Turner was born Janine Loraine Gauntt in Lincoln, Nebraska, the daughter of Janice Loraine (née Agee) and Turner Maurice Gauntt Jr. Her parents returned to their native Texa… See more

In 1978, the 15-year-old Turner left home to pursue a modeling career with the Wilhelmina Modeling Agency in New York City. She began her acting career in 1980 in Hollywoo… See more

In 2006, Turner was appointed a member of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. In 2010, Turner launched her public speaking career on the national cir… See more

Turner has never married. Her daughter, Juliette Turner-Jones, was born in 1997. Juliette legally hyphenated her surname in 2006 to include the name of her father, Jerry Jone… See more