Tamara Renee Tunie 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: S...
Tony Award for Best Musical (2007), Obie Award for Performance (2016)
Nominations
Soap Opera Digest Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress(1995, 2003), NAACP Image Award (2003, 2004), Independent Spirit Awards for Best Suppporting Female (2002), SLFCA Award (2012), Black Reel Awards for Best Supporting Actress (2013)
"The Devil's Advocate", “Law & Order: Special Victim Unit” (1999-present), “As the World Turns” (1986-2010), “NYPD Blue” (1994-1999), “Sex and the City” (1999), “24” (2002), “Spring Awakening”
Star Sign
Pisces
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Trademark
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Curly hair
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Deep voice
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Quote
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I always watch the work I do.
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I have Native-American blood, I have European blood, I have African blood.
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When I first got to New York, all I did was musicals. After a few years I had to make a conscious choice to close the door on musicals, because I was getting pigeon-holed as a musical theater performer.
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Show business is fickle, and though I have been blessed with a healthy career, who knows how long that will last?
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Fact
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Her vocal range is mezzo soprano.
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Was the first African-American actress to play Maggie on "Cat on a hot tin roof" On stage.
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Was on the first all African-American production of Tennessee Williams's play "Cat on a hot tin roof" at the Virgínia State Theatre.
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Both her parents were morticians; the family lived above the funeral parlor.
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Made her Broadway debut alongside Lena Horne in Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music.
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Is a singer.
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Has a french bulldog named Spraga, with husband Gregory Generet.
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In 2005, performed in 3 shows simultaneously, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, As the World Turns and the stage play Julius Ceaser alongside Denzel Washington.
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On one occasion, worked on 3 shows in a 24h period. First did the play Julius Ceaser, from there she went to work on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, then went to work on the soap opera As the World Turns, after that did a matinée and night performance of Julius Ceaser. (The Mo'Nique Show).
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In 2002, performed in 3 shows simultaneously, As the World Turns, Law & Order Special Victims Unit and 24.
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Has Native American ancestry.
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Has 3 sisters and 1 brother.
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Parents: James W Tunie, Evelyn Hawkins Tunie.
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Her paternal great-grandmother was full blooded Indian.
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Was a contestant in the Miss Black Teenage Pageant in Pittsburgh in the early 1970s.
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Has worked with several charitable organizations and theater companies, including Hearts of Gold and Harlem Stage/The Gatehouse.
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Serves on the board of directors of Figure Skating in Harlem, Inc., a nonprofit organization that works with young girls in the community.
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Is a rabid Pittsburgh Steelers fan.
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In 2007, she received a Tony Award as co-producer for the musical "Spring Awakening". She was also a Tony Award nominee (Best Play) for co-producing August Wilson's Radio Golf.
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Her father still operates the family business, a funeral home, in a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
After five years of portraying Medical Examiner Melinda Warner on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999), she was finally given main cast billing in the seventh season. (2005)
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When she was portraying the character of 'Jessica Griffin' on the daytime drama As the World Turns (1956), one of her mentors, actress/director/drama coach Billie Allen, portrayed her character's mother 'Louise' (1994).
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Graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 1981 [1981]
$8 Million
