Gina Torres, a powerhouse in the entertainment industry, has consistently redefined expectations throughout her career. With over two decades of experience in iconic roles, from Suits to Firefly to 9-1-1: Lone Star, Torres embodies a fierce femininity that transcends age. Her journey goes beyond the screen, revealing a story of strength, self-care, and fiercely balanced living.
A Viral Sensation: The Bikini Photo
In a recent Instagram post from a beachside vacation, Gina Torres flaunted a toned physique, including sculpted abs. The photo quickly went viral, with the actress cheekily captioning it, "Some say I'm a beast." This caption was more than just a flex; it represented a powerful mindset. The entertainment world celebrated Torres's accomplishment, with former Suits co-star Sarah Rafferty praising, "Goddess. Love you, my friend," and Erica Gimpel gushing, "Your Abs are INCREDIBLE… Your beauty and spirit transcendent! Yes… You are inspiring me over here!"
The Secret? Balance, Not Extremes
Torres doesn't subscribe to extremes. Instead, she embraces moderation and consistency. In a 2019 interview with Health magazine, Torres offered a refreshingly honest take on her fitness regime. "I work out so I can feel good," she said. As for motivation? Food played a big part. "I like all the no-nos. I love buttery, cinnamony, caramelly, and sometimes lemony things." Indulgence isn't something she regrets; it's something she earns through balance. "A friend and I were just cackling over our sea bass and butter, bread, and rosé."
For Torres, fitness is about more than just aesthetics. "With working out, it's about strength-being able to run up the stairs and just feeling like I can get myself out of a situation." That inner power, she says, is the true benefit. Looking great in clothes? Just an added bonus.
Shattering Age-Old Myths
Torres's transformation shatters outdated narratives that aging and fitness don't mix. She regularly reminds fans that strength doesn't have to be punishing. Her message is as clear as those abs: it's not about defying age, it's about owning it.
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Embracing Complexity and Challenging Roles
Torres's career choices often reflect a desire to explore the complexities of human nature. When discussing her character in The Perfect Find, she embraces the role of the villain. "Villains are the best. Villains are great. Villains are therapy. You get to say all the things that you're really taught not to say. And spare no one's feelings and get what you want."
Her appreciation for classic films like His Girl Friday and Bell, Book and Candle reveals a fondness for sophisticated storytelling. "I just loved how romance and language was expressed during a time when you could be so naughty and it doesn't sound naughty at all. It's just the flirting, and the flirtation, and the less is more. I love that. When you can't say everything, what's left? How do you express that?"
A Cyclical Journey: From Musical Theatre to Television
Torres is an accomplished soprano who trained in opera and jazz. Her musical talents have recently resurfaced, with her 9-1-1: Lone Star character showcasing her singing skills. "Life is so cyclical in that crazy way," she reflects. "All I did was musical theater for the first 10 years of my career. And then I just started doing more plays, a little TV, and then more TV. And then I started doing more straight theater, and then more TV."
She notes that within five years, people didn't even think of her as a singer. Now, her musical abilities are coming full circle. "There are these little bits and pieces that keep popping up that require me to sing. It's great and it's fun, and it just reminds me that I have to stay in shape. Because a voice, like anything else, is part of your body. And it's a muscle, and it needs to be exercised and worked and oiled and all of those things. It's exciting." She expresses a particular fondness for the character of Mame, admiring "the irreverence she lives her life with," as well as "her relationships, her acceptance of everyone," and "her love and commitment to Patrick."
Privacy and Professionalism in the Age of Social Media
Torres has always maintained a sense of privacy and professionalism. She recalls a time when social media wasn't such a dominant force in celebrity culture. "We were very private. We picked and chose very carefully the times that we did work together. It was also during the time where social media wasn't such a big part of the landscape of being a celebrity. We didn't go to every red carpet that we were invited to. We didn't court the press. We did our jobs as actors and promoted the things that we were in, and that was it."
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She believes that maintaining a sense of mystery is beneficial for an actor. "If people know everything about you, then it makes it harder for them to suspend their disbelief when they're watching you in a role. Mystery is always beneficial to an actor." This might mean forgoing certain opportunities for financial gain. "That might mean taking myself out of being a spokesperson for this, that and the other, and thereby making a bunch of money that way. But I enjoy my life, such as it is, the work that I'm doing, and not because of what I'm doing off-screen."
