ELLEN BARKIN - BARKIN STILL FOND OF 'SPECTACULAR' EX BYRNE

BARKIN STILL FOND OF 'SPECTACULAR' EX BYRNE

Actress ELLEN BARKIN is convinced her seven-year marriage to GABRIEL BYRNE was a huge success - because they're still the best of friends. The Sea of Love star divorced the Irish actor in 1999 after a lengthy separation, but she can never accept the marriage failed. Barkin has huge regrets about marrying Revlon boss Ron Perelman, stating, "It's certainly not the shining moment of my 53 years on this planet," but she'll never feel bad about her romance with Byrne. She tells Parade magazine, "Gabriel Byrne is a spectacular man! He's a very smart, very moral guy from a big Irish family. We come from the same working-class environment, the same values. "Even now, after splitting up, we've stayed close friends. I admire him enormously. "A successful marriage isn't necessarily one that lasts until you're dead... I had a really good marriage with Gabriel. You can have a successful marriage for just seven years. That's what I had with him. We were happy, and then we grew apart. "I wouldn't exchange those seven years for anything in the world. We have two wonderful children, and I wouldn't do that again with anyone else. I mean, it was that good a marriage."