'I grew up in a funeral home so I've been around dead people my entire life. Being in a morgue was nothing new to me," notes Tamara Tunie, who plays medical examiner Dr. Melinda Warner, on 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.' The daughter of an undertaker adds, 'Let's just say I'm very respectful and careful with my corpses.'
Though most actors find the medical dialogue to be difficult, Tunie embraces the challenge. 'I actually really enjoy the challenge of saying all of those medical terms. It keeps me on my toes and it makes me aware that my brain is still valuable.' Her character certainly has a lot more to say since being bumped up to the status of series regular. 'I thought, 'It's about time!' she says with a laugh. Tunie worked on the show for six years as a guest star. She says her costars are happy for her. In fact, she relates, once when she inadvertently took one of Chris Meloni's lines, he started teasing her by calling her 'Ms. Series Regular.'