Barbara Barrie, an Oscar-nominated actress recognized for her roles in "Breaking Away" and "One Potato, Two Potato," died Wednesday at her Manhattan home. She was 95 years old.
Her daughter, Jane Harnick, confirmed that Barrie's death was medically assisted, a decision made after she received a terminal cancer diagnosis. Barrie had also been diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in 2014, a degenerative lung disease that causes scarring of lung tissue, making breathing difficult.
Barrie's career spanned decades, earning her critical acclaim and multiple award nominations. In 1964, she won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her performance in "One Potato, Two Potato," a film notable for its depiction of an interracial relationship. She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 1979 for her role as Evelyn Stohler in the coming-of-age film "Breaking Away." She later reprised this role for the television series based on the movie, earning an Emmy nomination in 1981.
Her extensive theater work included a Tony Award nomination in 1971 for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role in Stephen Sondheim's "Company."
Barrie also appeared as Elizabeth Miller, wife of Captain Barney Miller, in the sitcom "Barney Miller" from 1975 to 1978, and portrayed Goldie Hawn's mother in the 1980 film "Private Benjamin."
Beyond her acting, Barrie was a published author. She wrote two children's books, "Lone Star" (1990) and "Adam Zigzag" (1994), and two non-fiction books about her experiences with cancer: "Second Act" (1997) and "Don't Die of Embarrassment" (1999).
She is survived by her two children, daughter Jane and son Aaron Harnick. Her husband, artistic director Jay Harnick, died in 2007.