Ellen Barkin
She’s best known as a dazzling looker in erotic late 80s thrillers like Sea of Love and The Big Easy, and for strong turns in ensemble pictures Diner and Ocean’s Thirteen. But this graduate of the Actors Studio also has the qualifications to headline a major cable show.
For one, she still has the acting chops; Barkin has an Emmy and Tony in her collection – the first she received for the TV movie Before Women Had Wings, the second for her featured role in a revival of The Normal Heart. Barkin also chewed up the scenery as the acerbic grandmother on The New Normal, which brought her critical acclaim (even though that show only ran for a season).
A veteran of the stage and screens who has not quite throttled back into the spotlight besides a few stellar performances, Barkin has what it takes to lead the cast of a cable drama. She is a commanding screen presence that has the potential to thrive as a fiery, autonomous female on a series a la Glenn Close, Laura Dern and Kyra Sedgwick. As these examples show, cable loves mad, merciless blonde women in their fifties, and this type of role fits comfortably within Barkin’s range.
