# Paige Turco
**Paige Turco** (full name Jean Paige Turco) is an American actress best known for playing [April O'Neil](https://www.edgepedia.org/april-oneil) in the second and third live-action *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* films and for playing Dr. Abigail Griffin in the post-apocalyptic series *The 100*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876958/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1965, in Massachusetts; her father died when she was a year old and her mother moved the family to Springfield[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876958/) |
| Signature role | April O'Neil in *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze* (1991) and *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III* (1993), taking over from Judith Hoag[2](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/live-action-movies/tmnt-og-actor-confirms-they-would-have-returned-for-r-rated-the-last-ronin-movie-and-slams-execs-for-canceling-it-maybe-you-need-to-spend-some-time-with-the-fans/) |
| Television lead | Dr. Abigail "Abby" Griffin on *The 100* (2014–2020), credited in 85 episodes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876958/) |
| Daytime soaps | Dinah Marler on CBS's *Guiding Light* (1987–1989) and Melanie Cortlandt on ABC's *All My Children*[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/paige-turco/) |
| Education | Degree in drama from the University of Connecticut[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876958/) |
| Marriage | Married Irish actor Jason O'Mara on September 19, 2003; the couple had a son, David, born in 2004, and divorced in 2017[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876958/) |
## Ballet and early training
Turco began as a ballet dancer, performing as a soloist with the New England Dance Conservatory, the Amherst Ballet Theater Company, and the Western Massachusetts Ballet Company. An ankle injury ended her career as a dancer at the age of 14, and she has said that afterward she could not even attend the ballet because it was too painful.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876958/) • [4](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Modern-Era-Miscellaneous/CBS-Tour-2001-July.pdf) She refocused on drama and musical comedies, earning a drama degree from the [University of Connecticut](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-connecticut).[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/paige-turco/)
## Daytime soaps and the Turtles
Her first soap role came in 1987 on CBS's *Guiding Light*, playing Dinah Marler, a troubled teen adopted by a wealthy woman.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/paige-turco/) • [5](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=2525) She moved to ABC's *All My Children*, where her ingenue Melanie "Lanie" Cortlandt drew a large following.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/paige-turco/)
In 1991 she left daytime television for film, cast as intrepid TV reporter April O'Neil in *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze*, the sequel to the 1990 box-office hit. A *Los Angeles Times* profile from March 1991 noted that she took over the role from [Judith Hoag](https://www.edgepedia.org/judith-hoag), who had played April in the first film.[6](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-03-30-ca-729-story.html) She reprised the part in *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III* (1993), and fan discussion of the recasting has remained a recurring topic ever since.[2](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/live-action-movies/tmnt-og-actor-confirms-they-would-have-returned-for-r-rated-the-last-ronin-movie-and-slams-execs-for-canceling-it-maybe-you-need-to-spend-some-time-with-the-fans/)
## Primetime and independent film in the 1990s and 2000s
**Recurring television roles.** Turco played Terry Mears in the NBC serial *Winnetka Road* (1994) and then Gail Emory, a determined reporter, in the supernatural series *[American Gothic](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-gothic-1995-tv-series)* (CBS, 1995), which was canceled after one season.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/paige-turco/) • [5](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=2525) She followed with two simultaneous recurring parts: Officer Abby Sullivan, a lesbian policewoman, on ABC's *NYPD Blue* (1996–1997), and Annie Mott, a recovering-alcoholic single mother romantically involved with [Scott Wolf](https://www.edgepedia.org/scott-wolf)'s character, on Fox's *Party of Five* (1997–1998), in 18 episodes.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/paige-turco/) • [7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jan-02-ca-4187-story.html)
She then took the independent-film route, appearing in *Astoria* (2000) and *Urbania* (2000), in which she played a hard-nosed Manhattan businesswoman.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/paige-turco/) On television she starred as CIA recruit Terri Lowell in the CBS drama *The Agency* (2001–2003), which ran two seasons before cancellation.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876958/) Later work included a guest turn in season 2 of *[Damages](https://www.edgepedia.org/damages-tv-series)* (2007) as the wife of David Purcell, played by [William Hurt](https://www.edgepedia.org/william-hurt), recurring appearances on *NCIS* and *Person of Interest* as the fixer Zoe Morgan (2011–2015, 9 episodes), and *The Stepfather* (2009).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876958/) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/paige-turco/) • [8](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-16338/biographie/)
## The 100
Turco's most substantial role came in 2014, when she was cast as Dr. Abigail Griffin on [The CW](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-cw)'s post-apocalyptic drama *[The 100](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-100-tv-series)*, mother of protagonist [Clarke Griffin](https://www.edgepedia.org/clarke-griffin) and, at points, the colony's chancellor. She appeared in 85 episodes between 2014 and 2020 and made a special guest return for the 2020 series finale.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876958/) • [9](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/782/paige-turco) • [10](https://www.aceshowbiz.com/celebrity/paige_turco/biography.html)
Her Season 5 storyline centered on Abby's addiction to painkillers. At a 2019 fan convention she explained that the writers had told her only that the pills were "sci-fi pills," so she invented most of the character's physical effects herself and researched addiction to portray withdrawal honestly.[11](https://telltaletv.com/2019/01/the-100-paige-turco-talks-abbys-addiction-season-5-and-more-at-unity-days-2019/) Showrunner Jason Rothenberg said that killing Abby in the Season 6 finale, in which her mind was used to resurrect a Prime, was driven entirely by the story and by wanting consequences for what the character had done.[12](https://www.tvinsider.com/801891/the-100-season-6-finale-octavia-alive-dead-season-7/) In a 2019 interview Turco said the character's legacy was hope and standing up for one's humanity.[13](https://www.tvinsider.com/803826/the-100-season-6-abby-griffin-death-paige-turco/)
## References
1. [Paige Turco, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876958/)
2. [TMNT OG actor confirms they would have returned for R-rated The Last Ronin movie, GamesRadar](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/live-action-movies/tmnt-og-actor-confirms-they-would-have-returned-for-r-rated-the-last-ronin-movie-and-slams-execs-for-canceling-it-maybe-you-need-to-spend-some-time-with-the-fans/)
3. [Paige Turco, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/paige-turco/)
4. [CBS Tour 2001 biographies, Paige Turco (The Agency)](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Modern-Era-Miscellaneous/CBS-Tour-2001-July.pdf)
5. [Paige Turco, TVSA](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=2525)
6. [Paige Turco Moves From a Soap to Become the Ninja Turtles' Friend, Los Angeles Times (March 30, 1991)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-03-30-ca-729-story.html)
7. [Putting in Double Time on TV Pays Off, Los Angeles Times (January 2, 1998)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jan-02-ca-4187-story.html)
8. [Paige Turco : Sa biographie, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-16338/biographie/)
9. [Paige Turco, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/782/paige-turco)
10. [Paige Turco Bio, AceShowbiz](https://www.aceshowbiz.com/celebrity/paige_turco/biography.html)
11. [The 100: Paige Turco Talks Abby's Addiction, Season 5 and More at Unity Days 2019, Tell-Tale TV](https://telltaletv.com/2019/01/the-100-paige-turco-talks-abbys-addiction-season-5-and-more-at-unity-days-2019/)
12. ['The 100' EP Jason Rothenberg on That Octavia Cliffhanger, Clarke's Mental State & Season 7, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/801891/the-100-season-6-finale-octavia-alive-dead-season-7/)
13. ['The 100' Star Paige Turco Reflects on the Life & Death of Abby Griffin, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/803826/the-100-season-6-abby-griffin-death-paige-turco/)
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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: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Sw to T*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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