Lessons for the Next Generation
As a mother to a teenage daughter, Torres imparts valuable life lessons. "I want her to know that it gets better. It doesn't always make sense, but it gets better. Our ability to really release the small stuff is such a blessing, and that comes with time." She emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and perseverance. "I know who I am. There are things that I know I want to do. There are things I know I have to work hard for, that I'm prepared to work hard for."
Reflecting on a Career Milestone: Turning 50
Torres approached turning 50 with joy, having experienced a midlife crisis earlier in life. "I had a midlife crisis early, around 34 or 35. It took me the whole year of being 34 to ease into turning 35. I was in love and good, but the career was just fine and I didn’t have my daughter yet." She reflects on the anxieties that many actors, particularly women of color, face. "It was one of those things that I think any actor goes through-particularly a woman, particularly a woman of color-where you go, 'Did I miss it? Is that it?' Like, 'I’m not going to be a movie star, and my face isn’t going to be on the side of a building to promote something? Also, I don’t have kids….'"
By the time she reached 40, Torres had found real acceptance and gratitude. "I felt like, if this is what it is, this is fucking fantastic. I’m healthy, I’m happy, and I get to do something that I love doing. How many people get to say that? And I get to make a living at it. My focus was to achieve excellence in an arena that I had great respect and awe for and to find my place in it. That’s what I wanted to do."
Setting Goals and Embracing New Challenges
Torres sets goals without strict timelines. With Pearson, she embraced the role of executive producer, something she had always wanted to do. "Even in my 20s, I wanted to go into producing. It's exciting now because it feels like I’m starting something new. I get to be a 50-year-old student who’s not afraid to ask questions. And I get to throw my weight around-I’m not typically a weight thrower. Somebody once said-and I love this-that 'I’m low enough in the saddle now that my motives aren't questioned.' I get to work with people who have worked with me, know what motivates me, and understand what I’m really about. This is the next chapter in what I hope will be a long and meaningful career."
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She advises her younger self to "Hang in there." The messaging is the same, which is: What is yours is yours. It doesn’t matter the road you choose to get there, you’re going to get there. You can get there quick, or you can take the scenic route, and that’s all about choice. I firmly believe your blessings are yours, and we get them when we’re ready. We get them when we’re supposed to."
Staying in Your Own Lane: A Lesson from Mom
Torres acknowledges the challenges of staying focused on one's own path. "I fail. I do. Not as often as I used to. It’s not a gut punch anymore. It used to be a gut punch, especially when you’re young. You look at something you want and think, That’s a game changer. That could have changed my life. But it might not have. Maybe it was meant to change that person’s life, but it may not have changed mine."
She credits her mother with teaching her a valuable lesson. "It was my mother who taught me that. It sounds better in Spanish. The gist of it is 'No cow can eat your grass.' My grass is my grass. This cow has a lot of great grass. I’ve had a lot of great grass, and I look forward to a lot more great grass. I’m really good with that."
Addressing Perceived Failures and Celebrating Successes
Torres candidly discusses moments of disappointment, such as not being cast in superhero films like Wonder Woman or Black Panther. "I spent half of my career being an action hero and, not for nothing, I’m still looking pretty cute. I’m still in great shape. I say that with humility. I work hard, and I’m aware of it. So there’s a combination of that and my street cred where I look at those movies and think, Did anybody think to call me? Anybody? I do fan conventions. Thousands of people would have had a blast if I showed up on the screen in service to these movies for, like, two minutes. Did anyone think to call? So that’s where I’ve failed recently."
However, she emphasizes the importance of being kind to oneself and celebrating the successes of others. "I think part of not making yourself crazy is to check in and be kind with yourself and say, 'Yeah, I felt that way, and I can move on. I can be happy for those people because they’re amazing.' Black Panther was such a seminal moment in our movie history, and to witness that was extraordinary. To be able to take my daughter to that movie and see that-that’s her world. That meant everything. So you can’t be bitter. I can’t be bitter about that."
