People are watching Teresa Lisbon again. With all seven seasons of The Mentalist landing on Netflix in the UK, Canada, Australia, and Latin America on March 1st, 2026, a whole new wave of fans has been rediscovering Robin Tunney’s performance as the sharp, steadfast agent who somehow kept Patrick Jane in check for 151 episodes. And while the binge cycle kicks back into gear, Tunney has been anything but idle — most recently opening up about another iconic role that’s back in the cultural conversation: The Craft, which just turned 30.
CBS’s The Mentalist proved that there was a market for more methodical police procedurals that focused on the unsung heroes of criminology. While shows like Lie to Me tried to replicate the formula, The Mentalist assembled an incredible cast that made sure anyone who tuned in for just one episode would be instantly hooked.
While Simon Baker’s Patrick Jane completely enamored fans, it was the relationship with his boss, Teresa Lisbon, that truly brought the show together. Their “will-they-won’t-they” gave the show a human edge over its more methodical competitors, and we have Robin Tunney’s outstanding performance to thank for the duo’s amazing chemistry. Here’s why Tunney was the perfect pick for the role, and where life has taken her after The Mentalist.
From The Craft to Prison Break: Robin Tunney’s Rise
Tunney had her film debut in the cult comedy Encino Man. Comedies and made-for-TV movies defined her career in the early ’90s, but that would quickly change near the turn of the millennium. In 1997, she took part in Niagara, Niagara – a dark romance about young lovers that earned her the Volpi Cup Award for Best Actress at the 1997 Venice Film Festival.
A couple of years later, she appeared alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in the apocalyptic action flick End of Days, and a year later, she joined the cast of David C. Wilson’s Supernova.
How Robin Tunney Landed The Mentalist
Instead of pursuing more “mainstream” roles, Tunney appeared in a selection of more intimate indie projects. At the same time, her work on television was becoming increasingly prominent. She appeared in the House pilot in 2004, and the following year, joined the cast of Prison Break.
In 2008, The Mentalist was finally released, launching Tunney’s career to new heights. The show was a massive hit that ran for seven seasons – and Robin Tunney appeared in every episode, all 151 of them. Even though CBS pulled the plug on the show, it was given the rare opportunity to tie up loose ends in a shortened season, allowing fans to say goodbye to the characters they had grown to love over the years.
Robin Tunney on The Craft at 30: “It Celebrated Girls That Were The Weirdos”
With The Craft celebrating its 30th anniversary in May 2026, Tunney has been reflecting on what the film meant — and still means. Appearing at the MOCA Gala, she told PEOPLE that she loves what the film stood for: “It celebrated girls that were the weirdos, and I still feel like a weirdo — this idea of being outside of the box and feeling like high school isn’t the place for you. It’s about female empowerment and friendship, and it wasn’t about boys.” She added that the film has found unexpected audiences across generations: men have come up to her and told her that The Craft made being a queer teenager in high school tolerable. “I love that,” she said, “because it was directed by a queer man, and somehow they felt it.” Tunney says she’s still proud to have been part of it.
What Is Robin Tunney Doing Now?
While Tunney’s TV career was pretty much on hold while The Mentalist aired, she managed to work on a few indie projects while she was still playing Lisbon. In 2012, she starred in See Girl Run, a movie that also reunited her with her frequent indie collaborator, Adam Scott.
Nowadays, Tunney is still in touch with her love for indie filmmaking, and balances family duties while still making time to dive into the South by Southwest Festival for her upcoming projects.
Most recently, she appeared in By Design, sharing credits with the legendary Udo Kier. Her next film, Ugly Cry, recently made its debut at SXSW, and we could soon see Robin Tunney back on the big screen for what could be a solid horror thriller about the dark side of Hollywood.
RELATED: 21 Years After The Girl Next Door, Elisha Cuthbert Has A New Prime Video Top 10 Hit
