Michael Lerner, ‘Barton Fink’ Actor, Dies at 81

The actor received an Oscar nomination for his performance as studio executive Jack Lipnick in the Coen brothers’ feature

Michael Lerner as Jack Lipnick in the Coen brothers' Barton Fink
Twentieth Century Fox

Michael Lerner, the Oscar-nominated actor who played studio exec Jack Lipnick in the Coen brothers’ film “Barton Fink,” died on Saturday at the age of 81, his nephew and fellow actor Sam announced on Instagram.

“It’s hard to put into words how brilliant my uncle Michael was, and how influential he was to me,” Sam Lerner wrote.

“His stories always inspired me and made me fall in love with acting. He was the coolest, most confident, talented guy, and the fact that he was my blood will always make me feel special. Everyone that knows him knows how insane he was — in the best way,” he continued.

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