Gina Torres has built a career playing strong, independent women, but her role as Tommy Vega on 9-1-1: Lone Star marked a new chapter. For the first time in her three-decade career, she portrayed a wife and mother—a woman who returned to work as a paramedic captain during the pandemic to support her family. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Torres opens up about the emotional final season of Lone Star, her thoughts on representation in Hollywood, and her legacy as Jessica Pearson on Suits.
Tommy Vega: A Role Unlike Any Other
When 9-1-1: Lone Star creator Tim Minear offered Torres the lead role opposite Rob Lowe, she was thrilled. “She’s an incredible example of what women can accomplish and the space they can take up in the world,” Torres says of Tommy Vega. Throughout four seasons, Tommy faced countless challenges: mom guilt, the sudden death of her husband Charles (Derek Webster), a brief romance with her brother-in-law Julius (Nathan Owens), and even a failed engagement to Trevor (D.B. Woodside).
But the most devastating twist came in the final episodes: a breast cancer diagnosis that initially appeared terminal. As Tommy prepared for the end, she found herself responding to one last emergency—an asteroid hitting Austin. In a surprising twist, it was revealed that Tommy survived due to a rare phenomenon called pseudo-progression, where her tumors shrank instead of worsening.
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Torres admits she initially hesitated to take on the cancer storyline, feeling Tommy had already endured enough. However, once co-showrunner Rashad Raisani assured her there would be a happy ending, she embraced the challenge.
“I approached it the same way I did Bella Crawford on Hannibal —with as much strength, integrity, and honesty as possible,” Torres explains. She collaborated closely with Stand Up to Cancer to ensure the portrayal was both factually and emotionally accurate.
“There’s a lot of crying,” she laughs. “There were dark moments between ‘action’ and ‘cut,’ but I was happy to do it.”
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A Ghostly Reunion with Charles
One of the most poignant moments in the finale was Tommy’s reunion with the ghost of her late husband, Charles. For Torres, revisiting this relationship was deeply rewarding.
“As an actor, I loved playing with Derek again,” she shares. “It was great to be that couple onscreen once more, even if it was weird and charged.”
For viewers, the moment provided closure. Fans online expressed relief and joy at seeing Charles return as a comforting presence for Tommy in her final days.
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Reflecting on Tommy Vega’s Legacy
Now that she’s had some distance from the role, Torres reflects on what made Tommy Vega so special.
“She’s an incredible woman,” Torres says. “She represents the struggles of being a working mother—the balancing act between family, partnership, and career. You can’t keep it all in balance, but you meet life on its terms.”
Tommy’s journey resonated because of its honesty. Whether dealing with personal crises or literal asteroids, she remained relatable and human.
Jessica Pearson: The Woman Who Defined a Franchise
Before Tommy Vega, Gina Torres became iconic as Jessica Pearson on Suits . Known for her sharp wit and commanding presence, Jessica inspired countless fans—including aspiring lawyers.
“I feel personally responsible for entirely too many new attorneys in the world,” Torres jokes.
While Jessica was often the no-nonsense boss supporting Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) and Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams), Torres felt the character lacked depth compared to others on the show. To bring nuance to Jessica, she focused on making her the smartest person in every room she entered.
“I said, ‘When I show up, I need to be the smartest person in the room,’” Torres recalls. “And I needed people to talk to. That’s why we introduced Jeff Malone [played by D.B. Woodside] and gave Jessica a sister.”
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Creating Pearson : A Spinoff with Purpose
After Suits ended, Torres helped develop and star in the spinoff Pearson, which explored Jessica’s life as a political fixer in Chicago. Though the show only lasted one season, Torres remains proud of it.
“It’s the show I wanted to make,” she says. “I wish we’d had more time to dive deeper into that world, but I’m proud of what we accomplished.”
Unlike Suits, which focused on the top 5%, Pearson aimed to highlight everyday struggles.
Pushing for Authentic Representation in Hollywood
As an Afro-Latina actress, Torres has long advocated for cultural authenticity in storytelling. She believes the industry still struggles with understanding race and ethnicity beyond checkboxes.
“People get stuck thinking, ‘I don’t know how to write for this person,’” she says. “But hire writers reflective of the world you’re creating—or trust the actor to bring themselves to the role.”
Torres points to shows like The Cosby Show and A Different World as examples of authentic representation that transcended stereotypes.
“These stories served not just the Black community but the entire country,” she says. “They showed us living our lives, achieving success, and wanting the same things everyone else does.”
What’s Next for Gina Torres?
With 9-1-1: Lone Star wrapped, Torres is focusing on producing more content—a skill she honed during Pearson. While she hasn’t announced her next project, she hints at exploring diverse roles beyond the “badass women” she’s known for.
“There are so many ways of being a woman in the world,” she says. “I want to explore characters who aren’t sure of what comes next or let their lesser angels guide them. There’s comedy in that!”
Still, she’s not ruling out future badass roles. “If there’s a badass in my future, I’m going to play her to the best of my ability.”