I was trained by Method acting teachers and we were taught that aside from whatever gift you may or may not have or the level of that gift, that you were obliged to know how to build a table. It's a craft. It's like being a ballerina or a violinist.

In 2007 Barkin sued Perelman for $3. 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. She is an outspoken Twitter user.

As of 2012[update] Ellen Barkin stars as Jane Forrest (Nana) in the NBC sitcom The New Normal. Ellen Rona Barkin (born April 16 1954) is an American actress known for her roles in the films The Big Easy Sea of Love and Switch.