Why Grace Poe From American Rust Looks So Familiar
Showtime has an interesting case on its hands, following the end of Season 1 of "American Rust." On one hand, the crime drama series failed to impress critics; it sports a less-than-impressive 28% critics score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, with a Metascore of 48 on Metacritic. HBO's "Mare of Easttown," by comparison, enjoys a 95% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and is marked as a must-watch on Metacritic, with a Metascore of 81. While stacking these respective shows against each other might seem an exercise in futility, they're arguably cut from the same cloth, telling tales of murder investigations in small, decaying Pennsylvania towns.
As we wait for news of a potential "American Rust" Season 2, the show at least has the viewers on its side. Despite feeling the wrath of reviewers, "American Rust" performed much better with its audience, racking up a respectable 75% audience score and managing a 6.7 out of 10 from Metacritic users. This explanation for this disparity likely lies in the performance of the show's cast, which, indeed, has plenty of star power. Actor Jeff Daniels plays police chief Del Harris, who's tasked with investigating an apparent murder in the tiny hamlet of Buell, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately for Del, it's not just any murder; the deceased is a former cop and the accused, Billy Poe (Alex Neustaedter), is the son of Grace Poe, the woman he loves.
Viewers should easily recognize the object of Del's affection — or, Maura Tierney, the actor behind her — from her previous roles. Here's why Grace Poe from "American Rust" looks so familiar.
Tierney played Lisa Miller on NewsRadio
Before she was winning the hearts of small-town law enforcement, Maura Tierney charmed viewers as part of the cast of "NewsRadio." The hit '90s sitcom from NBC followed the day-to-day goings on at the fictional WNYX news station and featured a ton of comedic talent. Comedian and actor Dave Foley — known for his work on sketch comedy show "The Kids in the Hall" — starred as the station's slightly awkward news director Dave Nelson, whose primary function seems to be managing the ego of co-anchor Bill McNeal (Phil Hartman). He's also got to deal with the bumblings of reporter Matthew Brock (Andy Dick), the conspiracies of handyman Joe Garrelli (Joe Rogan), and the seemingly constant meddling of the station's super-rich owner, Jimmy James (Stephen Root).
But fear not, Dave's got plenty of backup in the form of the multitalented Lisa Miller (Tierney), with whom he shares an on-off, will-they-won't-they romantic connection. In a workplace full of people with issues, Lisa's totally grounded, though not above showing off her obvious intelligence. Viewers finally got an answer to the Dave-Lisa question when she married guest character Johnny Johnson (Patrick Warburton) in the show's fifth season. The fifth and final season also saw the arrival of Jon Lovitz in the role of Max Louis, a character the show's writers introduced to replace Bill McNeal following Phil Hartman's tragic 1998 murder at the hands of his wife, Brynn.
She played Audrey Reede in Liar Liar
While "NewsRadio" was still going strong, Maura Tierney appeared opposite comedian and actor Jim Carrey in the heartstring-tugging comedy "Liar Liar." When attorney Fletcher Reede, disappointing dad and chronic abuser of the truth, lets his son Max (Justin Cooper) down once again — on his birthday, no less — Max blows out the candles on his birthday cake by wishing that his father would be unable to lie for a single day. When the wish comes true, Fletcher finds out just how difficult it is to tell the truth all the time. Rather, he doesn't find it difficult at all — he has no choice; it just comes coursing out of him with no filter — but the consequences of his candor cause plenty of conflicts.
Tierney plays Fletcher's sweet and far-too-patient ex-wife Audrey. She's got a good thing going with her boyfriend Jerry (Cary Elwes), who's so darn wholesome it's sickening. But Jerry's work is taking him to Boston and he wants her and Max to come with him. On one hand, Audrey worries what could happen to Max if she takes him away from his father. On the other, she's got plenty of reasons to believe Fletcher will just keep breaking their son's heart. When Fletcher is forced to tell the truth for an entire day, who knows what else can change?
"Liar Liar" was a hit in every sense of the word. It enjoys an 82% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and raked in $302 million worldwide against a $45 million production budget, according to The Numbers.
Maura Tierney played Bridget Cahill in Forces of Nature
In the 1999 romantic comedy "Forces of Nature," there are about a baker's dozen things standing in the way of Ben Holmes (Ben Affleck) getting from New York City to his wedding to Bridget Cahill (Maura Tierney) in Savannah, Georgia, but the biggest of them is Sarah Lewis (Sandra Bullock). First, nervous flyer Ben sits next to Sarah on a flight that gets grounded after a bird flies into one of the engines. When they pool with another passenger named Vic to rent a car and drive it, they all end up getting arrested because he's smoking cannabis. Train, bus, jogging, Ben and Sarah try nearly every practical mode of transportation imaginable — including buying a used car with what he earns stripping at a gay bar — to try to get to Savannah but things keep happening and they develop an ever-increasing bond and attraction. Is Ben, who wasn't really that enthused about getting married in the first place, really going to completely change his life for this woman he's only just met?
Don't worry, Bridget gets the guys in the end. "Forces of Nature" manages a mediocre 45% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus citing a lack of chemistry between Affleck and Bullock. The film didn't fare much better with audiences, grossing $93.9 million against a $75 million production budget, according to Box Office Mojo. The film also served as a punchline between Affleck and frequent co-star Matt Damon when they made cameos as themselves in 2001's "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," from their friend and frequent director Kevin Smith. When Affleck disparages Damon's recent career choices, the latter retorts "I take it you haven't seen 'Forces of Nature,'" as part of a back and forth savagely putting down each other's movies.
