Tony Winner Ellen Barkin Doing Fine Following On-Set Choking Incident

TMZ reports that Ellen Barkin faced a medical emergency yesterday on the set of her new TNT series ANIMAL KINGDOM after choking on her lunch.

Sources tell the site that the Tony winning actress was eating her lunch during a break from filming when a piece of food apparently went down the wrong pipe. The 61-year-old actress "showed signs of distress and began to panic. It got worse ... so bad she actually passed out."

Barkin was rushed to a nearby L.A. hospital where she underwent several tests. It remains unclear how the food was dislodged from her air passageway.

We are happy to report that the actress is doing fine and was released from the hospital last night. She resumed filming on her TV series this morning.

A renowned actress of the stage, and small and big screens, Barkin has starred in countless feature films including Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, This Boy's Life, Sea of Love, Brooklyn's Finest, She Hate Me, Women Had Wings, Someone Like You..., Drop Dead Gorgeous, Switch, The Big Easy and Ocean's Thirteen.

Her television credits include THE NEW NORMAL and Modern Family. Barkin was honored with a Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play in 2011 for her role as "Dr. Emma Brookner" in THE NORMAL HEART on Broadway.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos