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Tamara Tunie

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Tamara Tunie

Tamara Tunie (born March 14, 1959) is an American film, stage, and television actress, singer, director, and producer. She is best known for her roles as attorney Jessica Griffin on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns (1987–1995, 1999–2007, 2009) and as medical examiner Melinda Warner in the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2000–2021). Tunie also appeared in films such as Rising Sun (1993), The Devil's Advocate (1997), The Caveman's Valentine (2001) receiving an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Female, Flight (2012), and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022).

Infobox

Born
(1959-03-14) March 14, 1959 (age 66)McKeesport, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Other names
Tamara Tunie Boquett
Education
Carnegie Mellon University (BFA)
Occupations
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Years active
1981–present
Spouses
mw- Greg Bouquett (m. 1988; div. 1991) Gregory Generet (m. 1995; div. 2018)

Tables

· Filmography › Film
1987
Sweet Lorraine
Role(s)
Julie
Wall Street
Role(s)
Carolyn
1989
Bloodhounds of Broadway
Role(s)
Cynthia Harris
1993
Rising Sun
Role(s)
Lauren Smith
1996
City Hall
Role(s)
Leslie Christos
Rescuing Desire
Role(s)
Van
Quentin Carr
Role(s)
Detective
Notes
Short film
1997
Spirit Lost
Role(s)
Anne
Eve's Bayou
Role(s)
Narrator
The Peacemaker
Role(s)
Jody
The Devil's Advocate
Role(s)
Mrs. Jackie Heath
1998
Snake Eyes
Role(s)
Anthea, reporter
2001
The Caveman's Valentine
Role(s)
Sheila Ledbetter
2007
AfterLife
Role(s)
Nicole
Notes
Short film
2012
Missed Connections
Role(s)
Felicity Gray
Flight
Role(s)
Margaret Thomason
2014
The Power of Our Presence
Role(s)
Narrator
Notes
Short film
Fall to Rise
Role(s)
Annika
2016
Bad Vegan and the Teleportation Machine
Role(s)
Josephine Bodder
2018
Irreplaceable You
Role(s)
Jane
Her Only Choice
Role(s)
Brenda
2021
A Journal for Jordan
Role(s)
Penny Canedy
2022
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody
Role(s)
Cissy Houston
2025
Elio
Role(s)
Colonel Markwell (voice)
Looking Through Water
Role(s)
Estel Reno
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1987
Sweet Lorraine
Julie
Wall Street
Carolyn
1989
Bloodhounds of Broadway
Cynthia Harris
1993
Rising Sun
Lauren Smith
1996
City Hall
Leslie Christos
Rescuing Desire
Van
Quentin Carr
Detective
Short film
1997
Spirit Lost
Anne
Eve's Bayou
Narrator
The Peacemaker
Jody
The Devil's Advocate
Mrs. Jackie Heath
1998
Snake Eyes
Anthea, reporter
2001
The Caveman's Valentine
Sheila Ledbetter
2007
AfterLife
Nicole
Short film
2012
Missed Connections
Felicity Gray
Flight
Margaret Thomason
2014
The Power of Our Presence
Narrator
Short film
Fall to Rise
Annika
2016
Bad Vegan and the Teleportation Machine
Josephine Bodder
2018
Irreplaceable You
Jane
Her Only Choice
Brenda
2021
A Journal for Jordan
Penny Canedy
2022
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody
Cissy Houston
2025
Elio
Colonel Markwell (voice)
Looking Through Water
Estel Reno
· Filmography › Television
1986
Spenser: For Hire
Role(s)
Nina
Notes
Episode: "Shadowsight"
1987–2007, 2009
Role(s)
As the World Turns
Notes
Jessica Griffin
1993
Tribeca
Role(s)
Pretoria "Tori" Thomas
Notes
Episodes: "The Box", "Honor", "The Rainmaker"
1994–1997
Role(s)
NYPD Blue
Notes
Lillian Fancy
1995
seaQuest DSV
Role(s)
Laura
Notes
Episode: "The Siamese Dream"
New York Undercover
Role(s)
Janice
Notes
Episode: "Bad Girls"
1996
Swift Justice
Role(s)
Jessie McKenna
Notes
Episode: "Bad Medicine"
Law & Order
Role(s)
Caroline Bennett
Notes
Episode: "Deadbeat"
Rebound: The Legend of Earl "The Goat" Manigault
Role(s)
Miss Marcus
Notes
TV movie
1997
Feds
Role(s)
Martha Kershan
Notes
Episode: "Missing Pieces"
Chicago Hope
Role(s)
Lennie Gaghan
Notes
Episode: "Leggo My Ego"
1998
New York Undercover
Role(s)
Lana Brooks
Notes
Episode: "Sign o' the Times"
1999
Sex and the City
Role(s)
Eileen
Notes
Episode: "The Cheating Curve" (Season 2 Episode 6)
2000–2021
Role(s)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Notes
Dr. Melinda Warner
2002
24
Role(s)
Alberta Green
Notes
Recurring role
2003
Nefertiti Resurrected
Role(s)
Narrator
Notes
Documentary
2005
Law & Order: Trial by Jury
Role(s)
Dr. Melinda Warner
Notes
Episode: "Day"
2011
Days of Our Lives
Role(s)
Judge Weston
Notes
2 episodes
2013
The Good Wife
Role(s)
Serafina Norvy
Notes
Episode: "Boom De Yah Da"
Golden Boy
Role(s)
