Barton Fink

Living… alone, in Hollywood's Hotel Earle. Barton has tries to have as few visitors as possible, finding them a distraction and thus the last thing a serious writer needs. The hotel is lovely, even if the fading décor and wilted potted plants are far from his usual accommodations.

Profession… screenwriter at Capitol Pictures. They hired Barton because he writes brilliant Broadway plays about urban class struggle and therefore seems “less Hollywood.” Barton only accepted the job after hearing about how much they pat their writers at Capitol. Hopefully, they care about the material just as much.

Interests… learning from William Mayhew, another writer on the Capitol payroll. Mayhew's the greatest novelist of Barton’s time and Barton is thrilled to meet him. He’s also taken a liking to Mayhew’s secretary, Audrey.

Relationship Status… caught in a love triangle, like every clichéd Hollywood film. Barton’s caught up with Audrey and, of course, so is Mayhew. They’re so secluded that it only makes sense that they’d fall in love with whomever is around. Not that Audrey's just anybody – Barton thinks she deserves more than Mayhew can give. More than Barton can give, even.

Challenge… not getting swallowed up by the Hollywood assembly line and losing touch with the "common man." Barton promised himself he wouldn't let Hollywood corrupt him and change his focus to money and women. The city keeps getting stranger though, and Barton already feels different. In the end, his brilliant mind may become his greatest enemy.

Personality… principled and uncompromising. Barry knows why he writes, and money has nothing to do with it. Hollywood, in contrast, is all about the bottom line. Great art isn’t. Barton is trying to do the impossible by reconciling the two. Problem is, Barry’s not exactly the most stable writer to begin with. He’s often a victim of his moods and extreme empathy, causing him to feel too deeply and care too much.