Gina Torres is widely known for a number of the roles she’s played over the years, yet one of her most famous and revered performances is that of Zoe Washburne in the short-lived Firefly. In the years since the series was prematurely cancelled, Torres has gone on to play a number of other notable roles, and she recently joined the second season of Fox’s 9-1-1: Lone Star in the role of Tommy Vega. But as it turns it, it was her role on Firefly that helped her land her 9-1-1 gig.
9-1-1: Lone Star was co-created by Tim Minear, who previously wrote and directed episodes of Firefly years ago. While speaking to TVLine, cites Minear as being the person who brought her onto 9-1-1, and the actress couldn’t help but express gratitude to him for reaching out about the show, especially when Hollywood is currently dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic:
Tim Minear is completely responsible for bringing me onto this show and drawing such a great character for me to play. He literally made it impossible for me to say no. I’ve loved his brain for almost 20 years, since we got to work on Firefly together. To get this beautiful offer in the middle of this crazy pandemic, where I didn’t know how or if I was going to work again, was mind-blowing and has been nothing but a blessing since Day 1. It wraps up all the reasons why I became an actor in the first place.
It’s not uncommon for actors to reteam with collaborators on projects, whether it be in television or film. It’s always nice to see Gina Torres on TV, but it’s even sweeter knowing that she’s reunited with a creative that she loves.
Torres still seems to have a lot of love for Firefly and has looked back on the show on more than one occasion. For instance, she once recalled one of her favorite scenes, which is a pretty epic moment for Zoe. The actress also relishes the opportunity to work with other Firefly alums, which occurred when she reunited with Nathan Fillion on Castle.
Following its initial debut in 2003, the love for Joss Whedon’s Firefly runs deep, as many wonder what could have been had the show not been canned after a single 14-episode season. Although fans did get to see more of the franchise through the 2005 film Serenity, they probably wouldn’t mind more adventures with the intergalactic crew.
Until any such project happens, Gina Torres will have plenty of things to keep her occupied on 9-1-1: Lone Star, as the explosive new season is only just ramping up. And let’s hope Tim Minear and his collaborators give Torres some great moments that rival the ones she had on Firefly.
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