Maura Tierney’s 10 Best Movies and TV Shows

The best of Maura Tierneys movies and TV shows highlight an amazing career of a character actor who has been steadily working in the business for decades. Tierney’s professional acting career began in the late 1980s, but it was in the early ’90s when she started getting more substantial roles and her talents recognized on a larger scale. From that point on, Tierney became a fixture in high-profile roles, ranging from broad comedies to intense dramas to the occasional blockbuster.

Tierney’s movie career is not full of huge starring roles, but she has worked with some incredible directors, like Christopher Nolan, while starring alongside actors like Jim Carrey, Adam Driver and Glen Powell. However, Tierney is also one of those actors who transitions back and forth between movies and television effortlessly, starring in several acclaimed series throughout her career. Looking back over her years in the business, it’s no surprise that Tierney is still a sought-after character actor as her talents always shine through.

10

American Rust (2021-2024)

Like Grace Po

Maura Tierney starred opposite another acclaimed character actor, Jeff Daniels, in the gritty crime drama, American rust. The series is set in the American rust belt in a small community ravaged by poverty and drug addiction. Tierney plays Grace Poe, a local woman whose son dies. His death is investigated by the town sheriff (Daniels), with whom Grace shares a passionate story. However, the case soon threatens to expose the city’s dark secrets and force people to choose between duty and love.

Tierney shines in the complex role of a woman trapped in a poisonous city and struggling to survive. However, she also brings a darkness to Grace that is different from her typical warm and maternal roles that she has excelled at. American rust It may not be on the same level as some of Tierney’s other classic shows, but it remains a gripping series elevated by excellent performances.

9

Pretty Boy (2018)

Like corn

Maura Tierney has joined several acclaimed actors in a harrowing drama based on a true story. beautiful boy is based on the memoirs of Nic and David Sheff, which details Nic’s ongoing struggles with drug addiction as a young man and David’s efforts to help him. Timothée Chalamet stars as Nick while Steve Carell plays his father, David, who copes with the various cases of addiction, recovery and relapses that Nick goes through.

Tierney joins the cast as Karen, Nick’s stepmother. It’s a strong supporting role in the movie as Nick and David’s relationship becomes increasingly tumultuous, and as Nick’s addiction worsens, Karen is the rock at the center that holds everyone together in many ways. The movie is a brutally honest look at the devastating effects of addiction and the ramifications it can have on loving relationships within a family.

8

Twisters (2024)

Like Kathy Carter

It’s rare to see Maura Tierney in a blockbuster, but fans got an unexpected treat when she landed a memorable supporting role this summer Twisters. Twisters is the standalone sequel to the classic Tornado movie Twister (1996) with Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt. The updated version stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as a former storm chaser who is pulled back into the dangerous business after a traumatizing incident when a new method of reducing the impact of the storms is discovered. Then she partners with a wild but intelligent fellow Chaser (Glen Powell) to tackle storm season.

Tierney pops up in the second half of the movie as Cathy Carter, the mother of Edgar-Jones’ character, Kate. In her smaller supporting role, Tierney shows the audience where Kate’s toughness comes from while also bringing a dose of humor and heart. It’s especially sweet to see how proud Kathy is of Kate’s accomplishments. The movie itself is a worthy sequel to TwisterMaking for a fun throwback popcorn movie for the summer crowd.

7

The Report (2019)

Like Bernadette

Maura Tierney often plays kind and nurturing characters in her various projects, but this political thriller The report Use this reputation to make you a chilling yet reserved figure. The report is based on the true story of the compilation of a report that exposed the CIA’s use of torture tactics on detainees during the war on terror. Adam Driver stars as Daniel Jones, who led the Senate Intelligence Committee’s investigation.

Although Tierney is one of the few fictional characters in the movie, her composite character Bernadette is essential to the story. She represents a CIA. Agent, who not only uses torture tactics in investigations and helps develop the most effective methods, but she also continues to protect them as a necessity when the truth is exposed. The film is a gripping and thoughtful look at a shocking modern-day political scandal that changed the perception of America around the world.

6

NewsRadio (1995–1999)

Like Lisa Miller

While Maura Tierney’s later television projects would be more intense dramas, her first major starring television role was in the sitcom NewsRadio. The show followed the colorful cast of characters who were the staff of a news radio station in New York City. Dave Foley led the ensemble as the intelligent and capable news director, Dave, while Tierney plays his love interest, the ambitious reporter Lisa.

