Chicago Med star Marlyne Barrett had her first major movie role in a Will Smith romantic comedy.
Barrett is only seen briefly, so blink and you may miss her. Her appearance is during the opening scene where men are learning to attract women. Smith’s character Hitch is heard reading the basic rules of dating with examples of his past clients playing.
She is credited as Nayokah Afflack and portrays the minor role of Stephanie. She is seen wearing a headband out on the town when a man attempts to impress her. He ends up buying her ice cream from an ice cream truck and she is instantly smitten. who is wooed by a man who first gets her attention by buying her ice cream from an ice cream truck.
Since her big break, she has shifted into television. Over the years, she has appeared on shows like Law & Order, American Crime, The Wire, and Kings.
‘Chicago Med’ Realism
Marlyne Barrett was actually planning on becoming a nurse before pursuing acting. She actually completed her nursing degree.
Barrett spoke to Edge Magazine about her family’s background in medicine. She ended up completing her degree at the request of her family.
“It was a promise I made to my parents,” she explained. “My father worked for Siemens as a medical engineer. And we have cousins who are doctors and nurses. So it’s a family thing. When immigrants—my family is from Haiti—come into this country, this is what they call “royal” blue-collar jobs. Doctors, nurses, engineers. There is a regal-ness to doing these professions. You can use these jobs to enter any area of society.”
Nursing on Set
Furthermore, her character often helps the residents with daily tasks. In real life, nurses do this as well. She was able to experience some of this while in school. Her sister did as well.
“Often senior nurses and doctors collaborate to ensure that young doctors become the doctors the profession should have,” she explained. “So being tough is a calculation made to improve and maintain the healing atmosphere you offer patients.”
Additionally, she told Talk Nerdy With Us that she knew what her Chicago Med character would be like based on her experience.
“I knew what I wanted to portray on screen,” she shared. “Because the medical institution is such a prominent figure in my family upbringing that we have honor for it. My mother is an ICU nurse, my father is a medical engineer, my sister is a pre-med student who went on to pursue law, I have a nursing degree, my aunt works for Kaiser. So it’s everywhere in my family. We have enormous respect for the medical institution. It’s probably the most constant thing in your life. You have to eventually see a doctor at some point in your life.”
On the show, they work with medical advisors to make it as real as possible. They go through medical rehearsals with Dr. Andrew Dennis. Unfortunately, they don’t have real nurses on set to aid her, however, her background is just sufficient. There was even one nurse that helped her shape the character that she met while researching. Nurse Gloria at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago was responsible for Maggie’s spirit.
