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BIOGRAPHY
May, 17th, 1965
It's a girl!
Jean Paige Turco is born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Joyce Jean and David Vincent Turco. She's 9 months old when her dad passes away, and her mum moves them to Springfield, Massachussets, to reunite with her grandparents. She is of French, Italian and Native descent.
As a kid, Paige grows up with a gift for ballet, and she trains to become a professional ballerina. She also plays the flute in her school band, then at the age of 13 becomes a soloist in the Amherst Ballet Theater Company. Following up on her passion, she takes a degree in ballet at the Walnut Hill School of performing arts in Natick, MA, and performs as a soloist in various productions with the New England Dance Conservatory and the Western Massachusetts Ballet Company. But at age 14, an ankle injury shatters her dream of having a career on pointe shoes.
But, once an artist, always an artist, she turns to musical theatre as a dancer/actor, graduating from Bay Path College (now Bay Bath University) in Longmeadow, MA, and majoring in drama with a BFA degree in acting from the University of connecticut.
Young actress Paige then moves to NYC, working in- between auditions in the auditing department of a bank and at "Casual Corner" to support herself. She lives in Brooklyn and works with theatre troupes in Upstate New York.
1987
The Breakthrough Year
“BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY” starring Michael J. Fox, Kiefer Sutherland, Dianne Wiest and Jason Robards. Paige is cast and filming begins in April, but when the director Joyce Chopra is fired after a month and the script is revised, she quits, refusing to do the newly added nude scenes.
Quote: “My mother said I have to be true to myself, meanwhile, my grandmother said, ‘Honey, do it now, while you can.”
But fear not, the wheels are in motion..
1987-1991
The Soap Opera Years
"GUIDING LIGHT" In July, she becomes Dinah Morgan Marler, a troubled teenager adopted by a wealthy woman on the popular CBS soap opera. For a year and a half, she gets to play the love interest of Ian Ziering and Carl Evans as a series regular. By February 1989. as Turco leaves the show, Paige's character Dinah is turned into a globe trotter by the writers.
Quote: “They let Ian go, and I knew I was next.”
"ALL MY CHILDREN" One week after leaving 'Guiding Light", she gets the part of Melanie Cortlandt-Rampal, aka "Lanie" who she will play until march 1991.
Quote: “And then a week to the day I got fired from that show (Guiding Light), I got “ALL MY CHILDREN”. It was a Wednesday; I’ll never forget it. Because I was either going to start work or go on unemployment.”
So it didn't matter after all that she didn't get a part in the other ABC soap "Loving" for which she auditonned as well!
1990 - Moving on...the Big Screen
In October 1990 still in "All My Children", she is cast as April O’Neil. In november, she starts shooting the sequel to the hit movie, “TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES”, in NYC. She manages to work both schedules, shooting scenes for the movie as well as appearing as Melanie in the soap.
Quote: “I remember on the 1st day in rehearsal, I felt like I was 5 years ols in Disneyworld. I grew to love these Turtles, they are my buddies"”
The role of April O’Neil, an intrepid television reporter who supports the heroes on the half shell in their pursuit of villains in “TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES II: THE SECRET OF THE OOZE” (1991) marks Paige’s big-screen debut. The role of April was originally performed by Judith Hoag, and critics note that Paige's portrayal is much closer and truer to the character as seen in the original Miragecomic book.
Quote: “This April is my April, the way I perceived her. I tried to bring a certain amount of reality to her. She also has to have some quirkiness to be able to accept the absurd...”
“TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES II: THE SECRET OF THE OOZE” is released in theatres on March 22, 1991 in the United States, and subsequently in numerous countries from June through to August. It opens at number one in North America on its first weekend of release, will win 3 awards, and is a huge success at the box office.
Meanwhile, Paige signs for 3 different TV commercials, (Reebok, Special K and Lactaid)
1992-1993
Turtles' Friend
Thanks to the huge popular and financial success of "Tmnt2", Paige is called to resume her role as April O'Neil in the 3rd chapter of the Turtles saga, so it is time to say goodbye and thank you to the soap opera days...
“TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES III”, is released on March 19, 1993 in the United States. At the time the film is produced, Golden Harvest thinks the franchise has reached the end of its movie career. The project goes forward with low expectations, little fanfare, and a modest $17 million budget. and yet goes straight to No.1 at the box office; making twice its production budget.
Quote: “It’s a great thing to be the human kids identify with and can live through to relate with the Turtles.”
“I want to do my next film with humans. (smiles).”
1994
TV, Films, Life...
In 1994, she stars as Terry Mears in the short-lived NBC television drama “WINNETKA ROAD”. The series follows the lives and loves of an oddly interconnected group of people in Oak Bluff, Illinois, a yuppie suburb of Chicago. Talking about sex is the main subject of the series. Paige is a series regular, opposite Ed Begley Jr., Josh Brolin and Catherine Hicks, playing a struggling actress and single mother. It premieres on March 12, 1994, and ends on April 16, 1994 after only six episodes (1 unaired).
She moves back to the big screen, starring in the independent drama film “DEAD FUNNY” opposite Elizabeth Peña and Andrew McCarthy, as Viv’s best friend – Louise. The movie opens on May 21st in the US.
1995-1999
Independance Days
“THE FEMININE TOUCH” (also called “THE NOVEMBER CONSPIRACY” at the Houston WorldFest), a thriller film directed by Conrad Janis, stars Paige (opposite George Segal and Elliott Gould) as Crack journalist Jennifer Barron whose life is turned upside down when her lover is brutally murdered by "person or person unknown". Jenny is suddenly caught in an insidious web by an unrelenting International Consortium whose aim is to infiltrate America's political structure. They seek to kill her for information her boyfriend left on a computer disk they are convinced Jenny now has. It films in LA and is released in December 1995.
“THE POMPATUS OF LOVE”, an independent film, is released at the Chicago International Film Festival in October and wins several minor awards. Four guys sit around drinking beer and trying to figure out the meaning of "the pompatus of love" (from the Steve Miller song "Joker") and analyzing their relationships with women. Paige is part of the ensemble in this romantic comedy, starring opposite Adrian Pasdar and Kristin Scott Thomas.
“AMERICAN GOTHIC”, a CBS supernatural drama series that delves into the darker side of the Deep South, airs from September 22, 1995, to July 11, 1996,. Paige is Gail Emory, a successful reporter and legal guardian of her nephew Caleb. She comes back to Trinity to investigate her parents deaths, and protect Caleb from the evil sheriff who incidentally is also the biological father of the boy. She stars opposite Gary Cole, Lucas Black and Sarah Paulson, appearing in 19 out of the 22 episodes.. The show is nominated for 5 awards including a primetime Emmy.
“VIBRATIONS”, released on July 2, 1996, is another straight to video project. It stars James Marshall and Christina Applegate, with Paige playing Marshall’s girlfriend, Lisa. Vibrations gains a loyal underground following amongst the electronic music afficionados. Funny fact: Each take of the scene where TJ is panhandling brought a profit of approximately $5 from pedestrians who wandered by, unaware that a film was being shot.
“NYPD BLUE” She auditions for a part she doesn’t get, however co-creator David Milch is so impressed, he assures her he will write a role just for her. And he does. Abby Sullivan is born.
Quote: “Part of me went, ‘I’ll never hear from him again.’ When I did, I thought, ‘Finally, somebody said something and meant it.”
In 1996, Paige gets a recurring role in seasons 4 and 5 of ABC’s long-running drama “NYPD BLUE” as Abby Sullivan, a pregnant lesbian police officer. Her first episode premieres on October 15, 1996 and she appears in a total of 10 episodes, until October, 14 1997.
Quote: “It was very important for me to play her as a woman who had the same problems that we all have within our lives – and [lesbianism] just happens to be her sexual preference.”
“PARTY OF FIVE" Her role in "NYPD BLUE" may not have been major, yet it brings Paige more recognition and exposure. She gets cast as Annie Mott, an alcoholic, single mother in " Party of Five" from October 15, 1997 to May 13, 1998, and successfully draws even more attention on her, along with Jennifer Love Hewitt and Neve Campbell during her 18 episodes stay.
