# Brian Turk
**Brian Turk** (May 29, 1970 – September 13, 2019) was an American character actor in film and television, best known for playing the strongman Gabriel on the HBO series *[Carnivàle](https://www.edgepedia.org/carnivale)* from 2003 to 2005[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/brian-turk). He also appeared in films including *The Lost World: Jurassic Park* (1997), *[A.I. Artificial Intelligence](https://www.edgepedia.org/a-i-artificial-intelligence)* (2001), *American Pie 2* (2001), and *Big Fat Liar* (2002)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0877134/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1970, Northglenn, Colorado, USA[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0877134/) |
| Died | September 13, 2019, Orange, California, USA (brain cancer), aged 49[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0877134/) |
| Signature role | Gabriel, the strongman son of Adrienne Barbeau's character, on HBO's *Carnivàle* (2003–2005)[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/brian-turk) • [3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=5740) |
| Other recurring TV roles | *Saved by the Bell: The New Class*, *Beverly Hills, 90210*, and *General Hospital*[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/brian-turk) |
| Film work | *The Lost World: Jurassic Park* (1997), *A.I. Artificial Intelligence* (2001), *American Pie 2* (2001), *Big Fat Liar* (2002), *Art School Confidential* (2006)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0877134/) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/brian_turk_2) |
| Family | Married to Emily Wu; one child[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0877134/) |
| Height | 6′ 4″ (1.93 m)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0877134/) |
## Early life
Most database sources record that Turk was born in 1970 in Northglenn, Colorado[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0877134/) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/brian_turk_2). The South African TV site TVSA gives a different account, stating he was born in [Cedar Rapids, Iowa](https://www.edgepedia.org/cedar-rapids-iowa) and that his family moved to [Southern California](https://www.edgepedia.org/southern-california) before his first birthday[3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=5740).
According to TVSA, he played college football for the [University of Southern California](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-southern-california) and continued playing in a league when not acting[3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=5740). He began acting professionally in 1993, and his first job was a [Budweiser](https://www.edgepedia.org/budweiser) commercial[3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=5740).
## Television career
Turk's early television work consisted of guest parts on 1990s comedies and dramas. His credits include *Step by Step*, *Wings*, *Weird Science*, *Saved by the Bell: The New Class*, *Beverly Hills, 90210* (as Tiny, in two 1995 episodes), *Boy Meets World*, *Nash Bridges*, *ER*, *Cybill*, *The Pretender*, *[The Jamie Foxx Show](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-jamie-foxx-show)*, and *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* (as Mort, in the 2000 episode "Real Me")[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/brian-turk) • [5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/28223/brian-turk).
**Carnivàle.** From 2003 to 2005, Turk played Gabriel, the strongman son of Ruthie ([Adrienne Barbeau](https://www.edgepedia.org/adrienne-barbeau)), on the HBO drama *Carnivàle*, appearing for the run of the show[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/brian-turk) • [3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=5740) • [9](https://www.themidway.org/scripts/carnivale-transcript101.pdf). IMDb lists the role at 24 episodes[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0877134/), while TVmaze credits him as a starring cast member in 18 episodes[5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/28223/brian-turk).
His later television appearances include *Criminal Minds* (as Jess Maynor, 2005), *Two and a Half Men* (as Mike, 2007), *General Hospital* (as Bo, three episodes in 2008), *The Exes* (2012), *NCIS: Los Angeles* (2017), and *[Animal Kingdom](https://www.edgepedia.org/animal-kingdom-tv-series)* (2016)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0877134/) • [5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/28223/brian-turk).
## Film career
Turk's film debut-era credits include *Panther* (1995) and *[A Civil Action](https://www.edgepedia.org/a-civil-action-film)* (1998)[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/brian_turk_2). He appeared in *The Lost World: Jurassic Park* (1997) as an InGen worker[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0877134/). In 2001 he appeared in three releases: *A.I. Artificial Intelligence* (as Backstage Bull), *Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles* (as Driver), and *American Pie 2* (as Trucker)[6](https://thetvdb.com/people/252560-brian-turk). He played The Masher in *Big Fat Liar* (2002) and Cliffy in *Art School Confidential* (2006)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0877134/). Later film work included the J.K. Simmons black comedy *Murder of a Cat* (2014) and the Lifetime television film *Stalked by My Neighbor* (2015, as Steve)[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/brian_turk_2).
He also worked in stunts, with one listed credit on *One Tough Bastard*[7](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/brian-turk/credits/3000088052/).
## Illness and death
Turk was first diagnosed with brain cancer in early 2018[8](https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2019/0916/1076269-beverly-hills-90210-actor-brian-turk-has-died-aged-49/). A GoFundMe page was set up in July 2019, when he was told his cancer was terminal, to raise money for his family[8](https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2019/0916/1076269-beverly-hills-90210-actor-brian-turk-has-died-aged-49/). He died on September 13, 2019, in [Orange, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/orange-california), from complications of his cancer, at the age of 49[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0877134/) • [8](https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2019/0916/1076269-beverly-hills-90210-actor-brian-turk-has-died-aged-49/). He was survived by his wife, Emily Wu, and their eight-year-old son[8](https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2019/0916/1076269-beverly-hills-90210-actor-brian-turk-has-died-aged-49/).
## References
1. [Brian Turk, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/brian-turk)
2. [Brian Turk, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0877134/)
3. [Brian Turk, TVSA](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=5740)
4. [Brian Turk Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/brian_turk_2)
5. [Brian Turk, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/28223/brian-turk)
6. [Brian Turk, TheTVDB.com](https://thetvdb.com/people/252560-brian-turk)
7. [Brian Turk List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/brian-turk/credits/3000088052/)
8. [Beverly Hills, 90210 actor Brian Turk has died aged 49, RTÉ Entertainment](https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2019/0916/1076269-beverly-hills-90210-actor-brian-turk-has-died-aged-49/)
9. [themidway.org](https://www.themidway.org/scripts/carnivale-transcript101.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames T*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license