Given the life-or-death subject matter of the “One Chicago” universe, the franchise is uniquely acquainted with grueling tragedy. Indeed, over the course of “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago P.D.,” and “Chicago Med,” the vast web of first responders experience an outsize amount of death, whether it’s in the line of fire or in their personal lives. As the first entree into “One Chicago,” “Chicago Fire” has been on the air since 2012. In that time, many members of the Windy City’s bravest met their ends by disease or in a fiery blaze, such as fan-favorite Brian “Otis” Zvonecek in Season 8.
In the case of Dr. Anna Turner, played by Charlotte Sullivan, her brief tenure on “Chicago Fire” is mired in tragedy from the jump. Turner joined “Chicago Fire” at the beginning of Season 5. A leukemia patient of Jeff Clarke’s (Jeff Hephner), Turner receives a bone marrow transplant from Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) at his friend Jeff’s suggestion. Their unlikely meet-cute sparks a 10-episode romance between Turner and Severide that ends with her succumbing to her illness. Sullivan’s resume, however, extends far beyond the Windy City limits. If you have a soft spot for Canadian television or had the pleasure of growing up in the ’90s, here’s why you might recognize Sullivan.
Charlotte Sullivan terrorized Harriet the Spy
For ’90s kids, the young face of Charlotte Sullivan conjures up a devastating line from “Harriet the Spy”: “The only thing worse than being Marion Hawthorn is wanting to be Marion Hawthorn.” The 1996 classic follows the scrappy Harriet, an aspiring spy and writer who records everything in her trusty notebook — even if her nosiness comes back to bite her. In her first big-screen role, Sullivan plays Hawthorn, Harriet’s rich and spoiled tormentor. Though the film acknowledges that Marion’s behavior comes from a place of insecurity, young viewers will always look back queasily at Marion’s most ruthless moments, including her pouring blue paint all over Harriet.
In a 20th anniversary oral history of “Harriet the Spy,” Sullivan told Uproxx that the role of Marion led to her being typecast for decades. “Playing that troll is always fun,” she said, “but it slightly concerned me because [it’s] all I play, still. [Laughs.] I’m like, “What is it that they see in me that’s so terrible?'” Sullivan wasn’t too regretful to have played Marion, ultimately calling the role “delicious.”
In any case, it didn’t seem to slow down her casting success that decade. In the ’90s, the actor excelled especially in the horror/mystery genres, appearing in episodes of “Are You Afraid of the Dark” and “Goosebumps. She also cropped up in a number of made-for-TV films, as well as a leading role in “The New Ghostwriter Mysteries.” In the educational series, Sullivan starred as Camilla Gorik for 13 episodes until it was canceled after one season.
Sullivan starred as a rookie cop in Rookie Blue
In the early aughts, Sullivan transitioned into more adult roles, albeit in small bit parts, such as the 2003 rom-com “How to Deal” starring Mandy Moore and Alison Janney, and the 2005 rom-com “Fever Pitch” starring Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon.
Sullivan also remained prolific in Canadian productions. She had a supporting role in the 2009 vigilante flick “Defendor” starring Woody Harrelson, as well as sci-fi films “The Colony” (2013) with Laurence Fishburne and Bill Paxton and 2017’s “Radius.” At the same time, Sullivan was a familiar presence on Canadian television. After securing one-off roles on northern gems like “Radio Free Roscoe” and, across the border, “Smallville,” the actor began to rack up increasingly meatier credits. In 2007, she starred in the drama series “Across the River to Motor City.” The next year, she appeared in eight episodes of “MVP: The Secret Lives of Hockey Wives.”
In 2010, she landed the Canadian police procedural “Rookie Blue.” Originally titled “Copper,” “Rookie Blue” was touted as “Grey’s Anatomy” for rookie cops (via The Hollywood Reporter). Sullivan portrays Gail Peck, a new officer whose family’s background in law enforcement makes her self-conscious of her perceived nepotism. For Sullivan, playing a rookie was an ideal fit, as she told CBC: “[Rookies] are green and they have no idea what they’re doing and they’re learning, and that’s how I feel.” “Rookie Blue” reunited Sullivan with her old “Harriet the Spy” castmate Gregory Smith. The series ran for six seasons, with Sullivan appearing in 74 episodes (via IMDb).
She played Marilyn Monroe in The Kennedys
In 2011, Sullivan had her sultriest outing yet in “The Kennedys” as none other than Marilyn Monroe. The eight-hour miniseries chronicles the famous political family, with Greg Kinnear starring as JFK and Katie Holmes playing Jackie. Much like the Kennedys themselves, the series courted a fair amount of drama, not the least of which involved the show’s Republican producer Joel Surnow (via Toronto Life). Still, Sullivan relished her time on set, recalling how she was treated with reverence when done up as Monroe. “It was the first time in my entire life where I felt like a real actress,” she told CBC.
That year proved to be a busy one for Sullivan. 2011 also saw the release of “Citizen Gangster.” A chronicle of Canada’s most notorious bank robber, the film stars Scott Speedman as gangster Edwin Alonzo Boyd. Sullivan channels Monroe here as well, playing Mary Mitchell, a blonde seductress with inner demons. “Citizen Gangster” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, taking home the award for Best Canadian First Feature Film (via IMDb).
She followed Chicago Fire With Law & Order: Organized Crime
Following her tragic arc on “Chicago Fire,” Sullivan appeared in episodes of series like “Caught” and “Hudson & Rex.” Her big follow-up, however, was a recurring role in “Mary Kills People.” The Canadian drama follows an ER doctor who moonlights as an end-of-life counselor — that is, until the cops get involved. For 12 episodes, Sullivan starred as the main character’s sister, Nicole Mitchell.
Thanks, no doubt, to a relationship with Dick Wolf and NBC, courtesy of “Chicago Fire,” Sullivan’s next gig was on “Law & Order: Organized Crime.” The seventh spin-off of “Law & Order” premiered on April 1, 2021, and stars Christopher Meloni as Elliot Stabler again. Sullivan had a recurring role as Gina Cappelletti, an undercover detective who infiltrated a mob-run club. Unfortunately, Cappelletti wasn’t long for this world, and she was murdered after six episodes (via IMDb). If Sullivan’s lengthy resume is any indication, she’ll land her next juicy role sooner rather than later.
