting in some unintended consequences. Toya Turner appears inAnimatoras a supporting character named Sarah, in one of Turner’s few film roles.
A highly entertaining film with some good performances at the center,Animator’s unique story is enough to keep it afloateven though the supporting cast is not always the best, aside from Turner, and the plot wanders far too often. Though Turner’s acting work has come primarily in television shows, she does have a few films to her name, withAnimatorbeing on the more recognizable side of her filmography.
Dead Women Walkingis the best movie Toya Turner has appeared in, even if she only has a minor part as Daphne. The film, which has an 80% onRotten Tomatoes, follows a group of women on death row in the lead-up to their final moments before execution. It’s the fourth film from Israeli director Hagar Ben-Asher and truly confronts the complexes involved with capital punishment and the reality of the so-called, “Death Row”.
Daphne is only a minor character inDead Women Walking, but it’s an exceptionally moving and thought-provoking film that proves Turner can handle much more meaty scripts and stories.
Daphne is only a minor character inDead Women Walking, but it’s an exceptionally moving and thought-provoking film that proves Turner can handle much more meaty scripts and stories. No one in the movie is portrayed as innocent nor is what’s happening in the movie painted as a miscarriage of justice. Instead,Dead Women Walkingforces the viewers to confront the humanity in everyone involved in every stage of the capital punishment process.
Chicago Med
Chicago Med is a medical drama series that explores the high-stakes environment of a bustling Chicago hospital. Set against the backdrop of chaotic emergency room scenarios, the series follows a team of dedicated doctors and nurses as they confront challenging cases inspired by real-world issues, while navigating complex relationships.
Toya Turner’s second performance in theChicago Universecomes inChicago Medseason 2, episode 1, “Soul Care”, where she plays Jayna Miles. In the episode, Emmie Miles (KiKi Layne) is brought into the E.R. with a suspected opiate overdose after she smokes a fentanyl patch. As she’s recovering, the doctors reconsider if the overdose was actually a suicide attempt, but Emmie’s mother, Jayna, claims she’s a happy and popular child.
Turner’s performance as Jayne is not a big one, but she proves to be an important character in the episode. When she’s confronted with the fact that her daughter’s overdose may have been a suicide attempt, it’s easy to see all the emotions crossing her face: worry, sadness, regret, anger, and confusion, and she makes it perfectly clear that it would have been hard for even those close to Emmie to know she was struggling.
Chicago P.D.
Chicago P.D.: This police drama, set in Chicago’s District 21, follows the distinct units within the Chicago Police Department—uniformed officers addressing street crimes and an Intelligence Unit tackling major offenses such as organized crime and drug trafficking, capturing the dedication of those who serve and protect their community.
Toya Turner’s two-episode performance inChicago P.D.is the most significant of any of herChicagouniverse roles. Turner appears as Kiana Cook in season 12, episodes 2 and 3, a patrol officer in the Chicago Police Department. Cook had been on patrol for one month before she was introduced. Previously, Cook was in a CPD tactical unit. A cool and calm officer, Cook is also a thrill seeker who loves the action that comes with her job.
Cook is also the first Black female Intelligence officer introduced in the show, and she has no problem letting her thoughts be heard when action is impossible.She’s bold, strong, and fiercely committed to maintaining the integrity of her departmentand her own person. It’s a classic police officer role for Turner, who has already proved she can excel in similar roles, but this part inChicago P.D.gives her even more room to act.
Grey’s Anatomy
Grey’s Anatomy is a medical drama series revolving around surgical interns, residents, and attendings at the fictional Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. The show features the professional and personal lives of these medical professionals, led initially by Dr. Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo. Created by Shonda Rhimes, the series highlights the complexities of medical cases while delving into the interpersonal relationships among the hospital staff.
Toya Turner appears inGrey’s Anatomyseason 19, episode 16, “Gunpowder and Lead” as Grace Porter, Russell Porter’s (Joshua Triplett) wife who goes with her husband to the hospital when he comes in for a colonoscopy, only to learn he has lead poisoning. Grace has noticed that her husband has been acting oddly recently and is concerned that he may have colon cancer as his family has a history of the disease.
However, when he receives a CT, the doctors learn Russell had been shot three times ten years ago during a robbery. He was told removing the bullets would cause him more problems, so he left them in. However, over the years, they’ve slowly leached lead into his bloodstream. Turner as Grace is powerful and lovingly concerned about her husband, but she never breaks down nor becomes demanding and angry. It’s a portrait of a loving wife and friend who wants her old husband back.
New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam is a medical drama series based on Eric Manheimer’s book Twelve Patients: Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital. Ryan Eggold stars as Dr. Max Goodwin, the newly appointed medical director of the New Amsterdam Medical Center. Over the course of five seasons, he works tirelessly to bring change to the neglected facility so that it might better care for its patients.
Gabrielle (Toya Turner) first appears inNew Amsterdamin season 5, episode 4, “Heal Thyself”, with her last episode coming in the same season for episode 13, “How Can I Help?”. When Dr. Reynolds (Jocko Sims) is about to undergo surgery for his Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, his nurse is Gabrielle, who immediately shuts down all the bossy doctor’s comments about the surgery. Despite a prickly first meeting, there’s chemistry andDr. Reynolds' relationship with Gabriellebecomes a big storyline in season 5.
Though it doesn’t end up lasting,Gabrielle proves to be an exciting addition to the show. Her straightforward attitude was perfectly opposite Reynolds' shier demeanor. Gabrielle even asks Reynolds out first, doing so multiple times before he finally accepts. Turner is charming in the role and never feels outclassed on screen by some of the more veteran members of the show.
Warrior Nun
Based on the comic series Warrior Nun Areala, Warrior Nun is a Netflix series created by Simon Barry. When an orphaned teen wakes up in a morgue and a mysterious artifact lodged inside her, she learns she is part of an ancient order tasked with hunting demons - and that she’s the chosen Halo-Bearer with unique superpowers.
Warrior Nunis Toya Turner’s biggest role of her career, co-starring in the first season of the Netflix fantasy drama as Sister Mary/Shotgun Mary. Shotgun Mary is the show’s anti-heroine. Mary Delacroix was raised by the warrior sisters, one of whom taught Sister Mary the finer points of wielding a shotgun, hence her nickname. Shotgun Mary is a hard-edged, cigarette-smoking, motorcycle-riding, foul-mouthed warrior nun who runs with a team of vigilante demon hunters.
Though her faith is strong, it’s repeatedly tested throughout the first season and by the end of season 1, her trust in God is severely shaken. Turner is excellent in the role.She’s more than capable of all the physical acting required for the series, but she also has the necessary heart and emotions to make the sadder parts of Shotgun Mary’s life feel personal and real. It’s unknown ifWarrior Nunwill be renewed for a movie trilogy, but, if it does happen,Toya Turnershould absolutely be brought back.