Quote: “She has the ability to feel like she's got her life completely under control; and yet she also does a good job of playing somebody whose life is falling apart. She has amazing range.” – C. Keyser
Paige works on both “NYPD BLUE” and “PARTY OF FIVE” at the same time, and the role of Annie doesn’t leave much time for her to return as Abby on NYPD. She eventually does though, so that Abby can deliver her baby.
Quote: “When it rains, it pours. I've worked really hard for years. Now I just happen to be on things that people know.”
“DARK TIDES" In 1998, Paige is powerful and desperate as Sara, an unhappily married woman, who plans to kill her abusive husband, with the help of her lover and husband's brother, in the straight-to-video movie. She plays opposite John Mese, her fiancé at the time, who she met while working on "American Gothic" in 1994, John Newton and Beth Dixon.
“CLAIRE MAKES IT BIG”, In 1999, she appears as funny Bronwyn, a supporting role in Jeremy Workman’s award-winning short comedy. It follows the travails of a talented actress and her difficulties landing a decent movie role. A sharply written and briskly directed satire of the acting and filmmaking professions that then turns into a hilarious wish-fulfillment fantasy, it also features a lovely lead performance by Mara Hobel .
"THE AUTHOR'S VOICE" (Theatre). In May 1999, Paige stars with Philip Seymour-Hoffman and Christopher Orr in a play written by Richard Greenberg. Directed by Evan Yonoulis , the play is a kafkaesque one-act dark comedy about a handsome wanna-be-famous author who has a secret locked in his apartment: an hideous gnome who is the actual artist and writer to the much- expected novel. When the beautiful editor who wants to get close to her author's soul -and body discovers the truth, everything turns to disaster. This "beauties and the beast" tale opens on May, 11th for a limited run until May, 29th,1999 at the Greenwich House Theather in New York City.
2000
Welcome to the Second Millennium
With the new era comes a list of independent films and TV movies.
"RUNAWAY VIRUS" Paige gets the lead role as Jenny Blanchard, a vaccine specialist who along with other experts on viruses tracks down some contagious people all across the world. But it's just a matter of time before L.A. will be exposed to the virus. The movie is filmed in Vancouver and released in January 2000. Its alternate title in some countries is " the millenium plague".
"URBANIA", also known as "Urban Folk Tales",in which Paige plays Cassandra, a hard-nosed business woman opposite Alan Cumming, is filmed in New York City. It is nominated for the grand jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2000 and wins 6 " best films" awards.
"ASTORIA" Paige is Elena, an iconographer visiting from Greece. Set in Queens, NY, known as "Little Athens", the film centers around a blue-collar Greek-American family and its struggle to hold on to the American dream. Filmed in New York City, it's released in March 2000.
“R2PC: ROAD TO PARK CITY” in which Paige and John Mese play their own roles, is an insightful comedy with roots in the great mockumentary movement of the 1980s. The film follows an impassioned and misguided wannabe filmmaker, John Viener (a comedian playing himself), who throws everything away to make "a film that's gonna win Sundance."
“SILENT WITNESS”,, is an 8 minute short film, starring Jared Padalecki, and filmed in Chicago, IL.
“THE FUGITIVE” On October 6th, she appears in the “Pilot” episode of the CBS TV series remake, opposite Tim Daly and Mykelti Williamson. She is Laura Chereaux, a building safety inspector.
“DEAD DOG” Paige plays Perri Rosenberg, the lead role, opposite Jeremy Sisto, Tom and Perri are a successful couple living in New York City with their dog, Sophie. Tom is crushed when Sophie is hit and killed by a car while Perri is walking her, and angered that someone would drive away from the scene without any apparent remorse. Filmed in New York City, the film is released in october 2001.
2001-2003
New Century, New Paige
“LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT" Paige appears on NBC’s critically acclaimed drama, in the 10th episode of season 3, “Ridicule".”. She plays Pam Adler, a lawyer accused along with her girlfriends of raping a male stripper (Pete Starrett). Today, this episode is quoted as one of the most important stories ever told in the course of the 20 running years of "SVU". (Paige will also guest-star ten years later, in a different episode, playing a different character).
