Robin Tunney Biography

Robin Tunney
Biography

Birth Name
Robin Tunney
Date of birth (location)
19 June 1972
Chicago, Illinois, USA

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Robin Tunney began her career as a child performer in local commercials in her native Chicago, IL. She worked as a model while studying acting at the Chicago Academy of Performing Arts and the Second City Players Workshop. After numerous appearances in local theater, including roles in "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds" and "Bus Stop", the young performer moved to L.A. Almost immediately, she landed roles on the CBS Schoolbreak Special "But He Loves Me" and an episode of the ABC drama "Life Goes On" (both 1991). Tunney went on to play a recurring role on the short-lived FOX drama "Class of '96" (1993) and portrayed a manicurist on the equally short-lived CBS sitcom "Cutters" (1993). She also won praise for her performances as Kathleen Kennedy in "JFK: Reckless Youth" (ABC, 1993) and as a frontier woman in "Riders of the Purple Sage" (TNT, 1996).

On the big screen, Tunney appeared as a popular high school girl attracted to Brendan Fraser's caveman in the pallid comedy "Encino Man" (1994). She also garnered notice for her turn as a suicidal youth in Allen Moyle's ensemble drama "Empire Records" (1995). Andrew Fleming's supernatural "The Craft" (1996) marked her first leading role, as a newcomer to a Catholic school who bonds with three other outcasts. She went on to win accolades and critical bouquets for her performance as a woman with Tourette's syndrome in "Niagara, Niagara" (1997)--her performance earned her the Best Actress-Cuppa Volpe at the 1997 Venice Film Festival, as well as a 1999 Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Female Lead--but her profile increased when she was tapped to star alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in the apocalyptic feature "End of Days" (1999), the visually arresting action flick, "Vertical Limit" (2000) and the limp sci-fi thriller "Supernova" (2000).

Ditching big payday roles in middling movies for more challenging fare, Tunney next appeared opposite Nick Nolte in director Alan Rudolph's period piece "Investigating Sex" (2001), playing one of a pair of stenographers employed to engage in frank sexual discussions with a group of 1920s bohemians and their mentor (Nolte). She also gave a tour de force performance as a romantically confused woman placed under house arrest in the challenging but uneven comic thriller "Cherish" (2002) before returning to the mainstream in the 2003 remake of the comedy classic "The In-Laws" playing CIA agent Michael Douglas' tough-as-nails partner.

Most recently, Tunney starred in the feature film “Runaway,” which premiered at the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival. Her next feature was the independent feature film “Open Window,” in which she played a victim of sexual assault. Tunney was last seen in the drama/thriller “Paparazzi” as the wife of a high-profile movie star being stalked by a photographer. Also in 2004, Tunney starred in the feature films “Shadow of Fear” and “In Control of All Things,” based on the famous Zodiac Killer case before appearing in the premiere of medical drama "House, M.D.".

Tunney can now be seen in the Brett Ratner (Red Dragon, X-Men 3) produced Fox's megahit show "Prison Break" (2005 - ) in which she portrays Michael Scofield's attorney.