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Ellen Barkin

Birth Place: New York, NY, USA

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Ellen Barkin BIO

Ellen Barkin's 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".

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. 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. 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.

Ellen Barkin Photos

Ellen Barkin STAGE CREDITS

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 2011
Dr. Emma Brookner

[Broadway]
Special Benefit Production, 2002
Simone

[Off-Broadway]
1985
Performer

[Off-Broadway]
1983
May [Replacement]

[Off-Broadway]
1982
Terry

[Off-Broadway]
1980
Performer

[Off-Broadway]
1979
Christine


Ellen Barkin Movies

Diner
[ 1982 ] Beth
Eddie and the Cruisers
[ 1983 ] Maggie Foley
Daniel
[ 1983 ] Phyllis Isaacson
Enormous Changes at the Last Minute
[ 1983 ] Virginia
Tender Mercies
[ 1983 ] Sue Anne
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
[ 1984 ] Penny Priddy
Harry & Son
[ 1984 ] Katie Wilowski
Terminal Choice
[ 1985 ] Mary O Connor
The Big Easy
[ 1986 ] Anne Osborne
Desert Bloom
[ 1986 ] Aunt Starr
Down by Law
[ 1986 ] Laurette
Siesta
[ 1987 ] Claire
Sea of Love
[ 1989 ] Helen
Johnny Handsome
[ 1989 ] Sunny Boyd
Switch
[ 1991 ] Amanda Brooks
Mac
[ 1992 ] Oona Goldfarb
Man Trouble
[ 1992 ] Joan Spruance
Into the West
[ 1992 ] Kathleen
This Boy's Life
[ 1993 ] Caroline
Bad Company
[ 1995 ] Margaret Wells
Wild Bill
[ 1995 ] Calamity Jane
The Fan
[ 1996 ] Jewel Stern
Mad Dog Time
[ 1996 ] Rita Everly
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
[ 1998 ] North Star Waitress
Drop Dead Gorgeous
[ 1999 ] Annette Atkins
The White River Kid
[ 1999 ] Eva Nell La Fangroy
Crime + Punishment in Suburbia
[ 2000 ] Maggie Skolnick
Mercy
[ 2000 ] Det. Cathy Palmer
Someone Like You
[ 2001 ] Diane Roberts
Palindromes
[ 2004 ] Joyce Victor
She Hate Me
[ 2004 ] Margo Chadwick
Trust the Man
[ 2005 ] Norah
Ocean's Thirteen
[ 2007 ] Abigail Sponder
Happy Tears
[ 2009 ] Shelly
Brooklyn's Finest
[ 2009 ] Agent Smith
Letters to Juliet
[ 2010 ] producer
The Chameleon
[ 2010 ] Kimberly Miller
Twelve
[ 2010 ] Jessica's Mother
Operation: Endgame
[ 2010 ] Empress
Shit Year
[ 2010 ] Colleen West
Another Happy Day
[ 2011 ] Lynn
Very Good Girls
[ 2013 ] Norma
The Cobbler
[ 2014 ] Elaine Greenawalt
Hands of Stone
[ 2016 ] Stephanie Arcel
Active Adults
[ 2017 ] Lucy
Breaking News in Yuba County
[ 2021 ] Debbie
The Man from Toronto
[ 2022 ] The Handler
The Out-Laws
[ 2023 ] Lilly McDermott

Ellen Barkin TV Shows

Animal Kingdom
Janine 'Smurf' Cody
The New Normal
Jane Forrest

Ellen Barkin Awards and Nominations


winner
Theatre World Awards - 2011 - Performance

Ellen Barkin, The Normal Heart


winner
Tony Awards - 2011 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Ellen Barkin, The Normal Heart

Ellen Barkin Videos

Ellen Barkin News


Wake Up With BroadwayWorld April 16, 2024


Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is April 16, 2024 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.

Meet the Cast of MOTHER PLAY, Beginning Previews Tonight on Broadway


Second Stage Theater's Mother Play will begin previews on Broadway tonight, April 3. Meet the cast of Mother Play here!

Photos: Hugh Jackman and More Attend ALAN CUMMING IS NOT ACTING HIS AGE


The second and final performance of Alan Cumming is Not Acting His Age took place on March 25. Special guests at the performance included Hugh Jackman, Darren Criss, Julianna Margulies, and more. BroadwayWorld was there and you can check out photos here!

Kevin Hart & Woody Harrelson Star in THE MAN FROM TORONTO Released on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital


Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson star in the explosive comedy with wall-to-wall action THE MAN FROM TORONTO, available now on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. THE MAN FROM TORONTO is an explosive comedy with wall-to-wall action.

