A self-proclaimed lover of life and people, actress Marlyne Barrett, née Afflack, has always been drawn to the exploration of the human condition and credits this curiosity with her pursuit of a career in the arts. Born in Brooklyn, New York, to Haitian parents and raised in Montreal, Canada, Barrett is fiercely proud of her Haitian heritage and believes it gives her a unique perspective and an additional reserve of experience from which to draw upon for her roles.
Throughout her impressive career, Barrett has been part of the iconic Dick Wolf universe with numerous guest appearances on “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” and “Law & Order: Trial by Jury.” It was no surprise then when in 2015 Barrett returned to the Dick Wolf fold, but this time as a series regular in the prolific producer’s NBC primetime medical drama “Chicago Med,” currently airing season 5. As Maggie Lockwood, Barrett shines as the loyal, no nonsense emergency charge nurse of Gaffney Chicago Medical Center. As the heart and soul of the show, Barrett got the opportunity to draw from her own life, since not only is her mother an ICU nurse and her sister a doctor, but Barrett herself, as a promise to her parents, went to school and received a degree in nursing before going on to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an actress. Barrett, as Maggie Lockwood, has also appeared in several crossover episodes in “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago P.D.”
One of Barrett’s first notable appearances on television was as Felicia Marquand, opposite Glenn Close and Rose Byrne, on the series “Damages,” the popular legal thriller from FX. But it was when she was cast in David Simon’s groundbreaking, critically acclaimed HBO series “The Wire” that Barrett considers her first big break in television. As the ambitious but corrupt President of the Baltimore City Council Nerese Campbell, the beautiful Barrett impressed viewers and critics alike with her tough but feminine approach to the cunning yet complicated Campbell. From there, Barrett went on to play Thomasina, the trusted aide-de-camp to Ian McShane’s King Silas Benjamin in producer Michael Green’s ambitious NBC drama series “Kings.” Next, Barrett went on to appear in John Ridley’s acclaimed ABC crime drama “American Crime.”
In addition to television, Barrett has appeared in several feature films, including a role in the 2005 Will Smith romantic comedy “Hitch,” and co-starring opposite Hill Harper in the 2003 sexy urban comedy “Love, Sex and Eating the Bones.” Next up is a cameo in the buzz-worthy indie feature “Shotgun” starring Marisa Tomei. Barrett also stars in the short film “Night Call,” which has been racking up festival and industry awards including the NBCUniversal Short Film Festival, and the American Society of Cinematographers, ASC Heritage Award. Directed by up and coming director Amanda Renee Knox, the film centers on a female cop (Barrett) who is forced to make an unprecedented life altering decision.
Barrett has also spent time on the stage and cites her portrayal of Linda opposite Frankie Faison’s Willie Loman in the Arthur Miller classic “Death of a Salesman” as a highlight. Married since 2009 to Gavin William Barrett, a pastor, Barrett believes the deep and unconditional love that goes along with marriage has only served to further enhance her craft because of the powerful, transformative effect it has had on both her public and private life. Finally, as one to always give back, Barrett works with the Montreal-based The Way Out / La Sortie, a nonprofit organization that offers help and support to victims of sex trafficking.
La Sortie’s mission has been to provide assistance and support to women who are victims of sexual exploitation, aged between 18-35 in Montreal, Quebec. When researching what she’d like to do as a philanthropist, La Sortie stood out as an organization that cared for broken human beings that needed a place to rehabilitate after they’d gone through the most difficult parts of their lives. La Sortie also involves a 3-dimensional healing process, when you take care of someone’s mind it’s necessary to restructure the thoughts in order to bring it back to a wholesome place. The organization also deals with soul hurts and traumas that people have gone through after such incredible violations.
