- Maura Tierney
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Maura Tierney 
Maura Tierney attends the NBC Primetime Preview at Radio City Music Hall (May 17, 2004, New York City)Born Maura Therese Tierney[1]
February 3, 1965
Hyde Park, Massachusetts, U.S.Occupation Actress Years active 1987–present Spouse Billy Morrissette
(February 1993 – July 2006) (divorced)Maura Therese Tierney (born February 3, 1965) is an American film and television actress, who is best known for her roles as Lisa Miller on NewsRadio and Abby Lockhart on the television medical drama ER.
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Early life
Tierney, the eldest of three children, was born and raised in the Hyde Park neighborhood[2] of Boston, Massachusetts. Her mother, Pat, is a real estate broker and her late father, Joseph, was a prominent Boston politician who served on the Boston City Council for 15 years. Tierney is of Irish descent.[3]
She attended Notre Dame Academy in Hingham, Massachusetts, where her studies included drama and led to her appearance at the Boston Globe Drama Festival.[2] After graduation, she attended New York University and majored in dance, but changed her major to drama.[4]
Career
After appearing in several plays, she moved to Los Angeles, California, and in 1987 got her first break in 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, independently-produced 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.[7]
Tierney continued winning small roles in film and television, though it was not until her leading role in the sitcom NewsRadio from 1995 to 1999 that she received regular national exposure. While she was a NewsRadio cast member, she also appeared in two successful films (Primal Fear and Forces of Nature), and the even more successful film Liar Liar, which starred Jim Carrey.[8]
After NewsRadio was canceled, Tierney decided not to pursue a role in another sitcom:
“ [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.[3] ” Tierney played Nurse Abigail "Abby" Lockhart on ER, a character that began as a guest appearance as an OB nurse in November 1999, then expanded in February 2000 to a full-time regular part as an ER nurse (and later, after completion of medical school, a licensed ER doctor). Within a year, her work on ER had earned her an Emmy Award nomination, recognition she credits to a "juicy" story arc featuring Sally Field as Lockhart's mother, who suffers from bipolar disorder.[5] She was initially reunited with her former NewsRadio co-star Khandi Alexander who at that time had a major recurring role on ER.
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 did return to make a cameo appearance on one additional episode later on during the final season.
As of 2011[update], Tierney's highest-profile film since joining the cast of ER has been the 2002 film Insomnia, directed by Christopher Nolan.[8] That same year she also starred in Scotland, Pa., portraying a Lady Macbeth-like character written specifically for her by then-husband Billy Morrissette. She was praised by critics for her performance. She 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.
She returned to the stage in May 2006 in an appearance opposite Eric McCormack in the Off Broadway premiere of Some Girl(s).[9] 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 [10] from September 16 to October 4, 2008.
She returned to television in 2009, playing the recurring character Kelly McPhee on the FX series Rescue Me.
Tierney 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.[11] Tierney's role in the show, a legal drama produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, marks her first return to television after recovering from breast surgery and cancer treatments.[12] 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 Christopher Hampton's God of Carnage alongside Ardal O'Hanlon.[13]
Personal life
Tierney married actor-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.[14] After being married for 13 years, she filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. They had no children.