Foley and Tierney make the grounded center of the show with their charming romance. however, NewsRadio Works so well because of the strong ensemble around them, with the likes of Stephen Root as the station’s billionaire owner, Joe Rogan as the station’s simple handyman, and Phil Hartman as the pompous star reporter. Although it is sometimes overshadowed by some of the more popular shows of the 1990s, NewsRadio remains one of the best sitcoms of all time.

5

Insomnia (2002)

Like Rachel Clement

Maura Tierney had the opportunity to work with one of the biggest directors in Hollywood just as his career in Hollywood was taking off. After the success of MementoChristopher Nolan’s first studio movie was the thriller InsomniaBased on the 1997 Swedish movie of the same name. Insomnia Starring Al Pacino as a troubled Los Angeles detective who, while on leave from his job, flies to a remote Alaskan community to help investigate a murder. Suffering from guilt and affected by the endless daylight in the town, he begins to lose himself.

Tierney has a strong supporting role in the movie as Rachel Clement, the kind but reserved owner of the hotel where Pacino’s Will Dormer is staying.. While she has brief moments of connection with Dormer throughout the movie, Tierney shines in one pivotal scene in which she opens up to the detective and helps bring him back to reality. Although a smaller-scale movie than Nolan fans are used to, Insomnia is a gripping thriller made more memorable by an amazing villain turned by Robin Williams as the killer who dances dormer.

4

The Iron Claw (2023)

Like Doris Von Erich

Maura Tierney has played the loving and supportive mother role many times in her career, however The Iron Claw is another movie that warps the reputation and makes for a more interesting character. The Iron Claw is based on the tragic true story of the Von Erich brothers, a group of talented young men who continued the legacy started by their overbearing father to form a dynasty in the world of professional wrestling.

Tierney stars in the movie as Doris Von Erich, the matriarch of the family. As the only female in the household, Doris stays out of the family business and turns a blind eye to her husband’s harsh treatment and the high expectations he places on their sons. However, when tragedy continues to befall the family, it is difficult for Doris to ignore these issues. The Iron Claw is a raw and emotional sports story that fans may not know about, featuring incredible performances from Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White and Holt McCallany.

3

Liar Liar (1997)

Like Audrey Reid

Although Maura Tierney’s career was not filled with comedy roles, she held her own against one of the biggest comedy stars of all time. Jim Carrey stars in liar liar As Fletcher Reede, a career-focused lawyer who keeps breaking his promises to his young son. Fed up with him, Fletcher’s son uses his birthday wish to ask that his father not be able to tell a lie for a single day. When the wish comes true, Fletcher finds himself in a difficult situation with a job that requires constant lying.

Tierney is charming as Audrey, Fletcher’s ex-wife who is torn between her love for him and her disappointment at seeing him give up their son.. She is the grounded center of the movie, but there is no denying the highlight of liar liar is Kerry’s hilarious performance. The premise allows him to fully embrace his manic energy, with Fletcher’s antics becoming more outrageous as the true unwillingness spills out of him.

2

The Affair (2014-2019)

Like Helen Solloway

Maura Tierney returned to television for another starring role in the gripping mystery drama The affair. The show stars Dominic West and Ruth Wilson as Noah and Alison, two married strangers who happen to meet and form a quick connection. Their flirting quickly turns into more as they begin an extramarital affair. However, their relationship has lasting consequences that neither of them could have foreseen. The series takes an interesting approach to seeing relationships from various perspectives and shows how the truth can be blurred.

Tierney plays Helen Solloway, Noah’s wife with whom he shares four kids. Their marriage is torn apart over the course of the series, with Tierney playing the anger, heartbreak and acceptance of the situation expertly. As the series went on, Helen became an even more central character, being upgraded to a leading role in the final season.

1

he (1999-2009)

Like Dr. Abby Lockhart

He is one of the best medical dramas in television history and a show that helped change the course of series. It also featured an incredible ensemble of actors over the years, with Maura Tierney standing out in the ever-changing ensemble. The series followed the various medical professionals at the fictional Cook County General Hospital in Chicago as they dealt with life-or-death cases while also struggling with their own personal issues.

Tierney was introduced in He Season 6 as Dr. Abby Lockhartwho quickly became one of the main characters in the series. Abby was a complex character, starting out as a nurse who aspired to be a doctor but struggled financially through medical school. She also has a number of personal storylines that add layers to the character, such as her mother with bipolar disorder and her own battle with alcoholism. Abby is gone He Before its series finale, however, she remained a key part of the gripping show’s long legacy.