"THE AGENCY" It's time for a new role as series regular! Paige is Terri Lowell, CIA agent and graphical technician, whose ambition and sixth sense lead her to become a field agent. The series follows the work of those CIA agents around the world throughout 2 seasons and 44 episodes.
Quote: “We actually filmed at CIA headquarters. They did a two-week background check on me. It creeped me out more than anything. I was like, God, are they bugging my apartment? Are they talking to my neighbors?”
The show was originally conceived as a look at how the CIA was surviving in the post-Cold War era. When the World Trade Center was destroyed, it changed the entire focus of the show .
Quotes: "I wanted to take a very shy, wounded person and make her sexy. I think she’s very feminine and also very excited by the danger of espionage.”
- “It’s such a physically demanding part.”
2002 "THE EMPATH”. Paige stars opposite John Shea. No information is available about this production though.
2003 “RHINOCEROS EYES”, an Indie American drama written and directed by Aaron Woodley, is a fantastical coming-of-age story revolving around Chep, a young, reclusive prop-house employee who falls in love with a detail-obsessed movie production designer named Fran (Paige). The film receives the Discovery Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, and premieres in the US on April 23, 2004.
"THE AGENCY" ran from September 27th, 2001 until May 17th, 2003. It returns for its second season, where she meets and falls in love with the new addition to the show, Jason O'Mara, who joins the main cast as agent A.B Styles. They keep their relationship away from the set , then after months of seeing each other romantically, they 're engaged in Jamaica, and get married in September 2003 in Connecticut, during hurricane Isabel...
Quote: “They said they were going to get married even if they had to wear fishing gear.” – Joyce Turco
In February, 2004, baby David (named after Paige's father) is born.
2004-2005
The Secret Life Of A Mother
2004/2005 is understandably focused on "the real life" and taking care of baby David.
In November 2004, Paige films another independent movie in New Jersey “THE FAVOR”, to be released in march 2007, at the Dallas Film Festival ( Its official world premiere will be in Mexico on October 19th, 2007, the US one on May 2nd, 2008, and will eventually win two awards.). Lawrence, a photographer living on his own in New Jersey, rekindles a relationship with his old flame Caroline (played by Paige ) shortly before she dies in an accident. Her 16 year-old son Johnny has nowhere to go and Lawrence takes him in.
2006
Back To Work
"THE HIGH BAR”, Paige signs for the ABC one-hour pilot (formely known as "WOMEN IN LAW" or "SISTERS IN LAW"), a comedy-drama about women working at a law firm. Paige plays Carolyn Fordham, one of the lawyers. Unfortunately, ABC does not pick up the series.
“RESCUE ME” She joins the third season of FX’s show in a recurring role, as science teacher Nell Turbody. She appears in four episodes, airing in May and June, 2006.
“WALTZING ANNA" is filmed in New Jersey and Vancouver, and released on August 11, 2006. She plays Barbara Rhoades, Anna's daughter.
“INVINCIBLE”. Paige is Carol Vermeil, wife of Eagle’s coach Dick Vermeil in Disney’s movie “INVINCIBLE”, based on the story of Vince Papale, a 30-year-old bartender from South Philadelphia who overcame long odds to play for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles in 1976. It stars Mark Wahlberg and Greg Kinnear.
2007
The Busy Year
“THE GAME PLAN” Paige appears in Disney’s movie also known as “DADDY’S LITTLE GIRL”, opposite Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson and Madison Pettis, playing Karen Kelly, Peyton’s aunt who takes care of her after her mother dies 6 months earlier. The movie is shot in Boston, and opens in september 2007 becoming a huge box-office success.
“BIG SHOTS" Paige joins the cast of "THE PERFECT GENTLEMEN" later renamed "BIG SHOTS" for ABC, as a series regular. It receives a 13 episodes order from ABC, but due to the Writers Guild of America strike in Hollywood, only 11 are made. It films from May to November, premieres in September 2007 on ABC, its final episode airing on January 24th, 2008. Paige is the very hot and sexy Lisbeth Hill, ex-wife of Dylan McDermott’s character, Duncan Collinsworth, a cosmetics company CEO.
