Chicago PD star Toya Turner has a unique story to be told as fans seek out everything to know about the rising star.
Part of the One Chicago franchise alongside three other TV shows, Chicago PD highlights the Windy City's 21st District and its Intelligence Unit. This team patrols the streets of Chicago to handle all kinds of crime as the city's landscape evolves and adapts.
Joining the Chicago PD cast for a brand new role is Toya Turner as she plays patrol officer Kiana Cook.
5 Things to Know About Chicago PD's Toya Turner
Toya Turner Graduated from BADA
Toya Turner (age 34) has spent much of her life acting, eventually going to the British American Drama Academy to further her skills and expertise.
Speaking with Rose and Ivy Journal, she reflected on seeing her friends go through the same program, which made her want "to go further and really study it" more seriously.
While she had always loved acting and memorized lines of projects she watched, this helped her hone and fine-tune her skills:
"I was doing theater before I went to the British American Drama Academy (BADA). One of my home boys had gone there a couple of years before me; I watched him and when he came back, he had grown so much. He was so good and he had just gotten into the game at the time. I checked it out and I wanted to go further and really study it. At the time, I hadn’t studied it besides watching a bunch of TV and film. I didn’t go to a performing arts school, I was usually the crew at the theater. I wasn’t even on stage like that but I always loved it. I’d memorize lines of movies and that’s how I started."
Toya Is Best Known for Warrior Nun
Turner's most notable role to date came in Netflix's Warrior Nun, in which she played Shotgun Mary during Season 1.
Shotgun Mary is part of the Order of the Cruciform Sword, but she is known for having a more suspicious view of the overarching Catholic Church. She was raised with religion but never held it too closely, escaping tragedy in her family and showing real loyalty to those close to her.
In an interview with Beneath the Tangles, she shared how this role marked a turning point in her career, getting it after she moved to Los Angeles. While there were high points and low points, she does not regret the move:
"I probably wouldn’t have gotten the role if I hadn’t chosen to move to L.A. There have been ups and downs, and you get told different things, like 'You’re going to be a small fish in a big pond,' but I’m grateful. It was a good move. I’m grateful!"
She also spoke to ComicBook about the show, reminiscing on how she cried reading the script and had a strong reaction to the story and her role. She noted "[connecting] with it on a deeper level than [she] ever had before an audition," forming a quick bond with the material:
"I mean, well first the name. The name is iconic. Shotgun Mary, I've never heard anything like it. And to be honest, when I read the pilot script of it, I actually cried on one part and I was like, "Oh my God, where's that coming from?" It kind of just touched me, and especially with the scripts that I was getting at the time, I had the strongest reaction of Warrior Nun, so I was happy when my manager sent it over to me. I connected with it on a deeper level than I ever had before an audition, if that makes sense."
This happened right at the start of the process for her, leaving her stress-free from start to finish:
"It was just something I was just attracted to the script from the get go. Even the way I handled it in the process, I was like, 'Wow, there's really no stress here. I'm having a good time on this.' Yeah. It was really great."
Toya Has Appeared in Other Chicago Shows
Turner now takes on a regular role with Chicago PD as a newcomer named Kiana Cook, who is a patrol officer with Chi-town's police force. Kiana is described as somebody who loves her job as a police officer and has no fear of jumping into dangerous or challenging scenarios in the line of duty.
While this is Turner's introduction in Chicago PD, she is no stranger to the One Chicago franchise, as she has roles in two other shows from the franchise.
Season 2, Episode 13 of Chicago Fire included Turner in a small role as Peaches the Prostitute. The episode centered on a drunk driver knocking down a transformer and leaving a neighborhood without power.
Two years later, she returned for the Season 2 premiere of Chicago Med as a character named Jayna Miles. This episode sees Dr. Connor Rhodes start his cardiothoracic surgery fellowship while Dr. Ethan Choi becomes the new chief resident of the ED.
Turner has a wealth of other experience on her resume as well, including roles in New Amsterdam, Empire, and Incredibles 2.
Toya Used To Stream on Twitch
Along with her career as an actor, Turner spent years online as a streamer on Twitch. Most of her videos included chatting, gaming content, and reactions to various programs from other mediums.
Those looking to see Turner's Twitch history can do so on her profile (@thetoyatest).
Toya Wants To Be Part of Black Panther
Looking ahead to the future, Toya has one major franchise on her wishlist - Marvel Studios' Black Panther.
In a chat with Brief Take before November 2022's release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, she shared her desire to be the villain in a Black Panther movie. She specifically mentioned a character named Madam Slay, hoping to take on a dark role in the ever-expanding MCU when she was asked about a dream role:
"Yes, that is a very good question. I really, really want to be in a Western. I also want to be the next villain in 'Black Panther.' Let’s go! That would be amazing! Yeah, you know what I mean?! Get me into that universe! They have this character named Madam Slay and I’m like 'give me that!' I just want to play all the roles with the badass names. Give me Shotgun Mary, give me Madam Slay, let’s go! So yeah, that would be awesome to be a part of the 'Black Panther' universe. It’s iconic."
She revisited that idea again in her chat with Rose and Ivy Journal, specifically touching on what it would mean for more Black and female representation in the franchise:
"I want to be the next villain in 'Black Panther,' that’s the dream. I would love that for what it means as far as representation."
How To Follow Toya Turner Online
Those looking to follow Toya Turner on social media can do so on Instagram (@iamtoyat), TikTok (@thetoyatest), and YouTube (@BadAssTiti).
New episodes of Chicago PD Season 12 debut on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET.
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