Mrs. Nevel
Notes
Episode: "Scapegoat"
2014
Alpha House
Role(s)
Eve Bettencourt / Eve Simone-Lewis
Notes
2 episodes
2014–2015
Role(s)
The Red Road
Notes
Marie Van Der Veen
2015
Captain Blackout
Role(s)
Jessica Winters
Notes
TV movie
Chicago Fire
Role(s)
Dr. Melinda Warner
Notes
Episode: "We Called Her Jellybean"
Zoo
Role(s)
Brenda Montgomery
Notes
Episode: "First Blood"
Survivor's Remorse
Role(s)
District Attorney Sandra Knowles
Notes
Episode: "A Time to Punch"
2016
Elementary
Role(s)
Lily Cooper
Notes
Episode: "Alma Matters"
Billions
Role(s)
Amelia
Notes
Episode: "YumTime"
2016–2018
Role(s)
Blue Bloods
Notes
Monica Graham
2017–2018
Role(s)
Better Call Saul
Notes
Anita
2018
Dietland
Role(s)
Julia Smith
Notes
Main role
Black Earth Rising
Role(s)
Assistant Secretary Eunice Clayton
2019–2020
Role(s)
Almost Family
Notes
Genevieve Palmer
2019
Emergence
Role(s)
Maria Wilkis
Notes
2 episodes
2021–2022
Role(s)
See
Notes
Nevla (The Bank)
2021
Cowboy Bebop
Role(s)
Ana
2024–2025
Role(s)
Law & Order: Organized Crime
Notes
Dr. Melinda Warner
2025–present
Role(s)
Beyond the Gates
Notes
Anita Dupree
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1986
Spenser: For Hire
Nina
Episode: "Shadowsight"
1987–2007, 2009
As the World Turns
Jessica Griffin
Contract role
1993
Tribeca
Pretoria "Tori" Thomas
Episodes: "The Box", "Honor", "The Rainmaker"
1994–1997
NYPD Blue
Lillian Fancy
Recurring role
1995
seaQuest DSV
Laura
Episode: "The Siamese Dream"
New York Undercover
Janice
Episode: "Bad Girls"
1996
Swift Justice
Jessie McKenna
Episode: "Bad Medicine"
Law & Order
Caroline Bennett
Episode: "Deadbeat"
Rebound: The Legend of Earl "The Goat" Manigault
Miss Marcus
TV movie
1997
Feds
Martha Kershan
Episode: "Missing Pieces"
Chicago Hope
Lennie Gaghan
Episode: "Leggo My Ego"
1998
New York Undercover
Lana Brooks
Episode: "Sign o' the Times"
1999
Sex and the City
Eileen
Episode: "The Cheating Curve" (Season 2 Episode 6)
2000–2021
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Dr. Melinda Warner
Recurring (Seasons 2–6, 13–17, 19, 21–23); Main (Seasons 7–12)
2002
24
Alberta Green
Recurring role
2003
Nefertiti Resurrected
Narrator
Documentary
2005
Law & Order: Trial by Jury
Dr. Melinda Warner
Episode: "Day"
2011
Days of Our Lives
Judge Weston
2 episodes
2013
The Good Wife
Serafina Norvy
Episode: "Boom De Yah Da"
Golden Boy
Mrs. Nevel
Episode: "Scapegoat"
2014
Alpha House
Eve Bettencourt / Eve Simone-Lewis
2 episodes
2014–2015
The Red Road
Marie Van Der Veen
Main role
2015
Captain Blackout
Jessica Winters
TV movie
Chicago Fire
Dr. Melinda Warner
Episode: "We Called Her Jellybean"
Zoo
Brenda Montgomery
Episode: "First Blood"
Survivor's Remorse
District Attorney Sandra Knowles
Episode: "A Time to Punch"
2016
Elementary
Lily Cooper
Episode: "Alma Matters"
Billions
Amelia
Episode: "YumTime"
2016–2018
Blue Bloods
Monica Graham
Recurring role
2017–2018
Better Call Saul
Anita
3 episodes
2018
Dietland
Julia Smith
Main role
Black Earth Rising
Assistant Secretary Eunice Clayton
2019–2020
Almost Family
Genevieve Palmer
Recurring role
2019
Emergence
Maria Wilkis
2 episodes
2021–2022
See
Nevla (The Bank)
6 episodes
2021
Cowboy Bebop
Ana
2024–2025
Law & Order: Organized Crime
Dr. Melinda Warner
2 episodes
2025–present
Beyond the Gates
Anita Dupree
Main role
· Filmography › As a director
2010
See You in September
Role(s)
Director, producer
Year
Title
Notes
2010
See You in September
Director, producer
· Awards and nominations
1995
Soap Opera Digest Awards
Role(s)
Outstanding Supporting Actress
Notes
As the World Turns
2002
Independent Spirit Awards
Role(s)
Best Supporting Female
Notes
The Caveman's Valentine
2003
Soap Opera Digest Awards
Role(s)
Outstanding Supporting Actress
Notes
As the World Turns
NAACP Image Award
Role(s)
Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
2012
St. Louis Film Critics Association
Role(s)
Special Merit
Notes
Flight
2013
Black Reel Awards
Role(s)
Best Supporting Actress
2016
Obie Awards
Role(s)
Distinguished Performance
Notes
Familiar
Year
Association
Category
Nominated work
Result
1995
Soap Opera Digest Awards
Outstanding Supporting Actress
As the World Turns
Nominated
2002
Independent Spirit Awards
Best Supporting Female
The Caveman's Valentine
2003
Soap Opera Digest Awards
Outstanding Supporting Actress
As the World Turns
NAACP Image Award
Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
2004
2012
St. Louis Film Critics Association
Special Merit
Flight
2013
Black Reel Awards
Best Supporting Actress
2016
Obie Awards
Distinguished Performance
Familiar
Won

