Maura Lynn Tierney (born February 3, 1965) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Lisa Miller on the sitcom NewsRadio (1995–1999), Abby Lockhart on the medical drama ER (1999–2009), and Helen Solloway on the mystery drama The Affair (2014–2019), the last of which won her a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television.
Tierney has also appeared in films including Primal Fear (1996), Liar Liar (1997), Primary Colors (1998), Insomnia (2002), The Iron Claw (2023), and Twisters (2024).
Early life Tierney was born and raised in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Boston, the eldest of three children in an Irish American Catholic family. Her mother Pat (née James) is a real estate broker, while her father, Joseph M. Tierney, was a prominent Boston politician who served on the Boston City Council for 15 years.
Tierney attended Mount Alvernia Academy Elementary School and Notre Dame Academy in Hingham, Massachusetts, where she studied drama, which led to her appearance at the Boston Globe Drama Festival. After graduation, she attended New York University, where she majored first in dance and then graduated with a degree in drama.
Career After appearing in several plays, Tierney moved to Los Angeles in 1987, beginning with a role in Disney's made-for-TV film Student Exchange. Tierney's first starring role in a film was in a low-budget independent film called Dead Women in Lingerie, which was shot in 24 days.
Tierney had a number of small roles in film and television and a co-starring role in 704 Hauser, a short-lived 1994 spin-off of All in the Family. She first received regular national exposure with her leading role in the sitcom NewsRadio from 1995 to 1999. While part of the NewsRadio cast, she also starred in several successful films of the late 1990s and early 2000s such as Primal Fear, Liar Liar, Primary Colors, Forces of Nature and Welcome to Mooseport.
After NewsRadio was canceled, Tierney decided not to star in another sitcom:
From 1999 to 2008, Tierney played Nurse Abigail "Abby" Lockhart on ER, a character that began as a guest appearance in November 1999 and then expanded in February 2000 to a full-time regular role as an ER nurse and later after completion of medical school, a doctor. She was reunited with her NewsRadio co-star Khandi Alexander, who at that time also had a recurring role on ER. Within a year, Tierney's work on ER earned her an Emmy Award nomination, a recognition she credits to a "juicy" story arc featuring Sally Field as Lockhart's mother Maggie Wyczenski, who has bipolar disorder.
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 returned to make a cameo appearance in one additional episode later in 2009 toward the end of the final season.
Tierney's highest-profile film while on ER was the 2002 film Insomnia, which was directed by Christopher Nolan. That same year, she also starred in Scotland, Pa. where she portrayed a Lady Macbeth–like character written specifically for her by Billy Morrissette, her husband at the time. She was praised by critics for her performance. She also 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 Celebrity Poker Showdown against Lauren Graham, who had a guest role in the fourth season of NewsRadio. Tierney returned to the stage in May 2006 in an appearance opposite Eric McCormack in the Off-Broadway premiere of Some Girl(s). She also appeared in the 2008 films Semi-Pro, Baby Mama, The Go-Getter and Finding Amanda. Tierney also played the role of Laurel in the Off-Broadway play Three Changes with Dylan McDermott from September 16 to October 4, 2008.
Tierney returned to television, playing the recurring character Kelly McPhee on Rescue Me in 2009 and 2011 during its final season. She replaced Joely Richardson as the female lead of The Whole Truth after Richardson left to spend more time with her family. Tierney's role in the series, a legal drama produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, marked her return to television after recovering from breast surgery and cancer treatments. ABC canceled The Whole Truth after four episodes owing to low ratings.
In 2010, Tierney became a member of the New York City–based experimental theatre company The Wooster Group. She performed along with Frances McDormand in the Wooster Group's 2010 remounting of North Atlantic, directed by Elizabeth LeCompte. From 2016 to 2019, she played the feminist Germaine Greer in The Town Hall Affair, also directed by LeCompte. Tierney herself conceived the idea for this play, which recreates a raucous debate on Women's Liberation that Norman Mailer organized with prominent feminists in 1971.
In February 2011, Tierney made her debut at the Gate Theatre in the Dublin premiere of Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage (translation by Christopher Hampton) alongside Ardal O'Hanlon. Also in 2011, Tierney appeared in one episode of The Office as Robert California's wife.
In September 2012, Tierney began a recurring role on the legal drama The Good Wife, playing Maddie Hayward. The role included scenes with the show's lead character Alicia Florrick, as played by Julianna Margulies; the two actors had previously worked together on ER, Margulies like Tierney having previously played a lead character on that show. In 2013, Tierney joined the cast of The Affair, playing Helen Solloway, for which she won the Golden Globe Award in 2016.
In 2018, Tierney co-starred with Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet in the dark family drama film Beautiful Boy, based on the memoir of the same name by David Sheff. In 2019, Tierney appeared in The Report as "an intense, driven, somewhat vengeful Counterterrorism expert determined to get behind any program that promises to get the intel that will stop another attack from happening." Also in 2019, Tierney originated the lead role of Elizabeth in the West Coast premiere of Jen Silverman's play Witch at the Geffen Playhouse, directed by Marti Lyons.
In March 2020, Tierney joined the cast of American Rust. In October 2020, Tierney joined the cast of Your Honor.
