Ellen Barkin was born in the Bronx on April 16, 1954. Ellen Barkin attended New York's renowned High School for the Performing Arts, majored in history and drama at Hunter College. Ellen Barkin studied acting at New York's Actors Studio. Ellen Barkin is considered one of today's most versatile actresses due to her ability to play everything form dramatic and comedic leads to sexy sirens and supporting roles.

Ellen Barkin's first acting credit was in the stage production of Irish Coffee in 1980. Soon after, she became a regular on the soap opera Search for Tomorrow. Ellen Barkin received critical acclaim for her film debut as the neglected wife of an obsessive record collector in Barry Levinson's Diner (1982). Roles in Eddie and the Cruisers (1983), Buckaroo Bonzai (1984), Act of Vengeance (1986) and Desert Bloom (1986) soon followed.

However, Ellen Barkin didn't reach stardom until her steamy performance in the 1987 thriller The Big Easy, opposite Dennis Quaid. That same year, while on the set of Siesta, Ellen Barkin met. Ellen Barkin eventually married Irish actor Gabriel Byrne with whom she has two children.

from netglimse.com

 

  Trust the Man (2005)
Palindromes (2004) .... Joyce Victor
She Hate Me (2004) .... Margo Chadwick
Strip Search (2004) (TV) (scenes deleted)
Someone Like You... (2001) .... Diane Roberts
... aka Animal Attraction (UK)
... aka Someone Like You... (USA)
Mercy (2000) .... Det. Catherine Palmer
Crime and Punishment in Suburbia (2000) .... Maggie Skolnick

The White River Kid (1999) .... Eva Nell La Fangroy
... aka White River (USA: video title)
Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999/I) .... Annette Atkins
... aka Gnadenlos schön (Germany)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) .... Waitress at North Star Cafe
Before Women Had Wings (1997) (TV) .... Gloria Marie Jackson
... aka Oprah Winfrey Presents: Before Women Had Wings
Mad Dog Time (1996) .... Rita Everly
... aka Trigger Happy (video title)
The Fan (1996) .... Jewel Stern
Wild Bill (1995) .... Calamity Jane
Bad Company (1995/I) .... Margaret Wells
This Boy's Life (1993) .... Caroline Wolff Hansen
Mac (1992) .... Oona Goldfarb
Man Trouble (1992) .... Joan Spruance
Into the West (1992) .... Kathleen
Switch (1991) .... Amanda Brooks
... aka Blake Edwards' Switch (USA: complete title)

Sea of Love (1989) .... Helen Cruger
Johnny Handsome (1989) .... Sunny Boyd
Clinton and Nadine (1988) (TV) .... Nadine Powers
... aka Blood Money: The Story of Clinton and Nadine
Siesta (1987) .... Claire
Made in Heaven (1987) (uncredited) .... Lucille
The Big Easy (1987) .... Anne Osborne
Down by Law (1986) .... Laurette
... aka Down by Law - Alles im Griff (Germany: TV title)
Act of Vengeance (1986) (TV) .... Annette Gilly
Desert Bloom (1986) .... Aunt Starr
Terminal Choice (1985) .... Mary O'Connor
... aka Critical List
... aka Death Bed
... aka Death List
... aka Trauma
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984) .... Penny Priddy
... aka The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai (USA: short title)
Terrible Joe Moran (1984) (TV) .... Ronnie
Harry and Son (1984) .... Katie Wilowski
The Princess Who Had Never Laughed (1984) (TV) .... Princess Henrietta
Eddie and the Cruisers (1983) .... Maggie Foley
Enormous Changes at the Last Minute (1983) .... Virginia
... aka Enormous Changes
... aka Trumps
Daniel (1983) .... Phyllis Isaacson
Tender Mercies (1983) .... Sue Anne
Parole (1982) (TV) .... Donna
Diner (1982) .... Beth Schreiber
We're Fighting Back (1981) (TV) .... Chris Capoletti
Kent State (1981) (TV)

Up in Smoke (1978) (uncredited) .... Woman playing guitar
... aka Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke
... aka Cheech and Chong: Up in Smoke