Edward Burns grew up on Long Island surrounded by cops in his family, but he chose to go the more artistic route. The filmmaker studied English Literature at Albany University and The State University of New York at Oneonta. During his junior year, he transferred to Hunter College in New York City, where he studied filmmaking. In 1995, he wrote, directed, and starred in his low-budget film, “The Brothers McMullen.” Burns made the film with a $30,000 budget, which he filmed in his Long Island home. It debuted at the 1995 Sundance film festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize and got picked up by Fox Searchlight.
“The Brothers McMullen” garnered much interest in Burns from Hollywood. “I got a couple of offers. Studio things with, you know, more money than I’ve dreamed I’d make in my entire life. And you know, opposite some pretty decent-looking gals. I want to act in other people’s films, but I don’t want to act in any film that is close to the film that I will make one day,” he shared in Filmmaker Magazine.
Read Related Also: Orlando Bloom Dotes On Fiancée Katy Perry After Calling Romance ‘Challenging’: ‘My Heart’
Burns went on to write and direct “She’s the One,” as well as star in “Saving Private Ryan.” However, his true heart lies in making his own films, as it allows him to spend time with his wife, Christy Turlington, and their two daughters.