2008-2009
Sailing Through
“TAKING CHANCE” is a HBO historical drama film based on real-life events, following the experience of Marine Lt. Colonel Michael Strobl in Iraq, portrayed by Kevin Bacon. Paige plays Bacon’s wife, Stacey Strobl. The film is presented at the Sundance Film festival in January and airs on February 21, 2009, becoming the most-watched HBO original in five years.
"DAMAGES" Paige joins the second season of FX’s “DAMAGES”, in the recurring role of Christine Purcell, wife of William Hurt's character Daniel. She appears in 6 episodes from January 7, 2009 to March 25th, 2009, mostly in flashbacks.
“LIFE ON MARS” Paige guest stars on ABC’s American science fiction crime drama television series with husband Jason O’Mara. She plays Colleen McManus in the episode "All the Young Dudes", a vicious gang leader’s sister and Jason’s “Sam Tyler” love interest, broadcast on March 18th, 2009. This is their second on-screen project together, 6 years after "The Agency".
“THE STEPFATHER” marks Paige's return to the big screen in this thriller film (and remake of the 1987 movie of the same name). Paige plays Jackie Kerns, a realtor who hires the stepfather to do some work for her, but rapidly becomes suspicious of him. The movie is shot in Los Angeles and Santa Clarita, and is released on October 16th, 2009.
2010-2014
Beauty And The Beasts
“SECRETS OF THE MOUNTAIN” She gets the lead role of Dana James in NBC’s first in a made-for-TV movie aimed at families. Shot in Montreal and Magog, Quebec, this mystery adventure sees a mom and her kids set off on a road trip where they discover an ancient secret that leads them on a treacherous quest that they must face together. She stars opposite Barry Bostwick and Adelaide Kane, and the movie is released in April 2010 on NBC.
Quote: “It’s important, now more than ever, to offer family-friendly programming on television.”
2011. “TO APPOMATTOX” is a project which seems to have failed. Paige is Sallie Corbell Pickett, and stars next to Damian Lewis, and Jason O’Mara, The television 8 episodes mini-series depicts the emotional lives of America’s Civil War generals, their wives and families – from West Point to Appomattox – against a backdrop of a war. (Filming was expected to begin in november 2015.)
“THE GOOD WIFE”. Paige guest stars as Alicia’s client in a divorce case in the first season of CBS’s critically acclaimed series. She plays Caroline Wilder, wife of a famous rock star who wants to divorce her to marry another woman, but refuses her request for support of 300.000$ a year. The episode is called "Unplugged" and airs on May 11th, 2010.
On May 15th, 2011, she is the recipient of a Doctor of Humane Letters Honoris Causa bestowed by the Bay Path College, where she originally graduated as part of the class of 1984.
Quote: “I was shaped as a young woman by Bay Path, and by Paul’s influence. I was taught that I could achieve my dreams, but only with hard work and sacrifice.”
“BLUE BLOODS” On February 9th, 2011, she guest stars in the 14th episode of the first season of CBS’s drama as detective Patricia Ryan assigned to investigate a robbery. Her episode, "my funny Valentine", airs on February 9th, 2011
“LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT” On October 5th, 2011, she returns to NBC’s season 13 as the charming, charismatic and fiercely protective Kathleen Raines, opposite Kyle MacLachlan. They play a well-heeled political couple whose son and housekeeper’s son are both suspected of raping a young girl in the episode 3, "Blood Brothers".
“PERSON OF INTEREST” On October 27th, 2011, Paige guest stars for the 1st time as Zoe Morgan on CBS’ science fiction crime series. in the episode "the fix". Zoe is a high priced and skilled "fixer", specializing in crisis management.
Quote: “I play a character who's catwoman-y and sexy.”
But her introduction in the show is as a "person of interest". the chemistry with Jim Caviezel and the immediate positive reaction to Zoe from the viewers soon turn Paige's role into a recurring one, and she will appear in 9 episodes over the course of the 5 seasons of the successful show, her last appearance being season 4’s April 7th, 2015 episode, "Search And Destroy". Zoe is called when her expertise is required, and she and Reese sometimes share a casual physical relationship.
