Janine Turner, a native Texan, is probably best known for her role as
'Maggie O'Connell' in the Emmy Award-winning CBS series, "Northern Exposure and
in the Lifetime series, "Strong Medicine." But, more recently she produced and
directed the short film "Trip in a Summer Dress" which also starred her young
daughter Juliette. In addition, she has been cast in "Friday Night Lights" on
NBC. She won Best Director for the short film at the Deep Elm Film Festival.
She recently starred with Tom Wilkinson in the movie "Night of the White Pants"
and also stars in "Primal Doubt" a film for Lifetime Television. And, she
co-produced and stars in a yoga video, called Christoga which combines yoga
moves with Christian meditation.
Turner can now add author to her resume. A single mother since her daughter
was born, she spent the last year researching twelve extraordinary single women
from history, and Holding Her Head High, released in March of 2008,
has been a highly acclaimed best selling book across the country.
Janine developed a love of the arts at a young age. When she was three, the
family moved to Euless, Texas, where Janine began studying acting and dance. In
junior high-school, she began an apprenticeship with the Fort Worth Ballet and
established a successful modeling career in Dallas, which in turn led to her
signing with the well-known Wilhelmina Modeling Agency in New York. At the
young age of fifteen, Janine was the modeling agency's youngest client.
Continuing to model in New York, she also attended the Professional
Children's School, and only a year later, back in Texas, landed a recurring
role on the hit television series, "Dallas," portraying Lucy Ewing's best
friend. It was then that Janine made the decision to graduate from high school
a year early, give up modeling and move to Los Angeles in order to pursue her
acting career.
New to Los Angeles, she landed a starring role on the late-night CBS soap
"Behind The Screen," spent a year on the long-running, "General Hospital" as
'Laura Templeton,' and appeared in the feature film, "Young Doctors in Love."
After leaving "General Hospital," Janine traveled to China for ten weeks for a
co-starring role in Dino DeLaurentiis' "Tai-Pan," and upon completion of the
film, moved back to New York City to continue her theatrical studies.
While in New York, Janine studied with Marcia Haufrecht of The Actor's
Studio and began working off-Broadway. She starred in The Ensemble Studio
Theatre production of "Full Moon and High Tide in The Ladies Room," and
performed with the avant-garde theatre group, The Common Ground Theatre. During
this time, she also held a supporting role in George Romero's "Monkey Shines,"
and had a memorable turn as Olympia Dukakis' niece, 'Nancy Beth Marmilion,' in
the acclaimed feature film, "Steel Magnolias."
Janine then made a return to television with a co-starring role as "Maggie
O'Connell" in the hit CBS series, "Northern Exposure" where she earned an Emmy
nomination and three Golden Globe Award nominations for best actress in a drama
series. During this time, Janine was named one of People magazine's "50 Most
Beautiful People," one of US magazine's "10 Sexiest Women," and one of Esquire
magazine's "Women We Love." In 1992, she received the Women at Work Award from
the National Commission on Working Women.
During hiatus from "Northern Exposure," Janine flew to the Italian Alps to
play a starring role opposite Sylvester Stallone in Columbia Tri-Star's
international blockbuster, "Cliffhanger." Additional film credits include a
starring role in "Curse of the Inferno," and as 'June Cleaver' in Universal's
"Leave It to Beaver" and in Robert Altman's feature film, "Dr. T and the
Women."
Turner has also starred in a number of highly-rated films for television.
She starred opposite Jamie Sheridan and Hal Holbrook in the CBS telefilm,
"Beauty," a CBS movie "Stolen Women," "Circle of Deceit" for ABC, "Fatal
Error," a TBS original film, and "Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Secret
Affair."
Turner still has her beloved ranch in Texas and has recently moved to New
York City with daughter Juliette.