She played Abby Lockhart on ER
Following her time on "NewsRadio," Maura Tierney switched things up and moved from sitcoms into the medical drama genre. In 1999, she joined the cast of "ER," created by "Jurassic Park" author Michael Crichton and one of the most bingeworthy medical dramas of all time. Debuting in 1994, "ER" followed the work and personal lives of the doctors and nurses at the fictional County General Hospital in Chicago. The show provided breakout roles for actors like George Clooney, Julianna Margulies, and Noah Wyle. Over the 15 seasons "ER" was on the air, its cast also featured the likes of Anthony Edwards, Laura Innes, Maria Bello, Alex Kingston, Goran Visnjic, Ming-Na Wen, Mekhi Phifer, Parminder Nagra, Shane West, John Stamos, and Angela Bassett.
Tierney played the part of Abby Lockhart, initially a guest-starring role as the delivery nurse for Margulies' character, Carol Hathaway. She went on to join the main cast of "ER," appearing as a med student who's begun a rotation in emergency room medicine. Over the course of the show, Abby was involved with more than one of her fellow doctors, including Wyle's Dr. John Carter, though she eventually marries Visnjic's Dr. Luka Kovač, with whom she had a son named Joe. The character is consistently ranked among fans' favorites from the series, as seen in multiple Reddit threads on the topic.
The first two seasons of "ER" hold 83% and 100% critics scores on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively, though not all seasons were rated sufficiently to calculate a score.
Tierney played Sally Mannis in Welcome to Mooseport
Maura Tierney's filmography also includes a well-meaning romantic comedy that didn't fare well: 2004's "Welcome to Mooseport." When the tiny, fictional Maine town of Mooseport is left without a mayor following the death of the current office holder, the town council asks retired former president of the United States Monroe "Eagle" Cole (Gene Hackman) to step into the role. While it's hardly befitting the former leader of the free world, he decides to take the job in order to thwart his ex-wife Charlotte (Christine Baranski) from getting their vacation property in Mooseport, since it will serve as his office. The thing is, local repairman Harold "Handy" Harrison (Ray Romano) had already stepped up; Handy initially plans to withdraw, in deference to the Eagle — that is, until the former president hits on his longtime girlfriend, local veterinarian Sally Mannis (Tierney), who's grown increasingly impatient with the fact that Handy has not proposed to her. Handy stays in the race in an attempt to save his relationship with Sally, who Eagle has asked out, not knowing she was involved with Handy at the time. Silly antics ensue and things come to a head in ridiculous fashion when they agree to settle who has the right to court Sally on the golf course. She's surprisingly less than thrilled about it.
"Welcome to Mooseport" was savaged by critics, resulting in a bleak 13% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film absolutely flopped at the box office as well, grossing a meager $14.5 million against its $25 million budget, according to The Numbers. "Welcome to Mooseport" was Hackman's final film role before retiring from acting.
She had a recurring role as Kelly McPhee on Rescue Me
In 2009, Maura Tierney began a nine-episode arc as a recurring character on FX's firefighter dramedy "Rescue Me." Following the ins and outs of the Ladder 62 company of the New York City Fire Department's, the series primarily focused on firefighter Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary), who's known for his temper and antics as much as his bravery in the face of danger. An alcoholic from a family with a long history with the illness, Gavin is a heavy drinker who uses alcohol as a means of dealing with the stress of the job and his grief and PTSD over losing his cousin, Jimmy Keefe (James McCaffrey), and other fellow firefighters in the September 11 terror attacks.
While that doesn't sound like a recipe for a lot of laughs on the surface, the show's storylines made for great comedic television. Tommy's home life isn't much a picnic either and his relationship with his wife, Janet (Andrea Roth), is generally strained at even the best of times. Fortunately, the guys at the station are there to prop him up — from lovable screw-up Sean Garrity (Steven Pasquale), the strong and fiery Franco Rivera (Daniel Sunjata), and goofball probationary fireman Mike Siletti (Michael Lombadi) to old war horses like Lt. "Lou" Shea (John Scurti) and Chief "Needles" Nelson (Adam Ferrara) — though he'd often butt heads with the lot of them.
Tierney joined the cast in "Rescue Me" Season 5, taking on the role of Kelly McPhee, a woman who runs into a burning building the crew is trying to maintain. She serves as a love interest for Tommy and eventually becomes his girlfriend, though she later develops breast cancer, as Tierney did in real life (via Yahoo Entertainment).
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Tierney also played Helen Solloway on The Affair
Prior to joining the cast of "American Rust," Maura Tierney hit Showtime airwaves as part of the cast of "The Affair." She took on the role of Helen Solloway in the drama series, which told of an affair between her husband and a waitress in the popular vacation destination of Montauk, New York. Dominic West took on the role of Helen's husband, Noah Solloway, who becomes entangled with Montauk diner waitress Alison Bailey (Ruth Wilson). Neither participant's home life was exactly in order when they led each other astray. While Noah's family life with Helen and their children — Whitney (Julia Goldani Telles), Martin (Jake Siciliano), Trevor (Jadon Sand) and Stacey (Leya Catlett) — is happy, he clearly feels trapped by the family's financial reliance on her father, best-selling author Bruce Butler (John Doman). Meanwhile, Alison is trying to figure out her own broken life — including her marriage to husband Cole Lockhart (Joshua Jackson in one of his best performances) — after the couple lost their 4-year-old son.
"The Affair" takes an interesting approach to its narrative, telling the story from the perspective of one adulterous party, then retelling it from the vantage point of the other, so as to incorporate each party's perspective and recollection. When Season 2 of "The Affair" arrived, viewers began to get events from Helen and Cole's points of view, with Helen and Noah in the middle of divorce proceedings. She eventually becomes involved with Dr. Vik Ullah (Omar Metwally), who treated one of her kids for a life-threatening medical condition.
"The Affair" did well with critics, with three of the show's five seasons earning critics score of 90% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes. Tierney received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2016 and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film the same year.