In 2023, she appeared in Sean Durkin's wrestling drama The Iron Claw. In 2024, she appeared in Lee Isaac Chung's Twisters, a sequel to the 1996 film Twister. That same year, Tierney joined the cast of Law & Order for season 24, portraying a new lieutenant replacing Camryn Manheim.
Personal life In 1992, Tierney met actor-director Billy Morrissette on the first day he arrived in Los Angeles. They married on February 1, 1993. Morrissette directed, and both he and Tierney appear in, the 2001 film Scotland, PA. The couple separated on March 7, 2006 and in late July 2006, citing irreconcilable differences, she filed for divorce, which was later finalized.
On February 1, 2009, Tierney officiated at the wedding of her friend and former ER co-star Parminder Nagra to photographer James Stenson.
Tierney had surgery to remove a tumor from her breast in 2009. She had been cast in Parenthood but schedule conflicts with her cancer treatments led her to leave and she was replaced by Lauren Graham.Abrams, Natalie. "Gilmore Girls' Lauren Graham Takes Starring Role in Parenthood", TVGuide.com, October 9, 2009. Tierney finished treatment and returned to work in a stage play in 2010.
Filmography +Key Denotes works that have not yet been released Film Year Title Role Notes 1991 Dead Women in Lingerie Molly Field The Linguini Incident Cecelia 1992 White Sands Noreen Fly by Night Denise 1993 The Temp Sharon Derns 1995 Mercy Simonet 1996 Primal Fear Naomi Chance 1997 Liar Liar Audrey Reede Broadway Brawler Unfinished film1998 Primary Colors Daisy Green The Thin Pink Line Suzanne 1999 Forces of Nature Bridget Cahill Oxygen Detective Madeline Foster Instinct Lynn Powell 2000 Mexico City Pam (voice) 2001 Scotland, PA Pat McBeth Also producer 2002 Insomnia Rachel Clement Rooftop Kisses Denise Short film The Nazi Helen Short film 2003 Melvin Goes to Dinner Leslie 2004 Welcome to Mooseport Sally Mannis 2006 Danny Roane: First Time Director Herself Diggers Gina 2007 The Go-Getter Pets 2008 Semi-Pro Lynn Baby Mama Caroline Finding Amanda Lorraine Mendon 2012 Nature Calls Janine 2017Anything Laurette Sachman 2018 Beautiful Boy Karen 2019 The Report Bernadette 2023 The Iron Claw Doris Von Erich 2024 Twisters Cathy Carter 2026 Diedre Nickels Short film
Television Year Title Role Notes 1987 Student Exchange Kathy Maltby Television film 1988 Crossing the Mob Michelle Television film The Van Dyke Show Jillian Ryan 10 episodes 1989 Family Ties Darlene Episode: "My Best Friend's Girl" 1990 Booker Donna Cofax Episode: "Reunion" Flying Blind Donna Television film 1991 Law & Order Patricia "Patti" Blaine Episode: "Aria" 1994 Lifestories: Families in Crisis Episode: "A Body to Die For: The Aaron Henry Story" 704 Hauser Cherlyn Markowitz Television miniseries Out of Darkness Meg Television film Roseanne Kim Episode: "Slepper" 1995–1999 NewsRadio Lisa Miller 97 episodes 1999–2009 ER Dr. Abby Lockhart 189 episodes 2000 King of the Hill Tanya (voice) Episode: "Movin' On Up" Sammy Kathy Kelly (voice) 9 episodes 2009 Parenthood Sarah Braverman Unaired Television pilot; replaced by Lauren Graham 2009–2011 Rescue Me Kelly McPhee 9 episodes 2010–2011 The Whole Truth Kathryn Peale 13 episodes 2011 The Office Susan California Episode: "Mrs. California" 2012–2013 The Good Wife Maddie Hayward 7 episodes 2012 Ruth & Erica Erica 10 episodes 2014–2019 The Affair Helen Solloway 53 episodes 2018 Electric Dreams Irene Lee Episode: "Safe & Sound" 2021 Your Honor Fiona McKee 4 episodes 2021–2024 American Rust Grace Poe 19 episodes 2024–present Law & Order Lieutenant Jessica Brady Main role 2025–present Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 2 episodes
Theatre credits Year Title Role Venue 2006 Some Girl(s) Bobbi Lucille Lortel Theatre An Oak Tree Father (replacement) Barrow Street Theatre 2008 Three Changes Laurel Playwrights Horizons 2013 Lucky Guy Alice McAlary Broadhurst Theatre
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref. 2000 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Favorite Supporting Actress – Comedy/Romance Forces of Nature 2001 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series ER Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series ER 2003 Satellite Awards Best Actress in a Series, Drama ER Phoenix Film Festival Best Ensemble Acting Melvin Goes to Dinner PRISM Awards Performance in a Drama Series Multi-Episode Storyline ER 2007 Performance in a Drama Series Episode ER 2008 Performance in a Drama Series Multi-Episode Storyline ER 2016 Golden Globe Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television The Affair Critics' Choice Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series The Affair Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series The Affair Critics' Choice Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series The Affair 2017 Satellite Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television The Affair 2019 Gracie Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Drama The Affair
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