A Man Who Just Loves To Act: An Interview With Glynn Turman

The first time I saw Glynn Turman was his role in an episode in the comedy-drama series Scrubs. He played a man on his deathbed, who was afraid to go and just wanted an ice cold beer. It was a formative episode of television as I was growing up, and one of the first times a show or movie made me experience real emotions.

Since Turman began his career in the original Broadway production of A Raisin in the Sun as a kid, he has appeared in over 150 films and television shows in a 50 year span. You can truly call him a working actor. He has an Emmy on the shelves, been nominated for another, and worked with the best directors and actors of multiple generations.

He works constantly, with two projects, season four of Fargo and Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, coming out in the next year. And boy oh boy, chatting with him sure was a joyful experience.

The Baseball Years

Growing up in the West Village of New York City, Turman lived with his single mother. “A toilet in the hall and a tub in the kitchen,” laughed Turman. His voice is course yet warm, distinguished yet casual. He didn’t want to be an actor, and he didn’t necessarily want to be in A Raisin in the Sun. Turman’s mother happened to be friends with all of the artists of the West Village, including the great James Baldwin.

“Acting wasn’t in my periphery, wasn’t in my view. I was like most kids, looking to be a baseball player, Jackie Robinson being my hero” said Turman. “As long as being in that play didn’t mess up my baseball game that Saturday, that’s all I had in mind.”

A young Turman wanted to be an aerospace engineer and work in the field of aviation. But he was far from being the best student in his class. His middle school woodshop teacher, Mr. Wilson, had a different take on the matter.

“Mr. Wilson knew I cut class all of the time,” said Turman. “He said to me, ‘Turman you need to know math to become an aviations engineer. Why don’t you try out for this high school of performing arts?’” They agreed that Turman would take the math test for engineering classes and he would also go to the performing arts audition. He only passed one of them.

Turman talked about Mr. Wilson for a bit. He talked about how fondly he remembered his woodshop teacher, and how he wouldn’t have a career without him. I have to say that Mr. Wilson sounded like a fantastic guy.

Big Shows And A Big Win

Turman went on to attend High School of Performing Arts in New York, beginning his acting career immediately afterwards. He rolled through Hollywood, meeting anyone and everyone he could, acting in anything he could get his hands on. His appreciation for David Simon’s The Wire could not be matched, though.

“David Simon is one of the smartest producers and nicest guys I’ve worked with in this business,” said Turman. You could hear the admiration in his voice. “He’s able to touch the human element in everyone, in all of his characters.” The Wire is regarded as one of the best TV shows of all time, but Turman saw it in a special light.

“In roles, you mostly thumb through to see where your part is,” explained Turman. “But the different with the writing of The Wire, it was like reading a book with every script. I read every script wire to wire. That’s when i knew. This stuff is good. Real good.”

It’s one of my favorite shows, one that you can’t shake when you’re watching it. Turman has been on a few shows like that, working with famous actors, directors, and so forth. He talked about the gems that he’s been a part of in his career. Every sentence out of Turman’s mouth spilled with fond appreciation and true kindness. Besides being known as a more-than-solid character actor, it became clear why he works so well in the industry, regardless of which set he’s on in a given week.

Turman’s biggest award win came in 2008, when he was awarded a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for In Treatment. “I don’t think I would have even been nominated [if] it had not been for Blair Underwood. I didn’t understand the process,” said Turman. “You had to put yourself up for nomination. Blaire insisted I do this. I did get nominated, how about that?”

I asked him about winning and his tone changed, becoming more solemn. “The people I was nominated alongside were crazy, crazy, crazy talented people. Robin Williams was nominated. It was a field of talented people. Then you hear your name called, and the rest is like a dream,” said Turman as he likely went back to that night. “How did I get up on that stage. I don’t remember walking up there. Is my mouth working and is what I’m saying making any sense? Somebody said I had talent. Maybe my mama was right.”

His Upcoming Projects

Glynn Turman never knows about things until people ask him to be in them. Once he’s immersed though, he enjoys the shows fully, giving constant praise to those around him. He couldn’t stop giving compliments, including to his Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom costar Viola Davis, who he worked with on How To Get Away With Murder.

“Actors and conductors are in the same like. It’s almost like being a part of a band. She’s one such. A lyric is always right on key. She’s got perfect pitch and perfect flow.”

He finished a Mr. Mercedes supporting role this year, and was currently in the process of filming Fargo season four. “Holy moly, this Stephen King has done it again,” he said when talking about the Mercedes scripts. “A very rich character was painted for me. He belongs in this Mercedes world. It’s just another well-written show with a helluva cast.”

He even gave love to Chris Rock, who he says will surprise some people in the new season of Fargo. It’s hard to not believe Turman, as he always sounds genuine, a trait hardly seen and rarely used.

Plans For The Future

At a spry 72, Turman plans to keep working until he can’t anymore. Slowing down doesn’t sound like an option. “You know, I got back from filming last night. It was a cold night,” said Turman, really emphasizing the cold aspect. They were filming a Western. He had on a cowboy outfit, along with the pistols and spurs. “I hear ‘That’s a wrap for Glynn Turman’,” said Turman, who ended up having a real knack for storytelling. “It’s like an army with all this equipment they have now. And I look at [it] as I’m driving off, and I’m freezing, and it’s like why am I doing this. And the answer is because you love it and I’ll do it until the answer changes.”

After an answer like that, the time had finally come for me to ask what I waited the entire interview to ask. I asked about that Scrubs episode. “People come and surprise me with how moved they were by that episode,” said Turman. “There I was laying in bed, practicing dying. I was just glad to be a part of it.”

The only logical follow-up question ended up being my last one. How was that beer? “Did it looked like it tasted good?” asked Turman. “It did man. It sure did.”

What is your favorite Glynn Turman role?

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Fargo season four are slated to be released in 2020.