Having had a few weeks to digest the brilliance of Ozark, we are all aware of its superb quality. As you emerge from your Ozark marathon, we are here to answer your questions.
We have previously introduced you to the formidable Ruth, portrayed by Julie Garner, the secret soul of the show Charlotte (Sofia Hublitz), and explored the potential of a second season. Now let us shed light on one of the most memorable characters from Ozark, the feisty stripper.
Quinn Cooke as Raven?
Her name might have slipped under your radar, but her character certainly did not. Quinn Cooke plays Raven, one of the exotic dancers at the club Marty (Jason Bateman) takes over.
What was her storyline in Season 1?
While she does not have a lot of screen time, Raven ensures her presence is felt. She is the one who unwittingly reveals her boss’s vulnerabilities to Marty. Her most memorable scene is with Ruth (Julia Garner). When Ruth steps in as the club manager, she decides to bring in strippers that are more traditional.
Raven, fearing this may affect her earnings, confronts Ruth and labels her father a criminal. This eventually leads to a brawl between the young blonde teenager and the stripper. It’s a must-watch for all.
Where might you recognize Quinn Cooke from?
Odds are you don’t. Before Ozark, Cooke’s most prominent role was as Hannah in the religious show, The Committee. She has also had smaller parts in Nashville and Brockmire.
What’s next for her?
According to her IMDB page, she has an upcoming project. Cooke is set to star as Ashley Whitford in The Plot, due for release later this year.
Quinn Cook: Keeping His Late Father’s Memory Alive
At the tender age of 14, Quinn Cook lost his father, Ted, due to complications from a colon procedure.
As he stood by his father’s hospital bed, tears flowing, Cook thanked his father for the lessons in manhood and pledged to care for his mother, Janet, and older sister, Kelsey. He then picked up his basketball and returned to the court. For hours, he shot hoops in silence, his friend, Norman Pope, retrieving the ball.
“He immediately diverted all his attention back to the court,” said Pope. “And I’m telling you: He barely missed a shot after that. He was intensely focused.”
In the following three years, as Cook traversed the nation seeking professional stability, he found solace in basketball. His greatest fear — giving up his NBA dream — was eased by each successful shot.
After going undrafted from Duke in 2015, Cook played in four summer leagues, signed three 10-day NBA contracts, won numerous G League games (previously the NBA Development League), and was let go by NBA teams four times. Just four days before signing a two-way contract with the Warriors in mid-October, Cook was among Atlanta’s last preseason dismissals.
Now, after 18 regular-season starts due to Stephen Curry’s injuries, Cook is an essential component of Golden State’s future, still inspired by the man who influenced his past.
“To this day, I constantly think about my dad,” Cook said. “Somewhere, I know he’s looking down on me and smiling.”
Ted Cook was the first to introduce basketball to his son. Twenty years after his run as a 6-foot-4 power forward at Glenville High School in Cleveland, he ensured Quinn Cooke had the ball-handling skills he had never mastered.
Quinn began playing organized basketball at the age of 3. By the time he was 9, he was on a travel team with future NBA players Jerami and Jerian Grant. Ted was an enthusiastic supporter of the team; he cheered for Quinn’s teammates as much as he did for his own son.
Before Quinn — barely 8 years old — played pickup games against middle schoolers at a gym in Bowie, Md., Ted told Quinn’s opponents firmly: “Never go easy on him.” He was more interested in how Quinn Cooke conducted himself than how many points he scored.
Ted Cook owned a lemonade stand at Union Station in Washington, D.C., a sports bar named 4th & Goal, and later, an event-staffing company. Despite his business commitments, he was deeply involved in his son’s life. Starting at age 8, Quinn spent autumn Sundays with his dad working as a ticket-taker at NFL games. In the fourth quarter, once his work was done, Quinn enjoyed the game with his dad.
Omega Psi Phi fraternity at Howard University counted Ted Cook among its members, a man passionate about Michael Jordan, who was also a brother in Omega Psi Phi at North Carolina, and the Lakers team, known for their purple and gold colors mirroring Omega Psi Phi’s own. During the school weeks, Quinn, Ted’s only child, was permitted to stay awake beyond midnight to watch Lakers’ matches on television.
Ted had a magnetic personality, according to Pacers’ guard Victor Oladipo, a close childhood friend of Quinn’s. Ted was the guy everyone enjoyed being around, especially young, aspiring basketball players in the region. He was always ready to lend a helping hand to those who needed it.
Quinn Cook pays tribute to his late father in his own unique ways. Each of his tweets and Instagram posts ends with the phrase “RiP DAD!” His laptop and iPhone bear his father’s photographs as backgrounds. In his storage facility in Washington, D.C., Quinn preserves his father’s old NBA jerseys.
Quinn still gets emotional when watching touching father-child moments on TV. The period leading to Father’s Day is always a tough one. There are times when he has to leave while watching a film with friends, especially when there’s a scene of a father and son sharing a warm hug.
