Edward Burns

A young triple threat of Irish extraction, Edward Burns first gained notice as the writer-director and co-star of the independently filmed "The Brothers McMullen," the winner of the Grand Prize at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Filmed on a shoe-string budget (reportedly under $30,000) over the course of eight months, the feature told the story of three Irish-American brothers trying to deal with their blue-collar upbringing, relationships, white-collar dreams and women. After receiving the prestigious award, the film was picked-up by 20th Century Fox's Searchlight Pictures for distribution and went on to gross in excess of $10 million.

Working with a larger budget ($3 million) for his second feature, Burns fashioned the romantic comedy "She's the One" (1996), featuring himself and a cast that included TV stars John Mahoney and Jennifer Aniston as well as Cameron Diaz. Again set in an Irish-American milieu, the feature examined the interrelations of a pair of brothers, the successful but unhappily married Francis (Mike McGlone) and the cab driving slacker Mickey (Burns) who shocks his family by marrying a woman he just met. Critical reception was mixed, with some feeling that this was just a rehash of the more genial "McMullen", and the film grossed just under $10 million.

Undaunted, he pushed ahead with a third feature, "No Looking Back" (1998), a triangular romance about old friends who confront their lives, co-starring Jon Bon Jovi and Lauren Holly. As a screen actor, the handsome, raspy-voiced Burns exudes a certain charm and charisma which he exploits by casting himself in the better-written, smart-alecky roles. When Steven Spielberg tapped him to co-star with Tom Hanks and Matt Damon in the WWII drama "Saving Private Ryan" (1998), it marked the first time Burns had acted under another director or spoken dialogue he had not written.

• Also Credited As:
  Ed Burns, Edward Burns, Edward J. Burns, Edward J. Burns Jr, edward burns
• Born:
  Edward J. Burns Jr on January 29, 1968 in Valley Stream, New York, United States
• Job Titles:
  Actor, Director, Screenwriter, Producer, Production assistant, Busboy, Van driver

Family

• Brother: Brian Burns. Born c. 1969; with Edward, own their own production company called Irish Twins
• Daughter: Grace Burns. Born Nov. 1, 2003; mother, Christy Turlington
• Father: Edward J Burns Sr. Credited as one of the excutive producers of The Brothers McMullen (1995)
• Mother: Molly Burns. Works for the Federal Aviation Administration; credited as a caterer on The Brothers McMullen (1995)
• Sister: Mary Burns. Born c. 1963
• Son: Finn Burns. Born Feb. 11, 2006; mother, Christy Turlington

Significant Others

• Companion: Christy Turlington. born c. 1968; dating from c. September 2000; engaged as of early 2001; wedding had been scheduled for October 2001 in Italy but was postponed because of world events; separated in early 2002
• Companion: Heather Graham. dated from 1998 until spring 2000
• Companion: Lauren Holly. began relationship during filming of No Looking Back ; both claim to be just buddies
• Companion: Maxine Bahns. met in 1989; appeared in The Brothers McMullen and She s the One ; reportedly planned to marry in 1997; separated in March 1997

Education

• Hunter College, New York, NY, 1992
• State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY, English
• State University of New York at Oneonta, Oneonta, NY, English

Milestones

• 1994 Shot first feature, The Brothers McMullen over the course of eight months
• 1995 After winning the Grand Prize at Sundance, sold the film to 20th Century Fox s Searchlight Pictures
• 1996 Helmed second feature, She s the One ; also scripted and starred
• 1998 Co-starred with Tom Hanks in Steven Spielberg s Saving Private Ryan
• 1998 Directed and wrote third feature, the romantic comedy No Looking Back
• 2001 Played a cop alongside Robert De Niro in 15 Minutes
• 2001 With brother Brian, executive produced the NBC sitcom The Fighting Fitzgeralds
• 2001 Wrote, directed and starred in the romantic comedy Sidewalks of New York
• 2002 Wrote an episode for the HBO drama series The Wire ; episode was nominated for an NAACP Image Award
• 2003 Starred as a con artist in the drama Confidence
• 2004 Premiered Looking for Kitty at the Tribeca Film Festiva; produced, directed and co-starred (released in 2006)
• 2005 Played a love interest for Grace (Debra Messing) on NBC s Will & Grace
• 2006 Played himself in several episodes of the HBO series Entourage where he works with Johnny Drama on a new series
• 2006 Wrote, directed and co-starred as an apprehensive groom in The Groomsmen
• 2007 Helmed the romantic comedy, Purple Violets, in which he co-starred with Debra Messing and Patrick Wilson; first feature film to be released and distributed by iTunes
• 2008 Appeared in the romantic comedy, 27 Dresses
• Formed Irish Twin Productions and signed a two-year development deal with Fox Television
• Raised in Woodside, Queens and Valley Stream, NY
• Worked as a production assistant and van driver for Entertainment Tonight until January 1995