Finding Meaning Beyond Material Success
Torres reflects on the pursuit of meaning beyond financial gain. "For actors in particular, we work and then we don’t, and the process repeats itself. Our lives are so often focused forward. What’s next? We hardly ever look back. It’s a paycheck-to-paycheck mentality. If you have the luxury of looking around and wanting more, what does that look like? And what does it mean? Is it more for the sake of more? Is it more for the sake of security? Like, okay, my kids are taken care of, my house is paid off. Does more mean it’s not enough? If that’s the answer, then it’s never enough. I think wanting more, you have to ask yourself all of those questions. What does more mean? What does it look like? And at the end of the day, that Jessica quote in particular, you’ve got to feed your soul. What’s going to feed your soul? Because more is just more."
Shaping Pearson: A Vision of Authenticity
As an executive producer on Pearson, Torres aimed to create a world that felt authentic and relatable. "The first order of business was creating a world familiar to me. And not just me but millions of people in the country. It’s not something that’s been watered down for mass consumption. The writers and network have been really great about doing that and allowing us the freedom to create those spaces. I’m so proud of what our show looks like and what it sounds like."
She collaborated with head writer and showrunner Daniel Arkin to differentiate Pearson from Suits in a more aggressive way. "We’re very much aware of the world we’re living in right now, and we wanted that to inform the stories we told. And to do it in a way that isn’t preachy but isn’t soft either. I love the show because it’s really about the why. How did you get so far down the rabbit hole, and how do you get out?"
The spin-off was Torres's idea, born from a desire to explore the complexities of political life. "I was watching Kellyanne Conway on the day she coined “alternative facts” and my head exploded. I think the only way to gain any sort of objectivity on it was to start breaking her down like a character I might play. How do you trot that messaging out into the world? For some reason I thought, Oh wait, Jessica does that."
She emphasizes the importance of professionalism and reliability. "Here’s what I will tell people in case they are curious: It pays to be nice. It pays to be professional. It pays to be the person they can count on to deliver. My realization was that people miss Jessica, and they missed the woman that plays Jessica. It takes forever to get things made, but they had the confidence in me to listen. They believed in this story and this idea to keep taking it further down the road."
Suits Connections and Future Collaborations
When asked about bringing former Suits castmates to Pearson, Torres quipped, "Yes, Prada and Armani!" However, she expressed a genuine desire to collaborate with Sarah Rafferty. "If it makes sense and there’s a way we can make that happen, I would love that. I would love for her to come and play, of course."
Reflecting on Leaving Suits
Torres has no regrets about leaving Suits when she did. "No, I left to take care of my father during his last year. He was in L.A. [and Suits films in Toronto], so I’m not taking that back."
Meghan Markle and the Suits Phenomenon
Torres acknowledges the increased global recognition Suits received when Meghan Markle began dating Prince Harry. "I think people tuned into it out of curiosity because everybody was certainly curious about it. I love my cast, so if it added another few years to the show, then great for the fans and great for them."
She clarifies that she is not in touch with Meghan Markle. "There’s no story in why I’m not in touch with Meghan. What I will say is-if I could offer a window into what it is to be an actor and live this crazy life-when you’re an actor, you meet hundreds of people during your career. The public only sees the characters that are on TV, but there are hundreds of people that make a show happen. If you’re as fortunate enough of an actor as I am, that has had a varied career, you can’t bring all those people with you."
Torres emphasizes that relationships are not always sustainable due to different trajectories. "I enjoyed Meghan when we worked together. We had a great time as we worked together. We bore witness to a great many things in each other's lives while we worked together. But we were also in very different places in our lives and in our careers. Would she have been one of the people I would have had a sustainable relationship with years later had this phenomenon not happened? I don’t know. Perhaps not, because we were on such different trajectories. And there are others that you do, and there are others that you don’t. It’s a no-harm-no-foul thing. I got to absolutely give her my love and my best and wish her nothing but happiness at the wedding, and that’s the end of that story."
Her connection with Sarah Rafferty, on the other hand, was fostered by their daughters being the same age. "We have daughters that are the same age, so playdates were inevitable. Gabriel [Macht], Sarah, and I all have daughters that are the same age, so that was amazing and…"
Prioritizing Health and Well-being
Torres's commitment to health extends beyond her own fitness regime. When her parents were diagnosed with high LDL cholesterol, she took an active role in their care, accompanying them to doctor's appointments and advocating for their health plans. She recognized the importance of monitoring her own cholesterol levels and emphasizes the power of knowledge.