References

  1. Toronto Star
    https://www.proquest.com/docview/1348312135
  2. McCann, Bob (2010). Encyclopedia of African American actresses in film and television Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company
    https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofaf0000mcca/page/328/mode/2up?q=%22Tamara+Tunie%22+%22March+14%2C+1959%22
  3. Tunie Funeral Home
    http://www.tuniefuneralhomeinc.com/about-us/history-and-staff
  4. Pittsburgh Magazine
    https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/growing-up-in-homestead-tamara-tunie/
  5. cmu.edu
    http://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2020/may/tunie-board-of-trustees.html
  6. soapcentral.com
    https://www.soapcentral.com/theactors/tunie_tamara.php
  7. tamaratunie.com
    https://web.archive.org/web/20120213080120/http://www.tamaratunie.com/pages/a-bit-about-me/biography.php
  8. "Awards for Tamara Tunie"
    https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876645/awards
  9. TV Guide
    https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/tamara-tunie/bio/192485
  10. "Tamara Tunie Awards"
    http://www.ibdb.com/awardperson.asp?id=76781
  11. Obie Awards
    https://web.archive.org/web/20171124165533/http://www.obieawards.com/events/year-2016/
  12. Deadline
    https://deadline.com/2018/04/john-goodman-michaela-coel-to-star-in-netflix-bbc-drama-black-earth-rising-1202379165/
  13. Soaps.com
    https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/550032/brittany-snow-tamara-tunie-almost-family-controversy/
  14. rogerebert.com
    https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/irreplaceable-you-2018
  15. Daytime Confidential
    https://daytimeconfidential.com/2021/10/06/soap-alums-nafessa-williams-and-tamara-tunie-cast-in-whitney-houston-biopic
  16. oldvictheatre.com
    https://www.oldvictheatre.com/stage/event/the-47th
  17. Beyond the Gates
    https://www.soapoperanetwork.com/2024/09/tamara-tunie-anita-dupree-cbs-beyond-the-gates
  18. Beyond The Gates
    https://deadline.com/2024/09/beyond-the-gates-cbs-daytime-drama-casts-tamara-tunie-daphnee-duplaix-karla-mosley-1236093722/
  19. WZUM
    https://www.wzum.org/jazz-blog/2025/11/21/mcgjazz-lgm-6hsk4
  20. Law & Order: SVU
    https://www.eonline.com/fr/news/621487/law-order-svu-s-tamara-tunie-separates-from-husband-gregory-generet-after-20-years-of-marriage
  21. figureskatinginharlem.org
    https://www.figureskatinginharlem.org/
  22. cmu.edu
    https://www.cmu.edu/leadership/board/bot-bios/bio-tunie-tamara.pdf
  23. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/1987/05/01/movies/film-sweet-lorraine.html
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