Maura Tierney was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on February 3, 1965. She is the daughter of Patricia, a real estate agent, and Joseph M. Tierney, a lawyer. Tierney has two older brothers, Michael and Brian. She attended Milton Academy and then studied drama at New York University.
Tierney began her acting career in the early 1990s with small roles in films such as "Dead Poets Society" (1989) and "Scent of a Woman" (1992). In 1994, she landed her breakout role as Lisa Miller on the NBC drama "ER". Tierney played Miller for seven seasons, and her performance earned her an Emmy Award nomination.
