Robin Tunney (born June 19, 1972) is an American actress. She made her film debut in Encino Man (1992) and rose to prominence with leading roles in the cult films Empire Records (1995) and The Craft (1996). Her performance in Niagara, Niagara (1997) won her the Volpi Cup for Best Actress. She then headlined films like End of Days (1999), Supernova, Vertical Limit (both 2000), Cherish, The Secret Lives of Dentists (both 2002), The In-Laws (2003), and as Teresa Lisbon in the TV series The Mentalist (2008-2015).

Tunney's portrayal of a sexual assault victim in Open Window (2006) was praised. Her subsequent film credits include Hollywoodland (2006), August, The Burning Plain (both 2008), Passenger Side (2009), Looking Glass, and Monster Party (both 2018). She played Veronica Donovan in Prison Break (2005–2006) and Teresa Lisbon in The Mentalist (2008–2015), and starred in the short-lived ABC series The Fix (2019).

Early life and education Tunney was born in Chicago, Illinois, to a car-salesman father, Patrick, and a bartender mother, Cathy. Tunney's father was born in Straide, County Mayo, Ireland, and her maternal grandparents were from Clare Island, Ireland. She is a cousin of Chicago Alderman Tom Tunney.

Tunney grew up in Orland Park, a southwest suburb of Chicago. She was raised Irish Catholic, attended Carl Sandburg High School, Saint Ignatius College Prep in Chicago, and the Chicago Academy for the Arts in Chicago, and resided in Palos Heights, also in the Chicago area.

Career Tunney moved to Los Angeles and was cast in roles in Class of '96, Law & Order, Dream On, and Life Goes On, among other works. She appeared in the film Empire Records (1995), which was initially a box office flop but later became a cult film. Tunney realized subsequent success in the role of Sarah Bailey in horror-fantasy film The Craft, in which she starred alongside Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell and Rachel True. The movie was a commercial success, earning $55 million against a budget of $15 million. She later led the independent film Niagara, Niagara, which was released in 1997, and earned critical praise; she won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the 1997 Venice International Film Festival. She was also featured opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1999 supernatural action film End of Days.

Tunney appeared in the 2004 pilot episode of the medical drama series House as a kindergarten instructor who has an aphasic condition. She subsequently portrayed Veronica Donovan on the first season of Prison Break, which was released in 2005 to critical acclaim. Tunney appeared in 2007's Closing the Ring. In the following year, she began one of her longest roles as Teresa Lisbon on the television series The Mentalist, which lasted seven years. In 2018, she led the thriller film Looking Glass alongside Nicolas Cage, which was negatively received although her performance earned praise. In 2019, she starred in the short-lived legal drama series The Fix.

On June 28, 2006, Tunney won her table in the eighth tournament series of Bravo's Celebrity Poker Showdown, moving on to the final table. The finale aired on July 5, 2006, where she finished second to Jason Alexander, earning $200,000 for her charity of choice, the Children's Health Fund. In August 2006, Tunney played in the World Series of Poker after having her entrance fee covered by the online cardroom PokerRoom.com.

Personal life Tunney married producer and director Bob Gosse on October 4, 1997; they divorced in 2006. Tunney was engaged to Australian writer and director Andrew Dominik from 2009 to 2010. Tunney became engaged to designer Nicky Marmet on December 25, 2012, while on vacation in Rio de Janeiro. Together they have two children.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1992 Encino Man Ella 1995 Empire Records Debra 1996 The Craft Sarah Bailey MTV Movie Award for Best Fight (shared with Fairuza Balk) 1997 Julian Po Sarah Niagara, Niagara Marcy 1998 Montana Kitty 1999 End of Days Christine York 2000 Supernova Danika Lund Vertical Limit Annie Garrett 2001 Investigating Sex Zoe 2002 Cherish Zoe Adler The Secret Lives of Dentists Laura 2003 The In-Laws Angela Harris Abby Singer Herself Cameo appearance 2004 Paparazzi Abby Laramie Shadow of Fear Wynn French 2005 The Zodiac Laura Parish Runaway Carly 2006 Open Window Izzy Hollywoodland Leonore Lemmon The Darwin Awards Zoe 2008 August Melanie Hanson The Burning Plain Laura 2012 See Girl Run Emmie 2015 My All-American Gloria Steinmark 2018 Looking Glass Maggie Monster Party Roxanne Dawson 2020 Horse Girl Agatha Kaine 2025 By Design Irene 2026 Ugly Cry

Television Year Title Role Notes 1991 CBS Schoolbreak Special Brooke Episode: "But He Loves Me" Life Goes On Mary Episode: "Corky's Travels" 1992 Perry Mason: The Case of Reckless Romeo Sandra Turner Television film 1993 Class of '96 Linda Miller 5 episodes Frogs! Hannah Television film Cutters Deborah Hart 5 episodes JFK: Reckless Youth Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy Television miniseries Dream On Marybeth Episode: "Silent Night, Holy Cow Part II" 1994 Law & Order Jill Templeton Episode: "Mayhem" 1996 Riders of the Purple Sage Elizabeth "Bess" Erne Television film 1998 Rescuers: Stories of Courage: Two Families Melvina "Malka" Csizmadia Television film Naked City: Justice with a Bullet Merri Coffman Television film 2003 The Twilight Zone Edie Durant Episode: "Developing" 2004 House Rebecca Adler Episode: "Pilot" 2005–2006 Prison Break Veronica Donovan 23 episodes 2007 Robot Chicken Madame Razz / Entrapta / Carole Demas / Skin Graft Patient (voice) Episode: "Slaughterhouse on the Prairie" 2008–2015 The Mentalist Teresa Lisbon 151 episodes 2008 The Two Mr. Kissels Nancy Kissel Television film 2016 Love Waverly Episode: "The End of the Beginning" 2018 Insatiable Brandylynn Huggens Episode: "Miss Bareback Buckaroo" 2019 The Fix Maya Travis 10 episodes 2023 Dear Edward Jane Adler 4 episodes

Music videos Year Title Artist Notes 1999 "Swingin'" Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 2003 "Breathe In" Frou Frou

Stage Year Production Role Notes 2016 Smokefall Violet MCC Theater

Awards and nominations Year Association Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1997 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Best Actress The Craft MTV Movie Awards Best Fight (shared with Fairuza Balk) Venice Film Festival Best Actress Niagara, Niagara 1998 Gotham Awards Best Breakthrough Performance 1999 Independent Spirit Awards Best Female Lead 2001 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Favorite Actress – Action Vertical Limit 2006 Boston Film Festival Best Actress Open Window 2015 People's Choice Awards Favorite Crime Drama TV Actress The Mentalist

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