SavingGrace Glynn Turman

Glynn Turman has built a career spanning more than 50 years in the entertainment industry on a “mustard seed of faith” and a strong work ethic.

The Emmy-winner has delivered gripping performances in more than 170 TV and film projects since 1959. In the last three years alone, Turman has starred in The Way Back with Ben Affleck, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom with Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman, and 80 for Brady with Sally Field and Jane Fonda.

Most would say that Turman is well within his right to retire. However, the 76-year-old told L.A. Focus Magazine that’s easier said than done: “Every time I try to get out, they pull me back in,” he said.

“By now, I thought I would be retired twiddling my thumbs on the ranch. I can hardly see my ranch because I'm always off somewhere, performing, but I'm not complaining. My latest project, which I'm very proud of, and I hope your readers will tune in is The Legend of Glynn Turman, a documentary that is streaming as we speak, on Peacock.”

The documentary dives deep into Turman's life as a mischievous adolescent, a lover of horses, and his experiences as a black actor in the 60s, 70s, and beyond. It also explores how Turman was able to forge such an enviable list of work.

Most of his success can be attributed to his upbringing.

Growing up in New York, Turman was raised by a single mother who fed his faith and stirred his confidence. She relentlessly challenged him to face his racist bullies and encouraged him to embrace his creativity. In addition to that, she surrounded him with a village of people who would kickstart his talent, including culture-shaping creatives like writers James Baldwin and Lorraine Hansberry. His mother's friendship with Hansberry helped the young Turman score his first gig.

“Did you know that I was the original Travis in the original Broadway production of A Raisin in the Sun?” Turman revealed during his chat with L.A. Focus Magazine.

In fact, it was at the age of 12 that Turman landed an opportunity that would set the trajectory for his life’s work. In 1959, Turman starred along Hollywood icons Sydney Poitier and Ruby Dee in Hansberry’s play.

As the A Diff’rent World actor reflected on that time, he shared how the experience fostered his passion for theater.

“I think it's why I've never turned my back on theater,” Turman observed. “I have always performed, never going no more than two years without doing a stage play, you know, and it's something that was part of my DNA.”

This signaled a positive change of direction for the adolescent who had yet to find an interest in academia. Turman admitted he often skipped school and had no interest in participating when he did attend. The teenager would instead spend his time at the local stables - mucking stalls and sitting on horses.

“My mother got wind [of it] because I guess I came home smelling like horses,” he continued. “She couldn’t seem to stop that behavior, so she had a friend who knew how to ride. Put me with her and she taught me how to ride.”

Turman also enjoyed building model planes and planned to become an aviation engineer. His woodshop teacher discouraged the idea due to his low attendance in math class and suggested he attend a performing arts high school.

Soon after, Turman enrolled and excelled at school for the first time. While his time should have been filled with happiness, adversity lie ahead. He lost his mother before graduating. After high school, he was married with children, but also out of work and living in poverty. The mustard seed he’d been holding onto was needed more than ever.

Determined to keep the lights on, Turman eventually found a job. He also continued to pursue his acting career. He often faced rejection, but never gave up, Eventually, he began shows like Peyton Place.

In 1975, he landed one of his most memorable roles - Preach in Cooley High. The film is considered a classic and brought Turman more fame than he’d imagined. However, he didn't become a megastar.

“When Cooley High was made, a lot of people felt hat I should have been nominated for an Academy Award as well as the motion picture itself and my costar, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, who was fantastic,” Turman said. “But that wasn't on the table in 1975. So, you know, the journey is what it is. I'm just happy that I'm here to be able to tell my part of the story now.”

Despite not landing Oscar consideration for his role in the film that has somewhat of a cult favor ite, Turman’s acting skills have not escaped acclaim as the actor has won sev eral NAACP Image Awards and been nominated for both the Screen Actors Guild Award and Critics' Choice

Award. And in 2008, Turman landed a primetime Emmy for his guest appearance on HBO's In Treatment.

Currently, Turman is working on two projects. One of them is “Rustin”, produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions.

“Rustin is the flagship project for the Obama’s production company, Higher Ground on Netflix.,” Turman shared. “It's about the story of Bayard Rustin starring Colman Domingo as Bayard Rustin, who is fantastic. I play A. Philip Randolph. It's a wonderful, powerful story.”

And for the actor who is heavily involved with Black rodeos, the other project aligns with his love of westerns.

“I just came back from Utah doing a Western with Kevin Costner. It's called Horizon. It's the movie that he's getting all the controversy about because he's leaving Yellowstone to do his project. He was gracious enough to call me and say ‘hey, I'm betting all my money on this. Come on and help me out.’”

Outside of acting, the California resident, who was once married to Aretha Franklin, pays it forward by staying involved in the community. In 1992, he started Camp Gid D Up in response to a request from the late Coretta Scott King and his love for horses. The free western style summer camp program for disenfranchised inner-city and at-risk youth serves children age 9 — 18.

To avoid stagnation, the father, husband, actor and cowboy aficionado encourages others to also

“I have the most difficulty adapting to complacency, the complacency of our people, especially our younger people, who take it as a given that their status and positions are secure. It's all in jeopardy if you do not do the due diligence to make sure that it is passed along and do more to help bring others along.”