She’s been a radio reporter and an ER doctor, but this fall Maura Tierney is joining the NYPD as a regular on Law & Order. She’ll play Lieutenant Jessica Grady on the flagship NBC police procedural. Entertainment Weekly has the first look at her at the precinct and teaming up with guest star Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay). Tierney will join the venerable cops-and-lawyers show when its new season premieres on October 3. She’s coming in as a replacement for Camryn Manheim, who played Lieutenant Kate Dixon; Manheim starred in the first three seasons of the revived procedural, which was resurrected by NBC in 2022.
Grady is tough and smart, but don’t expect her to be as personable as Newsradio’s Lisa Miller or ER’s Abby Lockhart. Says Tierney, “I certainly think she’s much less charming than anyone I’ve played. But, I don’t see that as a problem. The character has a hyper attention to detail, which serves her well in her job, but that doesn’t make her super fun. We’re going to have a sense of humor about her, but she’s a very strict boss and doesn’t care very much if the detectives under her like her or not.” She also reveals that she’ll butt heads with Law & Order: Special Victims Unit stalwart Hargitay, who drops by to work on a case involving an AI dating service.
Who Is Maura Tierney?
Boston-born actress Maura Tierney made one of her earliest acting appearances in a 1991 *Law & Order* episode titled “Aria,” portraying the sister of a drug overdose victim. She gained widespread recognition for her role in the critically acclaimed sitcom *Newsradio*, which ran for five seasons but struggled with viewership and timeslot consistency. Following its cancellation, Tierney transitioned to NBC’s hit medical drama *ER*, where she portrayed nurse-turned-doctor Abby Lockhart for a decade.
Outside of television, Tierney has appeared in films such as *Primal Fear*, *Liar Liar*, *Insomnia*, *Semi-Pro*, and *Baby Mama*. She also recurred on *The Good Wife* and *Your Honor* and starred in *The Affair* and *American Rust*. Recently, she received praise for her performances in *The Iron Claw* and *Twisters*.
Tierney’s addition to the *Law & Order* cast comes amid other recent changes. After Jeffrey Donovan exited the show due to creative differences before the strike-shortened 23rd season, he was replaced by Reid Scott. Meanwhile, longtime *Law & Order* star Sam Waterston, who portrayed district attorney Jack McCoy and served as the show’s last connection to its original cast, left the series during Season 23. Tony Goldwyn subsequently stepped in mid-season as the new district attorney, Nicholas Baxter.
