Ellen Rona Barkin (born April 16, 1954) is an American actress. Her breakthrough role was in the 1982 film Diner, and in the following years, she had starring roles in films such as Tender Mercies (1983), Eddie and the Cruisers (1983), The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984), The Big Easy (1986), Johnny Handsome, and Sea of Love (both 1989).
In 1991, for her leading role in the film Switch, Barkin received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. Her subsequent film credits include: Man Trouble (1992), Into the West (1992), This Boy's Life (1993), Bad Company (1995), Wild Bill (1995), The Fan (1996), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999), Crime and Punishment in Suburbia (2000), Palindromes (2004), Trust the Man (2005), Ocean's Thirteen (2007), Brooklyn's Finest (2009), and The Cobbler (2014).
In 1998, Barkin received a Primetime Emmy Award for her performance in the television film Before Women Had Wings. In 2011, she received the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her Broadway theatre debut in The Normal Heart. From 2016 until 2019, she played the leading role of Janine "Smurf" Cody on the TNT drama series Animal Kingdom. From 2012 until 2013, she played the leading role of Jane Forrest on the NBC sitcom The New Normal.
Her producing credits include the films Letters to Juliet, Shit Year (both 2010), and Another Happy Day (2011).
Early life Barkin was born on April 16, 1954, in the Bronx, New York, the daughter of Evelyn (née Rozin), a hospital administrator who worked at Jamaica Hospital, and Sol Barkin, a chemical salesman. Her family is Jewish; they emigrated from Siberia and the Ukrainian–Polish border.Carl Reiner. Interview by Carl Reiner. June 1, 2007. Retrieved March 29, 2008.
Barkin lived in Flushing, New York, and attended Parsons Junior High School. She received her high school diploma at Manhattan's High School of Performing Arts. She then attended Hunter College and double majored in history and drama. At one point, Barkin wanted to teach ancient history. She continued her acting education at New York City's Actors Studio. According to Time, she studied acting for 10 years before landing her first audition.Corliss, Richard. "Show Business: Barkin Up the Right Tree". Time, October 23, 1989
Career
Her break-out role was in the comedy-drama film Diner (1982), written and directed by Barry Levinson, for which she received favorable reviews. Barkin was cast in the drama film Tender Mercies (1983) after impressing its director Bruce Beresford during an audition in New York City, despite her inexperience and his lack of familiarity with her work. Robert Duvall, who played the lead role in Tender Mercies, said of Barkin, "She brings a real credibility to that part, plus she was young and attractive and had a certain sense of edge, a danger to her that was good for that part." She also appeared in the 1983 rock and roll drama film Eddie and the Cruisers.
Barkin later appeared in several successful films, including the thrillers The Big Easy (1987), opposite Dennis Quaid and Sea of Love (1989), opposite Al Pacino. Barkin also appeared in off-Broadway plays, including a role as one of the roommates in Extremities, about an intended rape victim played by Susan Sarandon who turns the tables on her attacker. About her performance in the play Eden Court, The New York Times critic Frank Rich summarized: "If it were really possible to give the kiss of life to a corpse, the actress Ellen Barkin would be the one to do it. In Eden Court, the moribund play that has brought her to the Promenade Theater, Miss Barkin is tantalizingly alive from her bouncing blond ponytail to the long legs that gyrate wildly and involuntarily every time an Elvis Presley record plays on stage".Rich, Frank (May 15, 1985). Stage: Ellen Barkin In 'Eden Court' . The New York Times.
Barkin has also done work in made-for-television films such as Before Women Had Wings (1997), for which she won an Emmy as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie and The White River Kid (1999). She voiced the start of each Theme Time Radio Hour with host Bob Dylan on XM's Deep Tracks. In 2005, Barkin set up a film production company with her brother, George, along with her husband at the time and billionaire investor, Ronald Perelman.
Barkin appeared in her Broadway debut as Dr. Brookner in The Normal Heart, for which she won the 2011 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play.Gans, Andrew."The Normal Heart Begins Beating on Broadway April 19" playbill.com, April 19, 2011 Barkin has received acclaim for her performance in Another Happy Day. IndieWire cited her turn as one of the best female performances of the year.Review: 'Another Happy Day' Features One Of The Year's Best Female Performances By Ellen Barkin IndieWire. November 15, 2011 In 2015, she starred as Dani Kirschenbloom, in the Showtime comedy-drama series Happyish.
From 2016 through 2019, Barkin starred as Janine "Smurf" Cody, the crime family's matriarch, in the TNT drama series Animal Kingdom. The series is based on the 2010 Australian film where Smurf was played by Jacki Weaver.
Personal life
Barkin is the mother of two children from her marriage to actor Gabriel Byrne. She and Byrne separated in 1993 and divorced in 1999, but remain close. Byrne attended Barkin's 2000 wedding to multibillionaire and businessman Ronald Perelman. Her second marriage ended in divorce in 2006.Geoffrey “Scotty” Gray. "Tough Love" . New York. March 19, 2006.
