The one and only Tamara Tunie joins me in The Locher Room to discuss her upcoming starring role in A Journal for Jordan directed by Denzel Washington opening on Christmas Day. Ms. Tunie is also set to narrate a documentary about the domestic assault on the Capitol complex. Preserving Democracy: Pursuing a More Perfect Union is a two-hour doc, which will air on January 6, 2022 on PBS. The doc will examine the pursuit of democracy, within the U.S. and others, on the anniversary of the 2021 Capitol riot. She can currently be seen in Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop.

Ms. Tunie has starred for 18 seasons as Medical Examiner Dr. Melinda Warner in Wolf Films/Universal Media Studio’s top-rated series “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” She starred as Marie Van Der Veen, the matriarch and the “moral fiber” of a Native American tribe, on Sundance TV’s THE RED ROAD. The role is a marked departure from the sophisticated and powerful women she is known for portraying. Ms. Tunie, also, starred in AMC’s series DIETLAND and the BBC/Netflix political drama Black Earth Rising.

Ms. Tunie has had other memorable roles on television, most notably as the longstanding character Jessica Griffin on the CBS Daytime Drama “As The World Turns,” for which she received two NAACP Image Award nominations and two Soap Opera Digest award nominations. She also appeared in the highly visible role of Alberta Green in Season One of the hit series “24”, as well as recurring roles and guest appearances on “Almost Family” “Emergence”, “Better Call Saul”, “Blue Bloods, “Billions”, “Alpha House”, “Elementary” “Survivor’s Remorse”, “Zoo”, "The Good Wife”, “Law and Order,” “Sex and the City,” and “NYPD Blue”, to name a handful.

In film, Ms. Tunie worked with legendary director Robert Zemekis, opposite Denzel Washington in “FLIGHT”, and has worked with several other of the most respected directors of the screen, including Taylor Hackford, Brian De Palma, Mimi Leder, Harold Becker and Oliver Stone. She had the unique opportunity to work with the legendary Al Pacino twice; she portrayed the possessed wife of a partner in his law firm in the hit film “The Devil’s Advocate,” and his press secretary in “City Hall.” She also worked with famed director Kasi Lemmons and Samuel L. Jackson on both “Eve’s Bayou” and “The Caveman’s Valentine.” Ms. Tunie was also featured in some wonderful “Indies”, like “Irreplaceable You”, “Fall to Rise” and “Bad Vegan”.

Ms. Tunie is a founding member of Black Theatre United.

Original Airdate: 12/17/2021