Gina Torres and Laurence Fishburne, actors and couple, were honored by The Harlem School of the Arts last week in the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Three and a half years ago, the doors to the Harlem School of Arts closed indefinitely, and then the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs intervened to keep the doors open. The school has since increased enrollment by 38 percent, and has stabilized finances. Scholarships funding rose from $20,000 to $200,000, and many who were responsible for the progress were in attendance at the School's gala which took place on Oct. 7.

"Both Gina and I are products of this city," Fishburne said. "New York City was our first stage. Seeing what the school is doing, it's a confirmation. We're not crazy -- we're good crazy."

Fishburne, 52, was born in Augusta, Georgia but moved to Brooklyn, NY after his parents divorced. Fishburne began acting at a young, taking up roles in One Life to Live, Cornbread, Earl and Me, and then Apocalypse Now, though he was just 14-year-old. He played a character that was three years his elder, and he'd lied about his age so that he could acquire the part. Filming was so extensive, however, that Fishburne was 17-years-old at the time of completion. Some of Fishburne's most memorable roles are in the films School Daze (as Vaugh "Dap" Dunlap), Boys in the Hood (as Furious Syles), What's Love Got to Do with it (as Ike Turner), Othello (as Othello), The Matrix series (as Morpheus) and Man of Steel (as Perry White).

Torres, 44, was born to a close-knit multi-racial Cuban family in New York City. Her family lived in Washington Heights before moving to the Bronx. She is also a mezzo-soprano, and attended Fiorello H. Laguardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.

The beautiful talent has made significant appearances in television and film since she began acting. Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (as Nebula), Xena: Warrior Princess (as Cleopatra), Cleopatra 2525, Alias (as Anna Espinosa), Firefly (as series regular Zoe Washburne), Angel (as Jasmine), 24 (as Julia Miliken), and now has a main role on the USA Network show Suits (as Jessica Pearson) are shows where she's held dynamics role. Highlights on the actress' filmography include: The Matrix series, Serenity, and I Think I Love My Wife. And, along with Gina Carano, fans have also indicated that they would love to see the Firefly actress portray Wonder Woman on the big screen.

Torres met, now husband, Laurence during the filming of The Matrix Reloaded. They were engaged by February 2001, and they married in the September of the next year. The two both live in Toronto while they work on their respective shows; Torres on Suits and Fishburne on Hannibal. The two share one child, Delilah, though Fishburne has two children from a previous marriage.