In 1998, Barkin had a relationship with actor Johnny Depp with whom she worked on Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
In October 2006, "Magnificent Jewels from the Collection of Ellen Barkin" were sold for $20,369,200 at Christie's, New York, following her divorce from billionaire Ronald Perelman.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1978 Up in Smoke Woman Playing Guitar Uncredited 1982 Diner Beth Schreiber 1983 Tender Mercies Sue Ann Daniel Phyllis Isaacson Enormous Changes at the Last Minute Virginia Eddie and the Cruisers Maggie Foley 1984 Harry & Son Kate Wilowski The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension Penny Priddy 1985 Terminal Choice Mary O'Connor 1986 Desert Bloom Aunt Starr Sant Jordi Award for Best Foreign Actress Down by Law Laurette 1987 The Big Easy Anne Osborne Sant Jordi Award for Best Foreign Actress Made in Heaven Lucille Uncredited Siesta Claire 1989 Johnny Handsome "Sunny" Boyd Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Sea of Love Helen Cruger Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress 1991 Switch Amanda Brooks Nominated—American Comedy Award for Funniest Actress in a Motion PictureNominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy 1992 Mac Oona Goldfarb Man Trouble Joan Pruance Into the West Kathleen 1993 This Boy's Life Caroline Wolff Hansen 1995 Bad Company Margaret Wells Wild Bill Calamity Jane 1996 The Fan Jewel Stern Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress – Adventure/Drama Mad Dog Time Rita Everly 1998 Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Waitress At North Star Cafe 1999 Drop Dead Gorgeous Annette Atkins The White River Kid Eva Nell La Fangory 2000 Crime and Punishment in Suburbia Maggie Skolnick Mercy Detective Cathy Palmer 2001 Someone Like You Diane Roberts 2004 She Hate Me Margo Chadwick Palindromes Joyce Victor Ocean's Twelve Abigail Sponder Scenes deletedVisible on Blu-ray release under the section, "Meet the Team, Again" 2005 Trust the Man Norah 2007 Ocean's Thirteen Abigail Sponder 2009 Brooklyn's Finest FBI Agent Smith Happy Tears Shelly 2010 Twelve Mrs. Brayson The Chameleon Kimberly Miller Shit Year Colleen West Also executive producer Operation: Endgame Empress 2011 Another Happy Day Lynn Hellman Also producer Nominated — Women's Image Network Awards for Best Actress in a Feature Film 2013 Very Good Girls Norma Berger 2014 The Cobbler Elaine Greenawalt 2016 Hands of Stone Stephanie Arcel 2017 Active Adults Lucy 2021 Breaking News in Yuba County Debbie 2022 The Man from Toronto The Handler 2023 The Out-Laws Lily McDermott TBA White Lies TBA Post-production
Television Year Title Role Notes 1981 Kent State Student Television movie We're Fighting Back Chris Capoletti 1982 Parole Donna 1984 Terrible Joe Moran Ronnie 1986 Act of Vengeance Annette Gilly The Princess Who Had Never Laughed Princess Henrietta 1988 Clinton and Nadine Nadine Powers Television movieNominated—CableACE Award for Best Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie 1997 Before Women Had Wings Glory Marie Jackson Television moviePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a MovieSatellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television FilmNominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film 2001 King of the Hill Lenore (voice) Episode: "Hank and the Great Glass Elevator" 2012 Modern Family Mitzi Roth Episode: "Send Out the Clowns" 2012–2013 The New Normal Jane Forrest Lead role; 22 episodes 2015 Happyish Dani Kirschenbloom Lead role; 9 episodes 2016–2019 Animal Kingdom Janine "Smurf" Cody Lead role; 46 episodes 2017 The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Sasha Walz Television movie 2023 Poker Face Kathleen Townsend Episode: "Exit Stage Death"
Stage Year Title Role Notes 1979 Shout Across the River Christine Marymount Manhattan Theatre 1980 Killings on the Last Line Starkey American Place Theater 1982 Extremities Terry Westside Theatre, Off-Broadway 1985 Eden Court Bonnie Duncan Promenade Theatre 2011 The Normal Heart Dr. Emma Brookner John Golden Theatre, Broadway
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryWorkResult1986Sant Jordi AwardBest Foreign ActressDesert Bloom1987The Big Easy1988CableACE AwardBest Actress in a Miniseries or a MovieClinton and Nadine1989Chicago Film Critics Association AwardBest Supporting ActressJohnny HandsomeBest ActressSea of Love1991American Comedy AwardFunniest Actress in a Motion PictureSwitchGolden Globe AwardBest Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy1996Blockbuster Entertainment AwardFavorite Supporting Actress – Adventure/DramaThe Fan1997Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a MovieBefore Women Had WingsSatellite AwardBest Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television FilmGolden Globe AwardBest Actress – Miniseries or Television Film2011Women's Image Network AwardBest Actress in a Feature FilmAnother Happy DayTony AwardBest Featured Actress in a PlayThe Normal HeartOuter Critics Circle AwardSpecial Achievement - Outstanding DebutTheatre World AwardOutstanding DebutDrama Desk AwardEnsemble Award
References
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