Jodie Turner-Smith
Turner-Smith in February 2020
Born (1986-09-07) 7 September 1986 (age 37)
Peterborough, England, UK
OccupationActress
Years active2013–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2019; sep. 2023)​
Children1

Jodie Turner-Smith (born 7 September 1986) is a British actress and model. She made her feature film debut in The Neon Demon (2016) and has since acted in Queen & Slim (2019), After Yang (2022), and White Noise (2022). She is also known for her television roles in the TNT series The Last Ship (2017), the Syfy series Nightflyers (2018), and for portraying the title role in the Channel 5 series Anne Boleyn (2021).

Early life and education

Turner-Smith was born on 7 September 1986 in Peterborough, England[1][2] to Jamaican parents; she is the only one of her siblings who was not born in Jamaica.[3] She resided in Peterborough until she was 10 years old.[3] After her parents divorced she emigrated to the United States with her mother, brother and half-sister, residing in Gaithersburg, Maryland.[4]

Turner-Smith studied finance at the University of Pittsburgh; she graduated in 2008 and subsequently worked at a bank.[3][5] She has lived in Los Angeles since 2009.[6]

Career

In 2009, a mutual friend introduced Turner-Smith to musician Pharrell Williams after a N.E.R.D. concert.[7] When she told him she was looking to become a writer,[8] he convinced her to become a model and move to Los Angeles.[7][8]

She made her acting debut in 2013 as a siren in True Blood,[8] which led to numerous minor roles in films and music videos between 2013 and 2017. During this time, she was credited as Jodie Smith. In 2016, she appeared in the music video for Zayn Malik's "Pillowtalk."[9]

Turner-Smith first came to prominence playing Sgt. Azima Kandie in the 2017–2018 season of the TNT series The Last Ship.[10] She had a major role as Melantha Jhirl in the 2018 Syfy/Netflix series Nightflyers.[11][12]

She played Josie in the Cinemax series Jett, which premiered in June 2019,[13] and starred in the 2019 film Queen & Slim opposite Daniel Kaluuya.[14]

In October 2020, it was announced that Turner-Smith would be portraying Queen Anne Boleyn in Anne Boleyn, a three-part drama series on Channel 5, which details the final months of Boleyn's life.[15] Her casting was met with backlash due to her race.[16][17] The series premiered in May 2021, with Turner-Smith's performance receiving praise.[18][19]

In January 2021, it was announced that she was cast as Éile, a warrior blessed with the voice of a goddess, in The Witcher: Blood Origin, a six-episode limited series prequel to The Witcher.[20] In April 2021, Netflix announced that she had departed the project due to scheduling conflicts and a change in the production schedule.[21]

Turner-Smith starred in Kogonada’s sci-fi drama After Yang[22] alongside Colin Farrell. The film was released in March 2022. In September 2022, she joined upcoming Star Wars spin-off series The Acolyte.[23]

In June 2023, it was announced that Turner-Smith would join the cast of Tron: Ares alongside Jared Leto.[24]

Personal life

Turner-Smith began a relationship with actor Joshua Jackson in October 2018.[25] They married in late 2019[26] and their daughter was born in April 2020.[27] In October 2023, it was revealed that Turner-Smith had filed for divorce from Jackson.[28]

In 2019, Turner-Smith expressed ambivalence about becoming an American citizen but said she would consider doing so.[29]

Filmography

Key
† Denotes works that have not yet been released

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2016 The Neon Demon Roberta Hoffmann's assistant [a]
2017 Lemon Beverly [a]
Newness Statuesque woman
2019 Queen & Slim Angela "Queen" Johnson
2021 Without Remorse Karen Greer [30]
After Yang Kyra
2022 White Noise Winnie Richards [31]
The Independent Elisha "Eli" James [32]
2023 Murder Mystery 2 Countess Sekou [33]
TBA Tron: Ares † Filming [34]

