Ellen Rona Barkin is an American actress, known for her roles in the films Buckaroo Banzai, The Big Easy, Sea of Love and Switch. She won an Emmy Award in 1997, for Before Women Had Wings and a Tony Award in 2011, for The Normal Heart.
High School of Performing Arts, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, Actors Studio, Hunter College
Nationality
United States of America
Spouse
Ronald Perelman (m. 2000–2006), Gabriel Byrne (m. 1988–1999)
Children
Jack Daniel Byrne, Romy Marion Byrne
Parents
Sol Barkin, Evelyn Rozin Barkin
Siblings
George Barkin
Nicknames
Ellen Rona Barkin
Awards
Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance, Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
Nominations
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Movies
Sea of Love, Ocean's Thirteen, The Big Easy, This Boy's Life, Another Happy Day, She Hate Me, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, The Cobbler, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Brooklyn's Finest, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Diner, Happy Tears, Siesta, Johnny Handsome, Palindromes, Wild...
TV Shows
The New Normal, Faerie Tale Theatre
Star Sign
Aries
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Quote
1
[In a 1984 interview concerning her career] It's like having been brought up in the best neighborhood and having been to the best schools. It's kind of nice to be 29 and have people refer to you as a character actor.
2
It's difficult to get into trouble if you don't take yourself too seriously.
3
[on working with Paul Newman] You forget he's Paul Newman on the set after a while... that is until you look into his eyes.
4
I'd rather just be stuck at home watching Turner Classic Movies. I'm stuck with a book and old movies, that's pretty much the beginning and end of my life.
5
[on becoming a young actress in the 2000s] Their careers are over in a blink. So I think it's harder for them to feel motivated to exhibit a real professionalism because they must wonder how long they are really going to be around for. It's really bad. There are exceptions obviously. There's no slow build anymore where you get a little part, then you get a little better part, then a better part until one day your agent calls you us and says 'guess what you're a movie star' and you say 'thank you!
6
A successful marriage isn't necessarily one that lasts until you're dead. (Parade magazine, May 13, 2007)
7
[of her second marriage] What the hell was I thinking? Marry a rich guy? Was I crazy? I didn't need that. I was already at the party. I didn't need someone to get me through the door. How could I be so clueless about who I am and what I value? Did I actually think I was going to give up working? It's important for me to work. (Parade magazine, May 13, 2007)
8
[Speaking in 1987] It's difficult to be married outside the profession. A lawyer might not understand that going to bed with Gabriel Byrne for three days is work for me.
9
No more bare bodies in film scenes for me. For my children's sake, I must stop. The other kids at school keep throwing it up to my children, and they are not kind.
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Fact
1
Won a Tony for her Broadway debut in 'The Normal Heart'.
2
She studied for three years under acting teacher Lloyd Richards.
3
Barkin got a big break in 1980, when she beat out many actresses, including Amanda Plummer and Diane Lane, and landed a key role as a disturbed teenager in the play, "Shout Across the River", at the Phoenix Playhouse.
4
Made her Broadway debut in 2011 as Dr. Emma Brookner in "The Normal Heart".
Christie's sold off the jewelery given to her by her ex-husband Ronald O. Perelman.
10
Considered for role in Brazil (1985) that went to Kim Greist. Director Terry Gilliam has said that he regrets not casting Barkin.
11
She was born and raised in the Bronx in a "middle class Jewish home", and has described her childhood as quite happy. All four of her grandparents were Russian Jewish immigrants.
12
She studied in New York at the High School of the Performing Arts, Hunter College and the Actors Studio.
13
Once admitted in an interview that she often has to wear glasses because she has a condition that is causing her to lose some vision in one eye.
14
Ex-husband, Ronald O. Perelman, is the billionaire owner of the Revlon company.
15
Has one son, Jack (b. 1989), and one daughter, Romy Marion (b. 1992).
$60 Million