Quote: “Paige is spectacular, and sometimes you get that rare alchemy of a piece of casting and a character that just connects, so she’ll come back to further complicate things.” – Jonah Nolan
2013. “NCIS” During its 11th season, CBS’s critically acclaimed police procedural series introduced the characters for its spinoff, “NCIS: NEW ORLEANS”, starring Scott Bakula. Paige’s role is possibly a recurring one, playing Linda Pride, wife of NCIS Special Agent Pride (Bakula). The "NCIS" episode , "Crescent City, part 1" airs on March 25th, 2014.
“NCIS: NEW ORLEANS”, Paige's episode in season one, "Master of horror" airs on October 28th, 2014. We get to understand that Linda and her husband are actually separated but still love and respect each other... So anything is possible for the return of Linda in the future seasons... TBC...
2010-2014
The 100 Era
"THE 100" On March 7th, 2013, news are Paige has joined CW’s "THE 100” as a series regular. Filming of the pilot starts right away, and the rest of season 1 begins shooting in august 2013, in and around Vancouver. The first episode premieres a year later, on March 19th, 2014.
No one on the show thinks there is going to be a second season, and yet there will be 100 episodes and 7 seasons. Paige plays Dr. Abigail “Abby” Griffin, the Chief Medical Officer, a former Council member of the Ark, then Chancellor of Arkadia. She is a strong willed, smart and generous woman, doctor and mother, always fighting for what is right, in order to save her people, without losing her humanity. She is righteous in what she does and willing to face the consequences of her actions. A key character to sending the 100 teens to earth, she's driven by the hope to see her daughter again on the ground. Later on the show, her life will be highly impacted by her love story with Marcus Kane, and Paige sails through an impressive range of emotions with maestra throughout Abby Griffin's arc, becoming one of the most complex and controversial character on 'THE 100'.
Since its release in 2014, "The 100" is the most watched show in its time slot on The CW.
Quote: “I loved that Abigail really was one of the only women on the ship and that she was in a man's job, position, but still vulnerable. So she was multifaceted for me. There's something about her. She's that wonderful balance of strength and vulnerability.”
2017. "SEPARATED AT BIRTH" On April 19, 2017, during "THE 100" hiatus, she starts filming in Montreal, Canada. Filming lasts until mid-May. Paige plays Elizabeth Marshall, a criminal prosecutor running for Governor of Pennsylvania. She reunites with Lucy, who claims to be her long-lost daughter, abducted as a newborn, But the truth is far more complicated that it looks, and the road to exposing the facts is paved with joys and deception. The TV movie also co-stars Canadian actors Brittany Allen, Dominique Provost-Chalkley, Gord Rand and Jayne Heitmeyer, and is directed by Jean-François Rivard.
'THE 100' Abby Griffin will live an intense life for 6 seasons, her journey ending on July 30th, 2019 in a heartbreaking scene. Her last appearance on season 6 is as Simone Lightbourne, leader of "Sanctum" and the reason Abby Griffin is forever gone, much to an army of fans' dismay. On August, 6th, 2019, Paige as Simone says her goodbyes to the 100, but is anything really ever over with 'THE 100'?....
Quote: "It was fun, but very weird to play Simone. After 6 years playing Abby, I was like: "Whoa, I don't know how to do this. (laughs) But it was fun to wear a gown." (from TV insider)
With the upsetting loss of Abby, "THE 100" parts with the last of the "adults" who were there from the 1st episode of season 1.
Quote: "What I loved about my character is that there was such a human quality to her, even if it's sci-fi. And that's the part I really enjoyed: the hope Abby brought. The humanity. Whether or not she took a different path toward the end, I still believe she had hope, which is very human even in the sci-fi world." ( from TV insider)
2019. "BLUFF CITY LAW" During the summer, Paige filmed a scene for episode 3 of " Bluff City Law", playing Jimmy Smits' character's deceased wife. However, the production later chose to not use any of the flashback scenes.
VALERIE.