Born:
February 03, 1965
in
Boston, Massachusetts
Best Known For:
Playing nurse-turned-doctor Abby in ER.
Early-life:
Maura Therese Tierney was born on February 3, 1965, in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in the city's affluent Hyde Park area. Her mother was a part-time estate agent, her father a prominent local politician, and she has two younger siblings. Maura attended New York University, but dropped out before graduation to go to theatre school instead. To make ends meet while studying, she sold T-shirts door-to-door in college halls of residence. Eventually moved to Los Angeles to find work as an actress.
Career:
Tierney's acting career took a while to take off. She landed parts in TV series The Van Dyke Show and 704 Hauser, but both shows were cancelled after a few episodes. However, in 1995 she won a role in the successful US sitcom NewsRadio, while her performances in the films Primal Fear, Liar Liar, and Forces of Nature brought her to the attention of UK audiences. In 2000, she joined the cast of ER as Abby Lockhart, and was nominated for an Emmy award the following year. She's also appeared in the movies Insomnia and Welcome to Mooseport. Her recent output includes Semi-Pro, Baby Mama, Finding Amanda, Rescue Me, and The Whole Truth.
Quote:
'I prefer living in New York over Los Angeles - or for that matter, any other city I've visited.'
Trivia:
Was cast in the role of Nurse Abigail 'Abby' Lockhart in ER, without an audition.