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2013 True Blood Siren #2 4 episodes[a]
2015–2016 Mad Dogs Angel 2 episodes[a]
2016 Ice Lady Rah's masseuse 1 episode[a]
2017–2018 The Last Ship Sgt. Azima Kandie 20 episodes
2018 Nightflyers Melantha Jhirl 10 episodes
2019 Jett Josie 9 episodes
2021 Anne Boleyn Anne Boleyn 3 episodes [35][36]
2023 Sex Education God Recurring role
2024 The Acolyte † TBA Main role; Post-production
TBA Bad Monkey † Dragon Queen/Gracie Main role; Post-production [37]

Short

Year Title Role Notes
2014 Dear Diamond Nancy Video short[a]
2016 Hard World for Bad Things Kay [a]
2016 Woman in Deep Paulette [a]
2016 Man Rots from the Head Violet
2016 Call Your Father The Shopgirl
2017 Let's Just Be Friends Taylor
2018 Elvis Brown: Yummy Ex

Music video

Year Song Artist Refs.
2009 "Walkin' on the Moon" The-Dream feat. Kanye West [38]
2013 "Cool Song No. 2" MGMT [39]
2013 "Für Hildegard von Bingen" Devendra Banhart [40]
2014 "Dear Diamond" Blaqstarr feat. Common [41]
2016 "Pillowtalk" Zayn Malik [9][42]
2016 "Make Me (Cry)" Noah Cyrus feat. Labrinth [43]
2023 "You Only Love Me" Rita Ora [44]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Credited as Jodie Smith.

