Maura Tierney Recalls Her Roles in ER, Twisters and More

Maura Tierney‘s resume includes some of the biggest projects in TV, film and the stage.

After appearing in a few TV movies in the late ‘80s, Tierney, 59, scored her first big role on Dick Van Dyke’s The Van Dyke Show in 1988. “I was so freaking young,” she recalls exclusively in the newest issue of Us Weekly.

Tierney had only been in Los Angeles for one year when she worked with the legendary actor, whom she describes to Us as “truly the nicest man.” She adds: “He had stories to tell. I didn’t find that, like, he was tripping over sofas — he just was a very entertaining guy who’d seen a lot, you know?”

Years after acting alongside the iconic star, she is set to join one of TV’s most iconic shows, Law & Order, when it returns for its latest season next month.

“I’ve never played a cop before,” she tells Us of her character, Lt. Jessica Grady. “[She is] very capable, kind of terse, [laughing] not very charming.”

Tierney tells Us that she also loved getting to film in New York City, the location of her alma mater, New York University. “You’re not in a studio or on a stage for 12 hours a day,” she says. “Just out in the world.”

Tierney takes Us into her world by revisiting some of her biggest projects below:

‘NewsRadio’ (1995-1999)

A career highlight was working with comedy legends Phil Hartman and Dave Foley on the hit sitcom. “It had its own logic, similar to 30 Rock,” she says. “We did bizarre episodes like NewsRadio on the Titanic [or] in space. It was hilarious and unique.”

‘Liar Liar’ (1997)

Her first blockbuster – and a departure for the previously “goofy” actor Jim Carrey. “It was one of the first times he played a real human with emotions,” Tierney says. “Jim Carrey is a serious guy, and he took the job very seriously. “I mostly tried to be quiet and not distract him.”

‘ER’ (1999-2009)

She nabbed Emmy and SAG award nods for her seasons 6-15 role as “unsentimental and really dry” Abby Lockhart. “People tell me they became a nurse after watching,” she reveals. The stage-trained actress also relished in ER’s infamous long, single-take scenes. “It was like a play. One time we did 16 pages [of script] in one take!”

‘Rescue Me’ (2009-2011)

When Tierney got the call to join Denis Leary‘s firefighter drama post-ER, she leapt at the chance to play someone so unlike Abby. Kelly McPhee “was a rock & roll manager, very balls out.” Like Tierney, Kelly also battled cancer.

Bonus: “The wardrobe was, as my aunt would say, dynamite!” she recalls. “I still have a Versace leather jacket was able to take with me.”

‘Lucky Guy’ (April 1, 2013)

Tierney auditioned for Broadway’s Lucky Guy because she wanted to meet director George C. Wolfe and found herself cast opposite Tom Hanks. “We were sold out every night, standing ovation every night,” she says. “Tom is lovely. There’s nothing not fun about it. You’re meeting Bruce Springsteen. Everyone came.”

Skydiving (February 2024)

After doing her first skydive on the spur of the moment during a trip to Spain, Tierney was hooked. “It’s such an amazing reset,” she enthuses. “There would be world peace if everyone jumped out of a plane.” She made the leap again for her Feb. 3 birthday and plans to do it annually.

‘Twisters’ (2024)

This “big fat action movie,” in which she played mom to Daisy Edgar-Jones‘ storm-chaser, was a summer smash. “Everyone did an amazing job,” says Tierney — who doesn’t even mind her lack of twister scenes. “I don’t think the mom should have tagged along,” she offers, laughing. “She would have been a buzzkill for their little love story!”

For more on Tierney’s career evolution, pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly on newsstands now. Law & Order season 24 premieres on NBC Thursday, October 3, at 8 p.m. ET

With reporting by Andrea Simpson