JODIE TURNER-SMITH

“QUEEN & SLIM”

Turner-smith left an indelible mark on the stylish indie crime thriller “Queen & Slim,” which was released last year to critical acclaim and sleeper box-office hit status. Turner-smith approached the material with anticipation. “I’m very proud of ‘Queen & Slim,’” she says. “It was my first time starring in a movie, and that is an accomplishment I will never forget. I’m so proud of myself for taking that journey because while I remember being terrified the entire time, I never let it stop me. That’s growth.”

Born in Peterborough, England, to Jamaican parents, Turner-smith got her start in the music- video world as a background and featured performer, and then landed work on such TV programs as TNT’S “The Last Ship” and HBO’S “True Blood.” She scored a major role on the Netflix science fiction series “Nightflyers” from George R.R. Martin and also was cast in the Cinemax series “Jett,” which premiered in June.

Splitting her time between Los Angeles and London, Turner-smith most recently wrapped filming on the A24 release “After Yang,” which was directed by Korean artist-turned-filmmaker Kogonada (“Columbus”). Other upcoming projects include Paramount’s new big-budget Tom Clancy adaptation “Without Remorse” opposite Michael B. Jordan. The plum role could serve as a launching pad into a major new franchise.

— Nick Clement

REPRESENTATION: Agency: UTA; Management: Untitled Entertainment; Legal: Ziffren Brittenham INFLUENCES: Mati Diop, Melina Matsoukas, Alma Har’el, Ava Duvernay, Lulu Wang, Lorene Scafaria, Marielle Heller, Naomie Harris, Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys