ELLEN BARKIN - BARKIN HITS BACK AT PERELMAN

LATEST: Actress ELLEN BARKIN has branded her ex-husband RON PERELMAN's lawsuit against her "a cynical abuse of the legal system". The Revlon cosmetics boss launched legal action against Barkin and her brother George on Wednesday (28Nov07), claiming they stole money from a production company he financed. But Michelle Benson, Barkin's spokeswoman, has issued a statement, calling Perelman's lawsuit "frivolous" and "without merit." Perelman alleges the Barkins formed Applehead II to compete with Applehead I - which he had formed with them - and then stole money from the original company to pay for their new one. He also claims she used his money to pay for a lawsuit she filed against him, and pay George Barkin a $250,000 (GBP125,000)-a-year salary. He is seeking unspecified compensatory damages, punitive damages and the return of misappropriated assets. Perelman and Barkin, 54, divorced in 2006.