Ellen Rona Barkin is an American actress and producer. Her breakthrough role was in the 1982 film Diner, and in the following years she had starring roles in films such as Tender Mercies (1983), The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984), The Big Easy (1987), Johnny Handsome and Sea of Love (both 1989). Barkin was born in The Bronx, New York, the daughter of Evelyn (née Rozin), a hospital administrator who worked at Jamaica Hospital, and Sol Barkin, a chemical salesman. Her family were Jewish emigrants from Siberia and the Belarusian-Polish border. Barkin lived in Flushing, NY and attended Parsons Junior High School. She received her high school diploma at Manhattan's High School of Performing Arts. She then attended Hunter College and double majored in history and drama. At one point, Barkin wanted to teach ancient history. She continued her acting education at New York City's Actors Studio. According to TIME, she studied acting for ten years before landing her first audition.