Arts and Culture
Award Winning Actress Maura Tierney to be honored with an Oscar Wilde Award
Irish singer Dave Lofts to perform
October 16, 2025. The US-Ireland Alliance has announced Golden Globe Award winning actress, Maura Tierney, as their first honoree for the Oscar Wilde Awards, which will be held 12 March 2026 at The Ebell of Los Angeles. Irish singer Dave Lofts will perform at what will be the 20th anniversary of event.
The Boston-born, Irish American Tierney has cultivated a well-respected career across film, television, and theater. Her work on the critically acclaimed Showtime series “The Affair'' won her a Golden Globe and earned both Emmy and Critics Choice Television Award nominations. Tierney can currently be seen starring as Lt. Jessica Brady in the primetime classic “Law and Order.” She recently starred in the summer blockbuster “Twisters.” The highly anticipated sequel to the 1996 disaster epic “Twister” featured Tierney alongside costars Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Anthony Ramos. She was also in the critically acclaimed A24 produced biopic “The Iron Claw” as part of the NBR Award winning “Best Ensemble” alongside Lily James, Zac Efron, and Jeremy Allen White.
Tierney earned kudos for her Emmy-nominated role across eight seasons of the top-rated NBC series “ER.” She previously spent four years on the critically acclaimed NBC series “NewsRadio.” She also had an arc on the 2012 and 2013 seasons of “The Good Wife,” as well as the critically acclaimed “Rescue Me” as the love interest of Dennis Leary’s character in 2009 and reprised the role for the show’s last season.
Her film “The Report” told the story of Senate staffer Daniel J. Jones who was tasked by his boss to lead an investigation into the CIA's post 9/11 Detention and Interrogation Program uncovering shocking secrets. The critically acclaimed film featured Tierney starring opposite Adam Driver, Corey Stoll, and Annette Bening. She also starred in the Amazon Studios film “Beautiful Boy” opposite Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet based on the memoir of the same name, which chronicles the heartbreaking and inspiring experience of survival and recovery in a family coping with addiction over many years.
Among her many other film credits are Universal’s “Baby Mama” with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, and New Line Cinema’s comedy “Semi-Pro” opposite Will Ferrell and Woody Harrelson. She earned critical praise for her role in “Primary Colors” as well as for her work opposite Jim Carrey in the smash hit “Liar Liar.” Tierney also appeared in the Christopher Nolan-directed film “Insomnia” opposite Al Pacino, Hilary Swank and Robin Williams.
Tierney has equally made a name for herself in theater. She made her Broadway debut in 2013 starring in Nora Ephron’s “Lucky Guy” alongside Tom Hanks. She worked with The Wooster Group, having starred in “North Atlantic” with Frances McDormand, “A Town Hall Affair,” and most recently, “Nyatt School Redux,” a reanimation of the 1978 Wooster Group original production, “Nyatt School”, featuring archival footage from the original production. In 2006, she starred in the Off-Broadway production of Neil LaBute’s “Some Girl(s),” at the Lucille Lortel Theater, joining the cast with Eric McCormack, Fran Drescher, Judy Reyes, and Brooke Smith.
US-Ireland Alliance president Trina Vargo said, “We look forward to honoring Maura this year. She has an incredible and enviable career in film, television, and theater. She has always been proud of her Irish heritage and starred in Yasmina Reza’s award-winning “God of Carnage” at the prestigious Gate Theater in Dublin.”
Irish singer Dave Lofts will perform on the night. The Wicklow-born artist recently signed a record deal with B Unique in London, who also have Kodaline, James Bay and Kingfishr on their roster. Dave’s sound has been described as reminiscent of a young Van Morrison or peak period Paolo Nutini. His cover versions of “Running Up That Hill” (Kate Bush) and “Seventeen Going Under” (Sam Fender) have received millions of streams. His cover of “Song With No Name”, by his idol Shane MacGowan, led to him playing another Pogues song, “Kitty” at the After Session in Tipperary for Shane's funeral. Dave's original songs dealing with issues like mental health and anxiety -- "Tell Me", "Let Me Go Home" and especially "Just A Man" -- have strongly connected with audiences everywhere. In Ireland he has supported Damien Dempsey, Gavin James, The High Kings, Wolf Alice, Picture This, Kingfishr, Amble, and The Wolf Tones, where he played to 54,000 people at Thomond Park. His performances at Irish music festivals, including Electric Picnic, have built an strong audience that has resulted in his current Irish tour.
Trina Vargo, founder and president of the US-Ireland Alliance, said, “It’s hard to believe that the March event will mark our 20thanniversary. From the outset, this was always a party with a purpose, and it has resulted in everything from J.J. Abrams filming STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS in Ireland, to a special episode of The Simpsons premiering in Ireland after we honored James L. Brooks, to several other movies be filmed there, as recently as this year. We are also delighted to bring attention to the amazing artistic talent of artists from Oscar winners to those just getting their start. We know that creative collaborations have been formed from this event and several artists have gotten agents, contracts, and other opportunities as a result.” The event is determinedly casual and like the other activities of the US-Ireland Alliance, it is broad tent, welcoming honorees, guests and performers from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Irish American and those we consider “honorary” Irish to expand and welcome those who are interested in building contemporary ties between the US and the island of Ireland.
Northern Ireland Screen is among the event’s major sponsors.