Video: Watch THE OUT-LAWS Trailer Starring Adam Devine, Ellen Barkin, Pierce Brosnan & More


The cast includes Adam Devine, Nina Dobrev, Michael Rooker, Poorna Jagannathan, Julie Hagerty, Richard Kind, Lil Rel Howery, Blake Anderson, Lauren Lapkus, Laci Mosley, with Ellen Barkin and Pierce Brosnan. Watch the video trailer for the new film now!

Peacock Renews POKER FACE For Season Two


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Peacock Launches POKER FACE 1-866-NOBLSHT Hotline


Now until February 19, Peacock's BS Hotline is now available! Charlie Cale is so good at calling out BS, Peacock created a hotline meant to showcase her talents. Call 1-866-NOBLSHT. Users can call or text the hotline to hear the instantly recognizable voice of Natasha Lyonne providing advise as Charlie Cale.

VIDEO: Natasha Lyonne Stars In Rian Johnson's POKER FACE Series Trailer


The 10-episode mystery-of-the-week series marks the television debut for the brilliant Rian Johnson (Glass Onion, Knives Out, Star Wars) and is executive produced by and stars Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll, Orange Is The New Black). Watch the new video trailer for the upcoming series now!

Photos: On the Red Carpet for Opening Night of WALKING WITH GHOSTS


Gabriel Byrne officially opened in his acclaimed solo show, Walking with Ghosts, on Broadway. This adaptation from his best-selling memoir of the same name is directed by Lonny Price and is currently playing at the Music Box Theatre for 75 performances only. Check out photos from the red carpet here!

VIDEO: First Look at Peacock's POKER FACE from Rian Johnson Starring Natasha Lyonne


Poker Face is a 10-episode mystery-of-the-week series following Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie, who has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. She hits the road with her Plymouth Barracuda and with every stop encounters a new cast of characters and strange crimes she can’t help but solve. Watch the video trailer now!

BroadwayWorld Celebrates Pride: Top 10 LGBTQ+ Plays!


June marks the official start of Pride Month! This year, BroadwayWorld is celebrating pride with a series focused on some of our favorite LGBTQ-themed musicals, plays, characters, and songs! This week, check out our top 10 favorite plays featuring LGBTQ+ characters or themes!

VIDEO: On This Day, April 27- Larry Kramer's THE NORMAL HEART Opens on Broadway


On this day in 2011, the star-studded Broadway premiere of Larry Kramer's landmark play The Normal Heart opened on Broadway at the Golden Theater.

Theater Stories: ECLIPSED, SLAVE PLAY, HANGMEN and More About the John Golden Theatre


Today's Theater Stories features the John Golden Theatre! Learn about the shows to have graced the stage of the theatre including, The Normal Heart, A Doll's House, Part 2, Eclipsed, Slave Play, and many more!

The Creative Coalition Awards $220,000 in Grants to Filmmakers


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BWW TV: Watch Larry Kramer Talk About His Masterpiece, THE NORMAL HEART, on Opening Night


As BroadwayWorld sadly reported yesterday, legendary playwright, author, and activist, Larry Kramer passed away this morning. With his passing, Kramer leaves behind a legacy of important, eye-opening, controversial art, including his masterpiece, The Normal Heart.

Wynn Handman, Producer and Acting Teacher, Has Passed Away at 97


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INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO's James Lipton Has Died at 93


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Photo Flash: Remembering Buck Henry


As BroadwayWorld reported earlier this month, Buck Henry passed away at the age of 89. Henry was an American actor, screenwriter, and director. He was twice nominated for an Academy Award, for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Graduate (1967) and for Best Director for Heaven Can Wait (1978) alongside Warren Beatty.

VIDEO: TNT Shares Clip From ANIMAL KINGDOM


Watch new episodes of Animal Kingdom Tuesdays 9/8c, only on TNT.

2011 Tony Nominations Announced! THE BOOK OF MORMON Leads With 14!


Past Tony winners Anika Noni Rose and Matthew Broderick announced the 2011 Tony Awards nominees live from the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in New York City.

Ellen Barkin FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many Broadway shows has Ellen Barkin been in?

Ellen Barkin has appeared on Broadway in 2 shows.

How many West End shows has Ellen Barkin been in?

Ellen Barkin has not appeared in the West End.

What awards has Ellen Barkin been nominated for?

Ellen Barkin has been nominated for the Performance award at the Theatre World Awards for her role in The Normal Heart. She has also been nominated for the Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play award at the Tony Awards for her performance in The Normal Heart.

What awards has Ellen Barkin won?

Ellen Barkin has won the Theatre World Award for her performance in "The Normal Heart" and the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for the same production.

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