Barbara Barrie: Oscar-nominated actress ends her life with assistance at 95 after terminal illness diagnosis
Oscar-nominated actress Barbara Barrie has passed away at age 95 following a long battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Known for her roles in 'Breaking Away' and 'Barney Miller,' she was a respected veteran of stage, television, and film.
Why it matters
Barrie was a significant figure in mid-to-late 20th-century American entertainment, earning critical acclaim across multiple performance mediums.
Oscar-nominated actress Barbara Barrie has died at the age of 95. The family of the theatre, television and movie veteran confirmed on Wednesday, local time, that she passed away at her home in Manhattan, New York, with medical assistance following a battle with a degenerative health condition. Daughter Jane Harnick’s announcement capped off Barrie’s 12-year health battle that started in 2014 when she announced her diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a degenerative disease that attacks the lungs. She was probably best known to big screen fans as the supportive mother of an Indiana teen in 1979 movie Breaking Away, with Barrie scoring an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress. She also earned an Emmy nomination for the same role when she filled it again for a television adaptation in 1981.
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