Edward Burns This article concerns the actor born in 1968; for the one best known starting in 1958, see Edward Byrnes. For other people named Burns, see Burns (disambiguation). Edward Burns Jr. (born January 29, 1968) is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Burns was born in Woodside, Queens, New York, as the second of three children of Irish Catholic immigrants: he has a sister, Mary, and a brother, Brian. He was raised on Long Island, where he briefly attended a Catholic Chaminade High School before transferring to a public high school in Hewlett. His brother Brian followed suit. His father was a policeman, and his mother was a federal employee; both are now retired.
Burns got his start in the film industry while working as a "go-fer" at Entertainment Tonight. While there, he financed, produced, and directed his first film, The Brothers McMullen, in his spare time. Once he completed the film, he got a copy to Robert Redford during an appearance he made at ET.
Apart from The Brothers McMullen, Burns is known for his acting work on movies such as Sidewalks of New York, Saving Private Ryan, Confidence (aka CONfidence), and Life or Something Like It.
His younger brother, Brian Burns, is a TV producer, and he and Edward own their own production company called "Irish Twins."
Burns has a degree in English from Hunter College and has been married to model Christy Turlington since June 7, 2003; their daughter, Grace, was born in October 2003 and their son, Finn, in February 2006.
Due to his similarities to the actor Ben Affleck, it has been speculated that he is cast in roles that were originally deigned for Affleck but due to his unavailability or unwillingness to take the role, were given to him instead.
Holiday (2006)
