On the viewing horizon since the late 1980s, actress Maura Tierney has been a steady product of independent features, some hits and some misses, for close to a decade and a half. An odd and compelling beauty, she came from an upperscale Bostonian family and was raised in the Hyde Park district. Born February 3, 1965, the eldest child of three to a ...
Circle in the Square Theatre School, Notre Dame Academy, New York University
Nationality
American
Spouse
Billy Morrissette (m. 1993–2006)
Parents
Joseph M. Tierney, Pat Tierney
Siblings
Deidre Tierney, Brian Tierney
Nominations
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama, Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Ser...
Movies
Liar Liar, Primal Fear, Forces of Nature, Semi-Pro, Scotland, PA, Welcome to Mooseport, Insomnia, Primary Colors, Dead Women in Lingerie, Baby Mama, Finding Amanda, The Go-Getter, The Linguini Incident, Nature Calls, Melvin Goes to Dinner, The Temp, Diggers, Danny Roane: First Time Director, Instinc...
TV Shows
The Whole Truth, ER, The Andy Dick Show, Sammy, NewsRadio, 704 Hauser, The Affair, The Van Dyke Show
Star Sign
Aquarius
#
Quote
1
I wish I had a little more joy of cooking - because mostly I have anxiety of cooking. I'm so proud when things come out well.
2
On The Affair (2014): The show is going to change next season - the structure of the show is going to change in an exciting way.
3
I'm not really the nurturer type.
4
My answer to a lot of things is to go to work. That's not everybody's answer.
5
On The Affair (2014): They presented me with really challenging things to do and I really wanted to be up to the challenge. I think my work excited the writers and the writers' work excited me.
6
Everyone in my family has seen me cry before.
7
I tend to focus on what I'm doing at the moment, and that takes up the entire span of my focus.
8
I've been misquoted a lot, and there's this tendency for people to put on to you how they think you should be or what they think you should feel.
9
You can't just take care of everybody else all the time.
10
I love Martin Amis.
11
In a man, I like funny guys. A guy who doesn't have a lot of therapy, who's mature. A man, not a boy.
12
I don't have much patience with sick people.
13
Being bald is no fun.
14
It's a life-changing thing to be in a position of needing help and being so lucky as to get it.
15
Unfortunately in life, justice is not always achieved.
I mean, I'm always wary about saying there's no great roles for women. I guess it's true and it's not true. It is the marketplace. Which is a little bit sad, in terms of what studios decide people will think is funny. I think the decisions about what entertains people are made before they know what entertains people. Now it seems really, really about the bottom line. But there is also new media! And it's easier than ever to make a movie now. . . . If I'm frustrated, I should write a movie or shoot a movie. And 25 years ago you couldn't.
18
I prefer living in New York over Los Angeles -- or for that matter, any other city I've visited.
19
I diagnosed my husband's recent appendix attack. At first, he didn't believe me. He was having pain in his lower abdomen and felt nauseous. He also had a fever which I said was suspicious. I even did a stomach press check and I knew. Still, I got out my medical textbook they gave me on ER (1994) and said, 'Let's go to the real doc.' He said, 'It's just the flu.' Of course, they admitted him and took out his appendix. Now he's like, 'Get over yourself. You're still not a real doctor.'
20
I have so many insecurities they fight for prominence.
#
Fact
1
Had to leave Parenthood (2010) after discovering she had breast cancer. Promotional items with Maura were already released by NBC to promote the show in 2009 and production had to be pushed back, because of Maura's leave. She was eventually replaced by Lauren Graham.
Undergoing surgery to remove a tumor from her breast [July 13, 2009]. Later had a mastectomy.
4
While being interviewed on Irish chat show Tubridy Tonight (2004), Maura admitted that she has had Botox although she did not like the experience. (February 2009).
5
Played an alcoholic in Oxygen (1999) and on ER (1994).
6
One of her closest friends is her ER (1994) co-star, Laura Innes. Maura officiated at Laura's wedding.
7
Landed a key part of a single mom who falls for hockey player Bruce Willis in a romantic comedy titled "The Broadway Brawler." After just two weeks' shooting, however, "creative differences" brought an end to the project.
8
Of Irish extraction.
9
In the NewsRadio (1995) episode "Presence", her character "Lisa Miller" is a math whiz who learns to play poker to win back Bill (Phil Hartman) after their boss "Jimmy James" (Stephen Root) loses Bill in an inter-station poker game. In real life, Tierney won the 2004 (Season 2) Celebrity Poker Showdown (2003), hosted by Dave Foley. Tierney defeated Lauren Graham at the final table. Foley, Graham and Tierney all appeared in NewsRadio (1995).
On Last Call with Carson Daly (2002), she admitted that she was fired from the television show Growing Pains (1985). The show was supposed to have an episode arc in Europe, but the idea was scrapped when Kirk Cameron expressed a fear of flying.
12
Maura was added to the cast of NewsRadio (1995) the day before they shot the pilot.
13
Daughter of former Boston City Council president Joseph Tierney.
14
Was cast in the role of Nurse Abigail 'Abby' Lockhart in ER (1994), without an audition.
15
Wrote an article in the spring 2001 issue of Flaunt titled, "'Rudy Giuliani' : A Fascist? You Be The Judge."
16
Met her husband, Billy Morrissette, in the revolving lounge at the top of the Hollywood Holiday Inn. It was a blind date of sorts set up by their mutual friends.
17
Owns a black pug, with her husband Billy Morrissette, named Rose- Kennedy. They take her everywhere with them.
18
Attended Notre Dame Academy, an all-girls Catholic high school in Hingham, Massachusetts (SE of Boston).
19
Attended New York University and Circle in the Square Theatre School.
$8 Million
