Edward Fitzgerald Burns (born January 29, 1968) is an American actor and filmmaker. He rose to fame with The Brothers McMullen (1995), his low-budget independent film that was a worldwide success. His other film appearances include Saving Private Ryan (1998), The Holiday (2006), 27 Dresses (2008), Man on a Ledge (2012), Friends with Kids (2012), and Alex Cross (2012).
Burns has directed films such as She's the One (1996), Sidewalks of New York (2001), and The Fitzgerald Family Christmas (2012). On television, he has appeared as Bugsy Siegel in the TNT crime drama series Mob City and as Terry Muldoon in TNT's Public Morals.
Early life Burns was born in Woodside, Queens, New York, the son of Edward J. Burns, a police officer and public relations spokesman, and Molly (née McKenna), a federal agency manager. He was raised a Roman Catholic. Burns is the second of three children (with siblings Mary and Brian) and is of Irish and Swedish descent. He was raised in Valley Stream, New York, on Long Island.
Career Burns got his start in the movie industry right after college as a production assistant on the Oliver Stone movie The Doors. While working at Entertainment Tonight, in his spare time he financed, produced, directed, and was featured in his first movie The Brothers McMullen, which was filmed mostly in his hometown of Valley Stream. Once he completed the movie, he was able to get a copy to Robert Redford after an ET junket interview for Quiz Show at the Rhiga Royal Hotel in Manhattan. Redford watched the film and helped it get accepted into the Sundance Film Festival, launching Burns' career.
In 1996, Burns wrote, directed, and was featured in the ensemble drama She's The One with Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz and Amanda Peet, as well as in Sidewalks of New York in 2001.
As an actor, Burns appeared in the movies Saving Private Ryan (1998), Life or Something Like It (2002), and Confidence (2003). Looking for Kitty (2004), which Burns wrote, directed and starred in, was shot with a hand-held $3,000 digital Panasonic AG-DVX100 camera with a Mini35 adapter. The movie's entire budget was $200,000 and was filmed in New York City with a tiny crew and without standard permits. Burns discussed this unusual movie-making process in the director's commentary on the DVD and wrote in the Director's Letter, "If you are an aspiring filmmaker, in this day of inflating budgets and runaway production, the truth is you can make a movie for no money in New York ... and have a blast".
His movie Purple Violets premiered exclusively on iTunes on November 20, 2007. Burns began a series of guest appearances on the HBO original series Entourage midway through season 3, as well as appearing as Grace Adler's boyfriend in Will & Grace. In Entourage, Burns plays himself and is (within the context of the series) writing a new television show in which Johnny Drama is able to acquire a part. In 2007, Burns announced plans to partner with Virgin Comics to create a series entitled Dock Walloper. Burns planned to use the comic series as a springboard to a movie of the same story.
In March 2009, a series of short movies called The Lynch Pin written and directed by Burns (who was also in the cast) were released via the internet.
With the modest success of Purple Violets, Burns considered taking a studio directing assignment to make money. After reading scripts and attending meetings, he chose to remain an independent writer/director. Burns next wrote Nice Guy Johnny and filmed it quickly with the RED One camera for a reported $25,000 with a small crew. Nice Guy Johnny premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2010.
To coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Tribeca Film Festival in 2011, Burns wrote Newlyweds, which he also directed and starred in. Conforming to a model similar to Nice Guy Johnny, Newlyweds was filmed in 12 days for $9,000 with a Canon 5D camera and an even smaller crew. The movie premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2011 as the closing night film. Burns claimed on Twitter that the $9,000 budget was "5k for actors, 2k insurance, 2k food and drink. 9k in the can." In 2013, Burns featured as real-life gangster Bugsy Siegel in Frank Darabont's miniseries Mob City.
In 2012, Burns set up a screenwriting contest with the web startup Scripped for a crowdsourced screenplay which he intended to help get produced. In 2021 he was an advisor to ICX Media, an ad-tech audience analytics data company.
In 2024, Burns began production in the Republic of Ireland on his golf-based film Finnegan's Foursome.
Personal life
Burns is married to model Christy Turlington and they have two children, a daughter born in 2003 and a son born in 2006. He and Turlington are Catholic.
Filmography Film Year Title Director Producer Writer Notes1995The Brothers McMullen1996She's the One 1998No Looking Back 2001Sidewalks of New York 2002Ash Wednesday 2004Looking for Kitty 2006The Groomsmen2007Purple VioletsDirect-to-iTunes2010Nice Guy Johnny 2011Newlyweds 2012The Fitzgerald Family Christmas2018Summer Days, Summer Nights2019Beneath the Blue Suburban SkiesAlso editor2024Millers in Marriage2025The Family McMullen2026Finnegan's Foursome
Acting roles Year Title Role Notes1995The Brothers McMullenFinbar "Barry" McMullen1996She's the OneMickey Fitzpatrick1998Saving Private RyanPrivate Richard ReibenNo Looking BackCharlie2000Shark Attack 2Surfer Guy 2Cameo; direct-to-video200115 MinutesFire Marshal Jordan WarsawSidewalks of New YorkTommy Reilly2002LethargyStore ClerkShort filmAsh WednesdayFrancis SullivanLife or Something Like ItPete Scanlon2003ConfidenceJake Vig2004The Breakup ArtistHimselfLooking for KittyJack Stanton2005A Sound of ThunderTravis RyerThe River KingAbel Grey2006The GroomsmenPaulieThe HolidayEthan Ebbers2007Purple VioletsMichael MurphyDirect-to-iTunes2008One Missed CallDetective Jack Andrews27 DressesGeorge2009Echelon ConspiracyJohn Reed2010Nice Guy JohnnyUncle Terry 2011NewlywedsBuzzyFriends with KidsKurt2012Man on a LedgeJack DoughertyAlex CrossTommy KaneThe Fitzgerald Family ChristmasGerry2018Summer Days, Summer NightsJack Flynn2019Beneath the Blue Suburban SkiesJim2024Millers in MarriageAndy Miller2025The Family McMullenFinbar "Barry" McMullen2026Finnegan's FoursomeTBA
Television Year Title Director ExecutiveProducer Writer Creator2015Public Morals2021–2022Bridge and Tunnel
Acting roles Year Title Role Notes2005Will & GraceNick3 episodes2006–2009EntourageHimself4 episodes2011Vietnam in HDJoseph L. GallowayVoice; 3 episodes2013Mob CityBugsy Siegel5 episodes2014LouieHimselfEpisode: "So Did the Fat Lady"2015Public MoralsTerry Muldoon10 episodes2021–2022Bridge and TunnelArtie12 episodes
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Film Result1995 Independent Spirit Best First Feature Shared with Dick Fisher The Brothers McMullen Sundance Film Festival Best Dramatic Film 1999 Screen Actors Guild Outstanding Performance by a CastShared with Matt Damon, Jeremy Davies, Vin Diesel, Adam Goldberg, Tom Hanks, Barry Pepper, Giovanni Ribisi and Tom Sizemore Saving Private Ryan Online Film Critics Society Best Ensemble Cast PerformanceShared with Damon, Davies, Diesel, Goldberg, Hanks, Pepper, Ribisi and Sizemore 2008 Teen Choice Choice Movie Actor: Horror/Thriller One Missed Call 2010 Boston Film Festival Best Director Nice Guy Johnny
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