References

  1. ^ "Jodie Turner-Smith". Us Weekly. Archived from the original on 22 April 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  2. ^ Perry, Kediesha (11 December 2019). "Turner-Smith gets royal role". Jamaica Observer. Archived from the original on 16 March 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  3. ^ a b c Perry, Kevin EG (29 April 2021). "Jodie Turner-Smith: "The last three years of my life have been completely mad"". NME. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  4. ^ Stone, Natalie (27 January 2020). "Why Jodie Turner-Smith & Joshua Jackson Won't Raise Kids in the U.S.: 'White Supremacy Is Overt'". People. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  5. ^ Iqbal, Nosheen (23 May 2021). "Jodie Turner-Smith: 'Tapping into the turmoil of Anne Boleyn felt so easy'". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Jodie Turner-Smith is a[.]
  6. ^ Farrell, Colin (20 August 2019). "Queen & Slim Star Jodie Turner-Smith Tells Colin Farrell Where Home Is". Interview. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  7. ^ a b Echlin, Hobey (27 February 2012). "Jodie Smith". Paper. Archived from the original on 15 August 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  8. ^ a b c "Miss Jodie". Models.com. 7 October 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  9. ^ a b Rhiannon, Alexis (29 January 2016). "The Woman in "Pillowtalk" is an Actress to Watch". Bustle.
  10. ^ Petski, Denise (8 February 2017). "The Last Ship: Jodie Turner-Smith Upped To Regular For Season 5". Deadline Hollywood.
  11. ^ Scott, Sydney (10 December 2018). "Why Game of Thrones Author George R. R. Martin Wanted Jodie Turner-Smith For His New Project Nightflyers". Essence.
  12. ^ Comtois, James (13 July 2018). "George R. R. Martin on how Syfy's Nightflyers series rights a 30-year wrong". Syfy. Archived from the original on 6 November 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  13. ^ Fienberg, Daniel (11 June 2019). "Jett: TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
  14. ^ Bowen, Sesali (31 July 2019). "Jodie Turner-Smith & Daniel Kaluuya Are Lovers on the Run in New Queen & Slim Trailer". Nylon.
  15. ^ Kinane, Ruth (30 October 2020). "'Queen & Slim' star Jodie Turner-Smith to play Anne Boleyn in U.K. series". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  16. ^ "Jodie Turner-Smith Addresses Backlash She's Faced for Portraying Anne Boleyn: 'People Feel Very Strongly About' Her". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  17. ^ LeGardye, Quinci (18 August 2021). "Joshua Jackson Opens Up About the Backlash to His Wife Jodie Turner-Smith's Proposal". Harper's BAZAAR. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  18. ^ "Jodie Turner-Smith is suitably arch in the very silly Anne Boleyn – review". The Independent. 1 June 2021. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  19. ^ "Anne Boleyn". Empire. 6 March 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  20. ^ Moreau, Jordan (25 January 2021). "'The Witcher: Blood Origin' Prequel Series Casts Jodie Turner-Smith". Variety. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  21. ^ Khatchatourian, Maane (7 April 2021). "Jodie Turner-Smith Exits 'Witcher: Blood Origin' Prequel Series". Variety. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  22. ^ Jeremy O. Harris (23 March 2022). "Jodie Turner-Smith: "Everything I Do Is Political"". AnOther. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  23. ^ "'The Acolyte': Jodie Turner-Smith Poised To Join Disney+'s 'Star Wars' Series". Deadline. 6 September 2022.
  24. ^ Kit, Borys (28 June 2023). "Dahmer Star Evan Peters Joins Jared Leto in Disney's Tron 3". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  25. ^ "Everything to Know About Jodie Turner-Smith, Star of Queen and Slim". O, The Oprah Magazine. 26 November 2019.
  26. ^ Stone, Natalie (20 December 2019). "Joshua Jackson and Jodie Turner-Smith are married". People. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  27. ^ Owoseje, Toyin (22 April 2020). "Joshua Jackson and Jodie Turner-Smith announce birth of their first child". CNN. Archived from the original on 22 April 2020.
  28. ^ "Jodie Turner-Smith Files for Divorce from Joshua Jackson After More Than 3 Years of Marriage". Peoplemag. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  29. ^ Malkin, Marc (1 December 2019). "Why 'Queen & Slim' Star Jodie Turner-Smith Isn't Sure About Raising a Family in the U.S." Variety. Retrieved 1 June 2021. Turner-Smith […] thinks she'll eventually apply for U.S. citizenship. But she's torn. "I've been in this country now for so long, so it's like I should, but I'm not certain that I want to live here and raise my family. […] It's a very complicated relationship that I have with America. I love it so much. And I also see the places where it's flawed."
  30. ^ Kroll, Justin (18 September 2019). "'Queen and Slim' Star Jodie Turner-Smith Joins Michael B. Jordan in 'Without Remorse' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  31. ^ Kroll, Justin (2 June 2021). "Jodie Turner-Smith In Talks To Join Adam Driver And Greta Gerwig In Noah Baumbach's 'White Noise' At Netflix". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  32. ^ Ritman, Alex (15 September 2021). "Brian Cox, Jodie Turner-Smith Teaming for Political Thriller 'The Independent' (Exclusive)". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  33. ^ Galuppo, Mia (24 January 2022). "Jodie Turner-Smith, Mark Strong Join Netflix's 'Murder Mystery 2'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  34. ^ Kit, Borys (30 June 2023). "Jodi Turner-Smith Joins Jared Leto in Disney's 'Tron 3'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  35. ^ Ravindran, Manori (11 February 2021). "See First Photo of Jodie Turner-Smith as Anne Boleyn (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  36. ^ Gordon, Naomi (30 October 2020). "Jodie Turner-Smith to play Anne Boleyn in new TV drama for Channel 5". RadioTimes. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  37. ^ Petski, Denise (2 December 2021). "Bad Monkey: Michelle Monaghan, Jodie Turner-Smith & Meredith Hagner Join Vince Vaughn In Bill Lawrence's Apple TV+ Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  38. ^ "The-Dream - Walkin' on the Moon ft. Kanye West". 25 November 2009 – via YouTube.
  39. ^ "MGMT - Cool Song No. 2". 17 September 2013 – via YouTube.
  40. ^ "Devendra Banhart - Für Hildegard von Bingen - Art + Music". 29 October 2013 – via YouTube.
  41. ^ "Blaqstarr - Dear Diamond ft. Common". 14 February 2014 – via YouTube.
  42. ^ "Zayn - Pillowtalk". 29 January 2016 – via YouTube.
  43. ^ "Noah Cyrus - Make Me (Cry) ft. Labrinth". 22 November 2016 – via YouTube.
  44. ^ Maddick, Emily (27 January 2013). "Rita Ora on her new wedding-inspired music video for You Only Love Me". Glamour. Retrieved 27 January 2023.

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