Robin tunney on the tonight show

Though she suffered from a few disappointments early in her career, actress Robin Tunney held fast to her drive and determination to become a well-established film and television performer.

After making her start in several local productions in her native Chicago, Tunney moved west to Los Angeles, where she began working almost immediately, though in less-than-ideal fare like "Encino Man" (1992). But a few years later, she was capturing attention with a breakthrough performance as a suicidal teen in "Empire Records" (1995), which led to higher-profile roles in "The Craft" (1996) and "The End of Days" (1999).

While appearing in blockbuster films, Tunney had her biggest impact on the small screen, landing a prominent starring gig on the first season of "Prison Break" (Fox, 2005-09), which she followed with a leading role on the hit crime procedural "The Mentalist" (CBS, 2008-15).

While not a household name, Tunney nonetheless earned a reputation as a capable actress who managed to build a viable career despite her early setbacks.

Born on June 19, 1972 in Chicago, IL

on tonight show

tunney robin