Ellen Barkin Biography (3)

A standout actress since her critically acclaimed performance in Barry Levinson's Diner, Ellen Barkin has built an impressive body of work in theater and motion pictures. Barkin took home her first Emmy Award for her portrayal of Glory Marie in Oprah Winfrey's Before Women Had Wings in which she played a wildly embittered woman haunted by a tragic past and trapped in an alcoholic present.

Throughout her career, Barkin has compiled a distinguished list of film credits and has worked with some of Hollywood's most esteemed directors and actors. She starred in Sea of Love with Al Pacino, Man Trouble with Jack Nicholson, Bruce Beresford's Tender Mercies with Robert Duvall, Paul Newman's Harry and Son, Jim Jarmuch's Down by Law, Walter Hill's Johnny Handsome, John Turturro's Mac, and Blake Edwards' comedy, Switch.

Other film credits include Daniel, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai, Desert Bloom, The Big Easy, Siesta, Michael Caton-Jones' critically acclaimed film, This Boy's Life opposite Robert De Niro, Mike Newell's Into the West opposite Gabriel Byrne, Damian Harris' Bad Company opposite Laurence Fishburne, Walter Hill's Wild Bill opposite Jeff Bridges, Larry Bishop's Mad Dog Time opposite Richard Dreyfuss and Jeff Goldblum, and Tony Scott's The Fan opposite Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes for which she received a Blockbuster award, White River Kid opposite Antonio Banderas, Drop Dead Gorgeous and Mercy.

Barkin's first theater role came when she was cast in the stage production of Irish Coffee at the ensemble Studio Theater for director Robert Woodruff. She went on to work extensively on the New York stage, including a lead role in the original off-Broadway production of Extremities which also starred Susan Sarandon.

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