Toni Trucks on the Final Season of Seal Team
Toni Trucks is a multi-talented actress, hearing health advocate, death penalty abolitionist, and chocolate eater—as her Instagram bio states.
Best known for her role as intelligence officer Lisa Davis on the hit series SEAL Team, Trucks shares her bittersweet feelings about the show’s seventh and final season. “I will definitely miss playing Lieutenant Lisa Davis and the world we created,” she reveals. “It’s rare to be in that space for seven seasons. However, as time goes on, it’s easier to look forward. I love this job, so whether it’s SEAL Team or the next project, I’m all for it.”
Trucks has a long list of credits including TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN – PART 2 with Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson; FRANKLIN AND BASH with Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer; BARBERSHOP with Omar Gooding; MADE IN JERSEY with Kyle Maclachlan; NCIS: NEW ORLEANS with Scott Bakula; and HOSTAGES with Toni Collette and Dylan McDermott, as well as Comedy Central’s CORPORATE. Credits include RUBY SPARKS with Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan; ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY with Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner.
Lisa Davis is a strong female character in a male-dominated series. How did you approach playing this type of character?
This isn’t the first time I’ve been overpowered in a story, so I think I was somewhat prepared going into production. However, I was fortunate to be able to lean on real military women who were navigating these spaces. I feel incredibly lucky to have such a strong source material. It’s been invaluable to my process and has definitely deepened the integrity of my work.
Do you have any behind-the-scenes moments from SEAL Team that are particularly meaningful to you?
Oh my gosh… our cast loves to joke around so that makes me laugh a lot. But a really great moment was when we celebrated our 100th episode. We’ve surpassed that number since then, but at that moment—it was special to stop and celebrate that milestone. It was the middle of a day of filming and the producers, cast, and crew all took a moment to step back and appreciate what we’d accomplished. The news crew came by and the studio brought down a giant cake with a replica of the C17 set. It was a sweet moment.
Toni, you recently became a mother. Has motherhood affected your career? Has it brought a new perspective to your character, Lisa Davis?
Motherhood has definitely impacted my career for the better. I have a whole new energy to tap into when I act now, and that can only make you better. My path to motherhood has not been a smooth one. In the first episode of this final season, my character, Davis, meets her ex-boyfriend’s daughter for the first time. There’s a fleeting, heartbreaking moment of longing that comes over her. The road not taken…or not taken…I can actually approach that moment differently than I would on the other side of motherhood.
When SEAL Team ends, what do you hope viewers will take away from the series?
I hope we’ve enlightened our viewers on both the complicated glory and the absolute futility of war. Seeing the full range of human experiences that take place on and off the battlefield will hopefully help people understand the joy and much-needed healing that surrounds this community.
You have had a very successful acting career so far. How do you believe your SEAL Team experience has prepared you for your future acting journey?
I leave SEAL Team with a lot of gratitude. I think the biggest way it will impact my future acting career is through the incredible fan base. I hope to bring them with me into my next project.
Some of your previous work includes Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 2, NCIS: New Orleans, Hostages, Franklin & Bash and many more. What is your favorite role and why?
I don’t think I can pick a favorite. The best is yet to come.
