Tamara @ SoftSheen-Carson Optimum Care Salon Collection At The 9th Annual Hoodie Awards

On Friday, April 4, 2003, Tamara Tunie (Jessica)

braved New York City's encroaching Spring blizzard to trek uptown and, for her sixth time, host Figure Skating in Harlem's annual recital, this year called, Glidin' to the Islands.

"It doesn't matter if it's raining, if it's snowing, if it's below zero -- which it usually is; this year it was actually kind of balmy, maybe it was the Caribbean theme," laughed Tamara. "But, it doesn't matter, I have to be here to watch these girls do their thing and see the culmination of their commitment to this program.

Launched in 1997, the non-profit, community...

VITAL STATISTICS
Birthday: March 14
Marital Status: To Gregory Generet since October, 1995
Children: None

BIOGRAPHY

Born into a family of five children outside of Pittsburgh, PA, Tamara Tunie was raised in the funeral home where her father worked, a childhood that she insists was actually quite normal. She earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from Carnegie-Mellon University, was discovered by an agent while doing summer stock and soon moved to New York City, which would become her beloved new hometown. ("My mother will say I was born in Pittsburgh, but I was a New Yorker from day one," she has...

"As the World Turns' Duncan married his last bride, Shannon, in a castle in Scotland, which perfectly reflected the flavor of their relationship. The choice of locale for his and Jessica's wedding was also appropriate - the duo celebrated at the Oakdale Yacht Club.

What happened: Jessica's parents and Duncan's daughter and son-in-law all refused to attend because they didn't approve of the interracial couple's relationship. But it was a festive occasion for just about everyone else in Oakdale, even Lisa, who had once disapproved of the pairing. However, the wedding guests didn't let the celebration...

Although she cited no discrimination against her on AS THE WORLD TURNS, Tamara Tunie Bouquett, who plays an attorney who rose up from poverty, says the prejudice against blacks starts at the casting office. The problems she has encountered are reflective of a larger entertainment industry bias. Competition for key roles among white actors becomes even stiffer for black actors for the few parts that are specifically written for them; even the most gifted black actors rarely work.


Tamara's particular frustrations with being a black actress on a soap stem from the limitations of her own role. Jessica...