Tamara Tunie
| Tamara Tunie | |
|---|---|
| Born | 14 March 1959 McKeesport, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Other names | Tamara Tunie Bouquett |
| Years active | 1986-present |
| Spouse | Greg Bouquett (1988-1991) (divorced) Gregory Generet (1995 -present) |
Tamara Renee Tunie (born 14 March 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 & 2010), she appeared on both series simultaneously.
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[edit] Life and career
Tunie was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Homestead,[1] the daughter of Evelyn (née Hawkins) and James W. Tunie.[2]
Tunie is best known for her roles as 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. She is also known for her recurring roles as Lillian Fancy in NYPD Blue (1994-1997) and as Alberta Green in the first season Fox's 24. Tunie 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.
Tunie worked twice with Al Pacino; she portrayed the possessed wife of a partner in his law firm in the 1997 film The Devil's Advocate, and his press secretary in the 1998 film Snake Eyes.[3] Her other film credits include Wall Street, Bloodhounds of Broadway, Rising Sun, City Hall, Eve's Bayou and The Peacemaker. 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 also won a Drama Desk Award.[5][6]
[edit] Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Sweet Lorraine | Julie | |
| Wall Street | Carolyn | ||
| 1989 | Bloodhounds of Broadway | Cynthia Harris | |
| 1993 | Rising Sun | Lauren Smith | |
| 1996 | Quentin Carr | Detective | |
| Rescuing Desire | Van | ||
| City Hall | Leslie Christos | ||
| The Money Shot | |||
| 1997 | Spirit Lost | Anne | |
| Eve's Bayou | Narrator | Voice | |
| The Peacemaker | Jody | ||
| The Devil's Advocate | Mrs. Jackie Heath | ||
| 1998 | Snake Eyes | Anthea | |
| 2001 | The Caveman's Valentine | Sheila | Nominated - Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female |
| 2007 | AfterLife | Nicole | |
| 2012 | Missed Connections | Felicity Gray | |
| Flight | Margaret |
[edit] Television
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Spenser: For Hire | Nina | Episode: "Shadowsight" |
| 1986–1995, 2000–2007, 2009, 2010 | As the World Turns | Jessica Griffin | Nominated Image Awards - Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series (2003,2004) Nominated Soap Opera Digest Awards - Outstanding Supporting Actress (1995,2003) |
| 1989 | Family Feud | Herself | Episode: "The Young & the Restless vs. As the World Turns" |
| 1993 | Tribeca | Tori | Episode: "The Box" Episode: "Honor" |
| 1994-97 | NYPD Blue | Lillian Fancy | Episode: "Up on the Roof" ('94) Episode: "Good Time Charlie" ('94) Episode: "Caulksmanship" ('96) Episode: "Taillight's Last Gleaming" ('97) Episode: "I Love Lucy" ('97) |
| 1995 | SeaQuest DSV | Laura | Episode: "The Siamese Dream" Also known as SeaQuest 2032 |
| 1995-98 | New York Undercover | Janice/Lana Brooks | Episode: ""Bad Girls" ('95 as Janice) Episode: "Sign o' the Times" ('98 as Lana Brooks) |
| 1996 | Swift Justice | Jessie McKenna | Episode: "Bad Medicine" |
| Law & Order | Caroline Bennett | Episode: "Deadbeat" | |
| Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault | Miss Marcus | HBO TV film | |
| 1997 | Prince Street | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| Feds | Martha Kershan | Episode: "Missing Pieces" | |
| Chicago Hope | Lennie Gaghan | Episode: "Leggo My Ego" | |
| 1999 | Sex and the City | Eileen | Episode: "The Cheating Curve" |
| 2000 | The American Experience | Self | Voice Episode: "Jubilee Singers: Sacrifice and Glory" |
| 2000–present | Law and Order: SVU | Dr. Melinda Warner | Recurring 2000-2005, 2011-present, receives star billing as of 2005-2011 |
| 2001 | A Day's Work, a Day's Pay | Narrator | Documentary |
| 2002 | 24 | Alberta Green | Episode: "9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m." Episode: "10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m." Episode: "11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m." Episode: "12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m." Episode: "1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m." Episode: "2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m." |
| 2003 | Nefertiti: Resurrected | Narrator | Documentary |
| 2005 | I Love the '90s: Part Deux | Herself | VH1 Documentary |
| Party Planner with David Tutera | Herself | Episode: "Tamara Tunie's Fire & Ice Party" | |
| The Tony Danza Show | Herself | Episode: "#1.124" | |
| Law & Order: Trial by Jury | Dr. Melinda Warner | Episode: "Day" | |
| 2006 | Black Sorority Project: The Exodus | Spirit | Documentary/voice |
| 2008 | After Hours with Daniel Boulud | Herself | Reality TV Episode: "Bayona" |
| 2009 | Miss Universe 2009 | Herself | Judge |
| 2010 | Showing Up | Herself | Documentary |
| 2011 | Days of our Lives | Judge Weston | 2 episodes |
[edit] Producer
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | See You in September | Executive Producer and Director |
[edit] 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
