Maura Tierney, the acclaimed actress and two-time Emmy nominee, will be honored at the 2026 Oscar Wilde Awards, celebrating her remarkable career and Irish heritage. The event, organized by the US-Ireland Alliance, will take place on March 12th at the historic Ebell Theater in Los Angeles, three days before the Academy Awards. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the awards, which celebrate the contributions of Irish and non-Irish individuals to film, television, and music.
Tierney, born in Boston, has had an illustrious career in both television and film. She gained recognition for her role as Dr. Abby Lockhart on NBC's ER, for which she received an Emmy nomination in 2001. She also starred in Showtime's The Affair, earning another Emmy nomination and a Golden Globe in 2016. Tierney's film credits include Christopher Nolan's Insomnia, Liar Liar, Primary Colors, Baby Mama, Semi-Pro, Beautiful Boy, and The Report. She also performed on Broadway in Nora Ephron's Lucky Guy, opposite Tom Hanks.
The Oscar Wilde Awards will also feature a performance by Irish singer Dave Lofts, whose music has been compared to Van Morrison and Paolo Nutini. Lofts' covers of Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill' and Sam Fender's 'Seventeen Going Under' have amassed millions of streams. His original songs, such as 'Tell Me,' 'Let Me Go Home,' and 'Just a Man,' explore themes of mental health and anxiety.
Past honorees of the Oscar Wilde Awards include renowned figures like Van Morrison, Norman Lear, Jim Sheridan, Eve Hewson, Catherine O'Hara, Glenn Close, Ruth Negga, Saoirse Ronan, Martin Short, Kenneth Branagh, Jessie Buckley, Carrie Fisher, Jamie Dornan, Pierce Brosnan, Brendan Gleeson, Colm Meaney, Terry George, Michelle Williams, Neil Jordan, and the late THR writer-editor Steve Brennan. The event has not only celebrated artistic excellence but has also fostered creative collaborations, leading to opportunities for many artists.
The US-Ireland Alliance's Trina Vargo expressed her excitement, stating, 'We look forward to honoring Maura this year. Her career in film, television, and theater is truly remarkable, and her pride in her Irish heritage is evident in her work.' The awards, now in their 20th year, have had a significant impact, from inspiring film productions in Ireland to bringing attention to the talented artists who make the industry thrive.
