Maura Tierney

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Maura Tierney
Maura Tierney (cropped).jpg
Tierney in May 2015
Born Maura Tierney[citation needed]
(1965-02-03) February 3, 1965 (age 59)
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1987–present
Spouse(s) Billy Morrissette (1993–2006: divorced)

Maura Tierney[needs IPA] (born February 3, 1965) is an American film and television actress who is best known for her roles as Lisa Miller on the sitcom NewsRadio, Audrey Reede in Liar Liar (1997), Abby Lockhart on the medical drama ER and as Helen Solloway on the television drama The Affair for which she won the Golden Globe Award in 2016.

Early life

Tierney, the eldest of three children, was born and raised in the Hyde Park neighborhood[1] of Boston, Massachusetts to an Irish Catholic family.[2] Her mother, Pat (née James), is a real estate broker, and her late father, Joseph M. Tierney, was a prominent Boston politician who served on the Boston City Council for 15 years.[3]

Tierney attended Mount Alvernia Academy elementary school, and Notre Dame Academy in Hingham, Massachusetts, where her studies included drama, which led to her appearance at the Boston Globe Drama Festival.[1] After graduation, she attended New York University, where she majored first in dance, then in drama.[4]

Career

After appearing in several plays, Tierney moved to Los Angeles, California, and in 1987 got her first break with a role in Disney's made-for-TV film Student Exchange.[5] Tierney's first starring role in a film was in a low-budget, independent film called Dead Women in Lingerie, shot in 24 days.[6] The film never received a theatrical release, although it was released on DVD in 2005.

Tierney had a number of small roles in film and television, but first received regular national exposure with her leading role in the sitcom NewsRadio from 1995 to 1999. While she was a NewsRadio cast member, she also appeared in several successful films, including Primal Fear, Primary Colors, Forces of Nature, Welcome to Mooseport, and Liar Liar opposite Jim Carrey.

After NewsRadio was canceled, Tierney decided not to pursue a role in another sitcom:

<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />

[W]hen NewsRadio got canceled, ... I thought, there's probably not gonna be something like [that show] again for me... So then, when ER called ... that was a way to stay in [television] that would remain interesting for me.[7]

From 1999-2008, Tierney played Nurse Abigail "Abby" Lockhart on ER, a character that began as a guest appearance as Julianna Margulies's character Carol Hathaway's OB nurse in November 1999, then expanded in February 2000 to a full-time regular role as an ER nurse and later, after completion of medical school, a licensed ER doctor. She was reunited with her former NewsRadio co-star Khandi Alexander who at that time had a recurring role on ER.

Within a year, Tierney's work on ER earned her an Emmy Award nomination, recognition she credits to a "juicy" story arc featuring Sally Field as Lockhart's mother Maggie Wyczenski, who suffers from bipolar disorder.[5]

Tierney confirmed in April 2008 that she would be leaving ER shortly after the beginning of the show's fifteenth season. In October 2008, she made her final regular appearance on the series after nearly 10 seasons on the show. She returned to make a cameo appearance in one additional episode later in 2009 toward the end of the final season.

Tierney's highest-profile film while a member of the ER cast was the 2002 film Insomnia, directed by Christopher Nolan. That same year she also starred in Scotland, Pa., portraying a Lady Macbeth-like character written specifically for her by Billy Morrissette, her husband at the time. She was praised by critics for her performance. She also collaborated with NewsRadio writer Joe Furey for a special, "Working with Joe Furey" featurette for Furey's film Love and Support.

In 2004, Tierney won the second season tournament of Bravo's Celebrity Poker Showdown against Lauren Graham, who had a guest role in the fourth season of NewsRadio. Tierney returned to the stage in May 2006 in an appearance opposite Eric McCormack in the Off Broadway premiere of Some Girl(s).[8] She also appeared in the 2008 films Semi-Pro, Baby Mama, The Go-Getter and Finding Amanda.

Tierney played the role of Laurel in the Off Broadway play Three Changes with Dylan McDermott[9] from September 16 to October 4, 2008.

Tierney returned to television, playing the recurring character Kelly McPhee on the FX series Rescue Me in 2009 and 2011 during its final season. She replaced Joely Richardson as the female lead of the 2010 ABC television series The Whole Truth, after Richardson dropped out to spend more time with her family.[10] Tierney's role in the show, a legal drama produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, marked her return to television after recovering from breast surgery and cancer treatments.[11] ABC canceled The Whole Truth after just four episodes due to low ratings.