On February 1, 2009 the recently ordained Tierney officiated at the wedding of ER castmate and friend Parminder Nagra and photographer James Stenson.[15]
On December 14, 2009, Maura's father, former Boston City Council President Joseph M. Tierney, died at his Hyde Park home at age 68 after a brief battle with cancer.[16]
On July 13, 2009, it was announced that Tierney would have surgery to remove a tumor from her breast.[17][18] On September 10, 2009, it was announced that she had left the cast of Parenthood owing to schedule conflicts with her cancer treatments and would not be returning to the show. Lauren Graham replaced her.[19] On January 27, 2010, her publicist revealed that she had finished treatment and was going back to work, signing up to star in a stage play.[20]
Filmography
Year Title Role Notes 1987 Student Exchange Kathy Maltby TV movies. 1988 Crossing the Mob Michelle The Van Dyke Show
10 episodesJillian Ryan 1989 Family Ties
Ep: My Best Friend's GirlDarlene 1990 Booker
Ep: ReunionDonna Cofax Flying Blind Donna TV movie. 1991 Dead Women in Lingerie Molly Field The Linguini Incident Cecelia Law & Order
Ep: AriaPatricia 'Patti' Blaine 1992 White Sands Noreen 1993 Fly by Night Denise The Temp Sharon Derns 1994 Lifestories: Families in Crisis
Ep: A Body to Die For: The Aaron Henry StoryOut of Darkness Meg TV movie. 704 Hauser
5 episodesCherlyn 1995 Mercy Simonet NewsRadio
97 episodes
1995–1999Lisa Miller 1996 Primal Fear Naomi Chance 1997 Liar Liar Audrey Reede 1998 Primary Colors Daisy Green 1999 Forces of Nature Bridget Cahill Oxygen Det. Madeline Foster Instinct Lynn Powell ER
189 episodes
1999–2009Dr. Abby Lockhart Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, 2001
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, 2001
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama, 20032000 Mexico City Pam on Phone (voice) King of the Hill
Ep: Movin' On UpTanya (voice) 2001 Scotland, PA Pat McBeth 2002 Insomnia Rachel Clement Rooftop Kisses Denise The Nazi Helen 2003 Melvin Goes to Dinner Leslie 2004 Welcome to Mooseport Sally Mannis 2006 Danny Roane: First Time Director Maura Tierney Diggers Gina 2007 The Go-Getter Hal's Pets 2008 Semi-Pro Lynn Baby Mama Caroline Finding Amanda Lorraine Mendon 2009 Rescue Me
6 episodesKelly McPhee 2010 The Whole Truth Kathryn Peale 2011 Rescue Me Kelly McPhee See also
- Flann Ó Tighearnaigh, Gaelic-Irish Lord, died 1273.
Awards and nominations
Year Award Type 2001 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Nominated References
- ^ Clark County, NV Marriage Records
- ^ a b Prescription for success, a February 2002 Boston Phoenix interview
- ^ a b Maura Tierney, original air date November 14, 2006, interviewed on The Tavis Smiley Show
- ^ Glamour magazine article
- ^ a b Dream Life, a September 2001 interview in Brntwd Magazine
- ^ Interview with director Erica Fox
- ^ July 2005 press release
- ^ a b Maura Tierney from The Numbers website
- ^ ...Tierney Becomes One of LaBute's Some Girl(s) for US Debut, Playbill (March 2006 article)
- ^ "Playwrights Horizons signs stars". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117986962.html?categoryid=15&cs=1.
- ^ "Maura Tierney to tell 'The Whole Truth' with Rob Morrow at ABC", Zap2it
- ^ "Maura Tierney New Role: Legal Drama 'The Whole Truth". National Ledger. June 16, 2010. http://www.nationalledger.com/ledgerpop/article_272632436.shtml. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ^ http://www.gate-theatre.ie/production/GodofCarnage#
- ^ Finn, Natalie (27 July 2006). E! Online "Maura Tierney's Marriage Flatlines". E! Online. http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=67da5748-556c-4946-af4a-e312bb6fe8c4 E! Online. Retrieved 2007-10-09.
- ^ OK! Staff. "OK! Exclusive: Parminder Nagra's Wedding Album", OK! Magazine, 23 January 2009.
- ^ Marquard, Bryan (December 14, 2009). "Joseph Tierney, led Boston's City Council, at 68". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/12/joseph_tierney.html. Retrieved December 19, 2009.
- ^ "Maura Tierney To Undergo Surgery For Breast Tumor", accesshollywood.com, 13 July 2009.
- ^ Discovery of breast tumor
- ^ Abrams, Natalie. "Gilmore Girls' Lauren Graham Takes Starring Role in Parenthood", TVGuide.com, 9 October 2009.
- ^ Armstrong, Jennifer (27 January 2010). "Maura Tierney goes back to work after battling cancer". Entertainment Weekly. http://news-briefs.ew.com/2010/01/27/maura-tierney-work-cancer/. Retrieved February 3, 2010.
External links
Categories:- 1965 births
- Actors from Massachusetts
- American film actors
- American people of Irish descent
- American stage actors
- American television actors
- People with cancer
- Breast cancer survivors
- Circle in the Square Theatre School alumni
- Living people
- New York University alumni
- People from Boston, Massachusetts
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