Actress Barbara Barrie Dies With Medical Assistance at 95

Barbara Barrie, the Oscar-Nominated actress who starred in Breaking Away and Suddenly Susan, died with medical assistance at age 95, her rep told E! News, following a battle with cancer.ByOct 29, 2026 12:10 AMTagsCelebrity Deaths 2026: Catherine O’Hara, Eric Dane & More Fallen StarsHollywood is saying goodbye to a beloved TV mom. Oscar-nominated actress Barbara Barrie, who warmed living rooms across the nation through roles like Nana in Suddenly Susan, died at 95 years old with help from her medical team. "On behalf of the Harnick family," Barrie's rep said in a statement to E! News, "I can confirm that her passing was medically assisted in accordance with the New York State Medical Aid in Dying law, of which she was a proponent and advocate." The critically acclaimed actress—who made appearances in countless series like Nurse Jackie and Law & Order: SVU—proceeded with end-of-life care in her Manhattan residence following a terminal cancer diagnosis, according to The New York Times. And Barrie's impact goes beyond the big and small screens. Almost a decade before she was in contention for an Academy Award for her performance in 1979's Breaking Away, the thespian earned a Tony nomination for her work in the original run of Stephen Sondheim's musical Company.Indeed, the Chicago native—who was married to director Jay Malcolm Harnick until his death in 2007—loved her craft, which she worked on for over 55 years after first being introduced to acting at a community theater around age 11. "You strip away everything, you strip away the junk, you strip away all the temperament," the One Potato, Two Potato star explained on How Art Changed Me in 2024. "You just deal with the person you're playing. That's all you have to do, but it takes years to learn that."Photo by Walter McBride/WireImageStill, the Cannes Best Actress award winner, who worked alongside legends like James Dean, molded her stellar career around her family with Harnick: daughter Jane, 61, and son Aaron, 57. As Barrie shared, "My entire professional work, almost, I was married, I had children to take care of. If the part came along that I wanted to do, I would do it."For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App