In February 2011, Tierney made her debut at the Gate Theatre in the Dublin premiere of Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage (translation by Christopher Hampton) alongside Ardal O'Hanlon.[12]

In September 2012, Tierney began a recurring role on the CBS legal drama The Good Wife, playing Maddie Hayward.[13]

In 2013, Tierney joined the cast of Showtime's The Affair,[14] playing Helen Solloway. The Affair began airing in October 2014.

Personal life

Tierney married actor and director Billy Morrissette on February 1, 1993, two days before her 28th birthday, after the two met on the set of a never-aired television series.[15] After being married for 13 years, she filed for divorce in 2006, citing irreconcilable differences. They had no children.

On February 1, 2009, the recently ordained Tierney officiated at the wedding of her friend and former ER co-star Parminder Nagra to photographer James Stenson.[16]

Tierney had surgery to remove a tumor from her breast in 2009.[17] She had been cast in Parenthood but schedule conflicts with her cancer treatments led her to leave and she was replaced by Lauren Graham.[18] Tierney finished treatment and returned to work in a stage play in 2010.[19]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1991 Dead Women in Lingerie Molly Field
1991 The Linguini Incident Cecelia
1992 White Sands Noreen
1993 Fly by Night Denise
1993 The Temp Sharon Derns
1995 Mercy Simonet
1996 Primal Fear Naomi Chance
1997 Liar Liar Audrey Reede
1998 Primary Colors Daisy Green
1998 The Thin Pink Line Suzanne
1999 Forces of Nature Bridget Cahill
1999 Oxygen Det. Madeline Foster
1999 Instinct Lynn Powell
2000 Mexico City Pam on Phone (voice)
2001 Scotland, PA Pat McBeth
2002 Insomnia Rachel Clement
2002 Rooftop Kisses Denise
2002 The Nazi Helen
2003 Melvin Goes to Dinner Leslie
2004 Welcome to Mooseport Sally Mannis
2006 Danny Roane: First Time Director Maura Tierney
2006 Diggers Gina
2007 The Go-Getter Hal's Pets
2008 Semi-Pro Lynn
2008 Baby Mama Caroline
2008 Finding Amanda Lorraine Mendon
2012 Nature Calls Janine

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1987 Student Exchange Kathy Maltby Television movie
1988 Crossing the Mob Michelle Television movie
1988 The Van Dyke Show Jillian Ryan 10 episodes
1989 Family Ties Darlene Episode: "My Best Friend's Girl"
1990 Booker Donna Cofax Episode: "Reunion"
1990 Flying Blind Donna Television movie
1991 Law & Order Patricia 'Patti' Blaine Episode: "Aria"
1994 Lifestories: Families in Crisis N/A Episode: "A Body to Die For: The Aaron Henry Story"
1994 704 Hauser Cherlyn Markowitz 5 episodes
1994 Out of Darkness Meg Television movie
1995–1999 NewsRadio Lisa Miller 96 episodes
1999–2009 ER Dr. Abby Lockhart 183 episodes
2000 King of the Hill Tanya (voice) Episode: "Movin' On Up"
2009–2011 Rescue Me Kelly McPhee 9 episodes
2010–2011 The Whole Truth Kathryn Peale 13 episodes
2011 The Office Susan California Episode: "Mrs. California"
2012–2013 The Good Wife Maddie Hayward 7 episodes
2012 Ruth & Erica Erica 10 episodes
2014–present The Affair Helen Solloway 19 episodes

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Nominated work Result
2000 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Favorite Supporting Actress – Comedy/Romance Forces of Nature Nominated
2001 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series ER Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated
2003 Prism Awards Best Performance in a Drama Series Nominated
Satellite Awards Best Actress – Television Series Drama Nominated
2007 Prism Awards Best Performance in a Drama Series Nominated
2008 Prism Awards Best Performance in a Drama Series Nominated
2016 Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series The Affair Nominated
Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Won

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. Maura Tierney, original air date November 14, 2006, interviewed on The Tavis Smiley Show
  8. ...Tierney Becomes One of LaBute's Some Girl(s) for US Debut, Playbill (March 2006 article)
  9. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. Abrams, Natalie. "Gilmore Girls' Lauren Graham Takes Starring Role in Parenthood", TVGuide.com, October 9, 2009.
  19. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links