Tamara Tunie
| Tamara Tunie | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Tunie in 2014 | |
| Born |
March 14, 1959 McKeesport, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Other names | Tamara Tunie Boquett |
| Alma mater | Carnegie Mellon University |
| Occupation | Actress, producer, director |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Greg Bouquett (1988–1991; divorced) Gregory Generet (1995–present; separated) |
Tamara Tunie (born March 14, 1959) is an American film, stage, and television actress, director, and producer. She is best known for her portrayal of attorney Jessica Griffin on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, and medical examiner Melinda Warner on the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. From 2000 to 2007 (and again briefly in 2009 and 2010), she appeared on both series simultaneously. Tunie has also appeared in film, most notably playing the key supporting role of Margaret Thomason in the 2012 film Flight.
Early life
Tunie was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Homestead,[1] the daughter of Evelyn (née Hawkins) and James W. Tunie. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theatre from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA.[2] In addition to her roles on As the World Turns, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, she is also known for her recurring roles as Lillian Fancy in NYPD Blue (1994–1997) and as Alberta Green in the first season of Fox's 24. Tunie also guest-starred in many television series, including Spenser: For Hire, Tribeca, SeaQuest DSV, New York Undercover, Swift Justice, Feds, Chicago Hope, Sex and the City, and Law & Order: Trial by Jury "Survivor's Remorse".
Career
Tunie worked twice with Al Pacino; she portrayed his press secretary in the 1996 film City Hall and the possessed wife of a partner in his law firm in the 1997 film The Devil's Advocate.[3] Her other film credits include Wall Street (1987), Bloodhounds of Broadway (1989), Rising Sun (1993), Eve's Bayou (1997), and The Peacemaker (1997).
In 2001, she received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Awards for her role in film The Caveman's Valentine, based on George Dawes Green's novel of the same name, opposite Samuel L. Jackson.[4] She won a Tony Award in 2007 for the production of the Broadway musical Spring Awakening; she has also won a Drama Desk Award.[5][6]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Sweet Lorraine | Julie | |
| 1987 | Wall Street | Carolyn | |
| 1989 | Bloodhounds of Broadway | Cynthia Harris | |
| 1993 | Rising Sun | Lauren Smith | |
| 1996 | City Hall | Leslie Christos | |
| 1996 | Rescuing Desire | Van | |
| 1996 | Quentin Carr | Detective | Short film |
| 1997 | Spirit Lost | Anne | |
| 1997 | Eve's Bayou | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1997 | Peacemaker, TheThe Peacemaker | Jody | |
| 1997 | Devil's Advocate, TheThe Devil's Advocate | Mrs. Jackie Heath | |
| 1998 | Snake Eyes | Anthea | |
| 2001 | Caveman's Valentine, TheThe Caveman's Valentine | Sheila Ledbetter | |
| 2007 | AfterLife | Nicole | Short film |
| 2012 | Missed Connections | Felicity Gray | |
| 2012 | Flight | Margaret Thomason | |
| 2014 | Power of Our Presence, TheThe Power of Our Presence | Narrator (voice) | |
| 2014 | Fall to Rise | Annika | |
| 2016 | Bad Vegan and the Teleportation Machine | Josephine Bodder | Completed |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Spenser: For Hire | Nina | Episode: "Shadowsight" |
| 1987–1995; 2000–2009 |
As the World Turns | Jessica Griffin | Contract role |
| 1993 | Tribeca | Pretoria "Tori" Thomas | Episodes: "The Box", "Honor", "The Rainmaker" |
| 1994–1997 | NYPD Blue | Lillian Fancy | Recurring role |
| 1995 | seaQuest DSV | Laura | Episode: "The Siamese Dream" |
| 1995 | New York Undercover | Janice | Episode: "Bad Girls" |
| 1996 | Swift Justice | Jessie McKenna | Episode: "Bad Medicine" |
| 1996 | Law & Order | Caroline Bennett | Episode: "Deadbeat" |
| 1996 | Rebound: The Legend of Earl "The Goat" Manigault | Miss Marcus | Television film |
| 1997 | Feds | Martha Kershan | Episode: "Missing Pieces" |
| 1997 | Chicago Hope | Lennie Gaghan | Episode: "Leggo My Ego" |
| 1998 | New York Undercover | Lana Brooks | Episode: "Sign o' the Times" |
| 1999 | Sex and the City | Eileen | Episode: "The Cheating Curve" (Season 2 Episode 6) |
| 2000–2015 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Dr. Melinda Warner | Recurring role (Season 2-6,13-17), (Main Cast Season 7-12 ) (169 Episodes) |
| 2002 | 24 | Alberta Green | Recurring role (season 1) |
| 2003 | Nefertiti Resurrected | Narrator | Television documentary |
| 2005 | Law & Order: Trial by Jury | Dr. Melinda Warner | Episode: "Day" |
| 2011 | Days of Our Lives | Judge Weston | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Good Wife, TheThe Good Wife | Serafina Norvy | Episode: "Boom De Yah Da" |
| 2013 | Golden Boy | Mrs. Nevel | Episode: "Scapegoat" |
| 2014 | Alpha House | Eve Bettencourt / Eve Simone-Lewis | Episode: "The Love Doctor", "There Will Be Water" |
| 2014–2015 | Red Road, TheThe Red Road | Marie Van Der Veen | Main role |
| 2015 | Captain Blackout | Jessica Winters | Television film |
| 2015 | Chicago Fire | Dr. Melinda Warner | Episode: "We Called Her Jellybean" |
| 2015 | Zoo | Brenda Montgomery | Episode: "First Blood" |
| 2015 | Survivor's Remorse | D.A. Sandra Knowles | Episode: "A Time to Punch" |
| 2016 | Elementary | Lily Cooper | Episode: "Alma Matters" |
| 2016 | Billions | Amelia | Episode: "YumTime" |
| 2016 | Blue Bloods | Monica Graham | Episode: "Personal Business" |
As a director
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | See You in September | Director, producer |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Soap Opera Digest Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress | As the World Turns | Nominated |
| 2002 | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Supporting Female | The Caveman's Valentine | Nominated |
| 2003 | Soap Opera Digest Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress | As the World Turns | Nominated |
| 2003 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series | As the World Turns | Nominated |
| 2004 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series | As the World Turns | Nominated |
| 2012 | SLFCA Award | Special Merit | Flight | Nominated |
| 2013 | Black Reel Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Flight | Nominated |
References
- ↑ Varley, Teresa (2009). "Talking Steelers Football with Tamara Tunie". Steelers Digest. 22 (15): 25.
- ↑ Tamara Tunie Biography (1959-), film reference
- ↑ Tamara Tunie - Biography, tamaratunie.com
- ↑ Awards for Tamara Tunie
- ↑ Tamara Tunie: Biography, TV Guide
- ↑ Tamara Tunie Awards
