Profile Text
Tunie in 2015, photo by kathclick /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Tamara R. Tunie
Place of Birth: McKeesport, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Date of Birth: March 14, 1959
Ethnicity: African-American, possibly European and Lenape Native American
Tamara Tunie is an American film, stage, and television actress, director, and producer. She is also known as Tamara Tunie Boquett.
She was raised in Homestead, Pennsylvania. She has family roots in Virginia and West Virginia.
Regarding her ethnic background, Tamara has stated in an interview:
Her [Tamara’s character on The Red Road ] ancestry is very similar to my own in real life… I have Native American blood. I have African blood. I have European blood. And so it was the first time that a role was presented to me that actually completely embraced my entire DNA makeup, so I was really excited… My Native American heritage was not embraced by our family, and we grew up African-American… so I didn’t have a lot of access or history to that line of my family.
Her [Tamara’s character on The Red Road ] ancestry is very similar to my own in real life… I have Native American blood. I have African blood. I have European blood. And so it was the first time that a role was presented to me that actually completely embraced my entire DNA makeup, so I was really excited… My Native American heritage was not embraced by our family, and we grew up African-American… so I didn’t have a lot of access or history to that line of my family.
Tamara has also said that one of her paternal great-grandmothers was a full-blooded Native American, from the Ramapough Lenape Nation.
Tamara’s paternal grandfather was named Edgar Price Tunie (the son of Robert Tunie and Lottie/Lotta B.). Edgar was born in Cabell, West Virginia.
Tamara’s paternal grandmother was named Effie Dee Waddy (the daughter of John/Fred Waddy and Mary A). Effie was born in Gilmer, West Virginia.
Tamara’s maternal grandfather’s surname was Hawkins.
Sources: http://www.post-gazette.com
Marriage record of Tamara’s paternal grandparents, Edgar Price Tunie and Effie Dee Waddy – https://familysearch.org
Tamara’s paternal grandfather, Edgar Price Tunie, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Tamara’s paternal grandmother, Effie Dee Waddy, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org Effie Dee Waddy on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org