Five Fast Facts About Former Law & Order: SVU Star Tamara Tunie

Tamara Tunie is has done some amazing work on television, in movies, and in the theater. Between her memorable soap opera career, films, and impact on network television with her long-running role on Law & Order: SVU, there’s really nothing she hasn’t been able to conquer!

She recurred on many primetime shows including NYPD Blue, 24, and Blue Bloods and was also in many films, including as the narrator of Eve’s Bayou. From where she grew up to balancing three different television shows at once, here are five fast facts you need to know about former Law & Order: SVU star Tamara Tunie.

In the Beginning
Tunie was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, but she was raised in a town called Homestead, which is just south of Pittsburg. In fact, her family ran a funeral home business in Pittsburg — which probably accounts for why she’s a big Pittsburg Steelers fan. Tunie got her degree from Carnegie Mellon University, which is in Pittsburg.

First Major Role
Tunie’s first major role was on the very long-running soap opera, As the World Turns, as Jessica Griffin. She started on the show back in 1987 and stayed on until 1995. She then took a bit of a break from the show, but ended up returning in 2000 and stayed on until 2009.

Award-Winner
Many people don’t know this about Tunie, but she actually won a Tony Award back in 2007 for producing the Broadway musical Spring Awakening. The show, which began its Broadway run in 2006, jump-started the career of some major stars like Jonathan Groff and Lea Michele (Glee). She also won the Drama Desk Award in 2007 for the musical.

Three Roles At Once
Actors love to work, and Tunie sure does love to stay busy! Back in 2002, she was actually performing in three different shows at the very same time. She was shooting As the World Turns, Law & Order: SVU, and 24 all at once — having to go between all three.

Getting Personal
Tunie has been married two different times to two different men named Greg. She married her first husband, Greg Bouquett, in 1988, but they called it quits in 1991. She then married her second husband, Gregory Generet, in 1995, but they decided to separate in 2015.