--- name: "Edward Burns" canonical: "https://film.one/person/edward-burns" fi1m_id: "edward-burns" imdb_id: "nm0122653" tmdb_id: 12833 wikidata_id: "Q314485" roles: ["Actor"] born: "29 January 1968" reviewed_on_fi1m: 2 average_fi1m_score: 74 average_as: "actor" average_over: 2 updated: "2026-10-05T04:44:14.454343+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Edward Burns ## Identity Edward Burns - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/edward-burns - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** edward-burns - **IMDb ID:** nm0122653 - **TMDB ID:** 12833 - **Wikidata ID:** Q314485 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Burns, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q314485, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122653/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12833 Actor. Born 29 January 1968 in Woodside, Queens County, New York, USA. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 29 January 1968, Woodside, Queens County, New York, USA - **Active:** 1998–2006 - **Also known as:** Ed Burns, Эдвард Бёрнс, 에드워드 번즈, ادوارد برنز, Edward F. Burns - **SAG Awards:** 1 SAG Award nomination - **Average Fi1m score:** 74, as actor, over 2 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 84 (1), 2000s 64 (1) - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Burns, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q314485, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122653/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12833 ## Streaming the US now - **Apple TV:** [*Saving Private Ryan*](https://film.one/film/saving-private-ryan.md) (84) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Edward Burns > Edward Burns is a useful ensemble actor who makes a character distinct even when the script gives him little help. His own films favour naturalistic conversations among New York families and friends, though the familiar setting can become a limitation. In *Saving Private Ryan* (1998), Edward Burns's Private Reiben is easy to pick out of the squad, even when the conversation gives him little room to develop. Burns and Barry Pepper, playing Private Jackson, help distinguish men whom Robert Rodat's screenplay too often reduces to a set of attitudes. That is useful supporting work, and we would not mistake the shortage of detail for a failure of the actor. Steven Spielberg's film needs us to recognise these soldiers amid the fighting; Burns does his share. The difficulty comes between battles, when being recognisable has to give way to being worth listening to. We grew impatient with the conversations about duty and sacrifice because the men seemed to be stating assigned positions rather than talking to one another. Burns remains distinct, but he cannot supply all the history and complication the lines leave out. The frightening combat and Tom Hanks's strained authority make the film worth the ordeal, but the supporting cast has uneven help. Burns had already written, directed and acted in *The Brothers McMullen* (1995), playing Barry McMullen. Its romantic and family tensions would become his regular subject. *She's the One* (1996), with Burns as Mickey Fitzpatrick, continued that ensemble approach before *Saving Private Ryan* brought him wider attention. His naturalistic, overlapping dialogue gives actors something useful to work with, allowing everyday disagreements to emerge through conversation. We respond to that interest in how people talk, although returning so often to Irish-American Catholic families and friends in New York can leave the work feeling too familiar. *Sidewalks of New York* (2001), with Burns as Tommy Reilly, continues the interest in intertwined relationships. His Ethan in *The Holiday* (2006) belongs to the other strand of the work: supporting parts in studio films alongside the features he writes, directs and acts in himself. The attraction of his own ensembles is the opportunity to get to know people beyond their immediately recognisable attitudes, something Reiben could have used. For an introduction to Burns on his own terms, begin with *The Brothers McMullen*. ## Biography Edward Burns is an American actor, writer, director and producer. Born in Woodside, Queens, New York, he began in the film industry as a production assistant on Oliver Stone's The Doors before working at Entertainment Tonight. He financed, wrote, directed and starred in his debut feature The Brothers McMullen (1995), which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and achieved commercial success. Burns gained wider recognition for his role as Private Reiben in Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan (1998). He has continued to act in films including The Holiday (2006), 27 Dresses (2008), Man on a Ledge (2012) and Alex Cross (2012). As a filmmaker he has directed She's the One (1996), Sidewalks of New York (2001) and The Fitzgerald Family Christmas (2012). On television he has appeared in Mob City and Public Morals. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, themoviedb.org.* ## On Fi1m (2) - *The Holiday* (2006), Fi1m 64, as Ethan — [page](https://film.one/film/the-holiday.md) - *Saving Private Ryan* (1998), Fi1m 84, as Private Reiben — [page](https://film.one/film/saving-private-ryan.md) ## Complete filmography (50) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Finnegan's Foursome* (2026), as Freddy Finnegan · Director, Writer - *The Family McMullen* (2025), as Barry McMullen · Director, Writer - *Tales from The Ryder Cup* (2025), series, as Narrator (voice) - *Millers in Marriage* (2024), as Andy · Director, Writer, Producer - *The Everything Pot* (2024), Executive Producer - *A Thousand Little Cuts* (2022), Thanks - *Bridge and Tunnel* (2021), series, as Artie · Director, Executive Producer, Writer, Creator - *Professionals* (2020), series, Actor - *Amazing Stories* (2020), series, as Bill Kaminski - *Seaver* (2019), as Narrator (voice) · Executive Producer - *Beneath the Blue Suburban Skies* (2019), as Jim · Director, Producer, Screenplay, Editor - *Summer Days, Summer Nights* (2018), as Jack Flynn · Director, Producer, Writer - *Public Morals* (2015), series, as Terry Muldoon · Creator - *Mob City* (2013), series, as Ben "Bugsy" Siegel - *SC Featured* (2013), series, as Narrator - *Alex Cross* (2012), as Tommy Kane - *The Fitzgerald Family Christmas* (2012), as Gerry Fitzgerald · Director, Writer, Producer - *Friends with Kids* (2012), as Kurt - *Man on a Ledge* (2012), as Jack Dougherty - *Newlyweds* (2011), as Buzzy · Writer, Director, Producer - *Vietnam in HD* (2011), series, as Joe Galloway - *Top Gear* (2010), series, Actor - *Nice Guy Johnny* (2010), as Uncle Terry · Director, Writer, Producer - *No Woman, No Cry* (2010), Actor - *Echelon Conspiracy* (2009), as John Reed - *The Greatest Tunnel Ever Built* (2008), as Narrator - *27 Dresses* (2008), as George - *One Missed Call* (2008), as Jack Andrews - *Purple Violets* (2007), as Michael Murphy · Director, Writer, Producer - *The Holiday* (2006), as Ethan — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/the-holiday.md) - *The Groomsmen* (2006), as Paulie · Director, Producer, Screenplay - *The River King* (2005), as Abel Grey - *A Sound of Thunder* (2005), as Travis Ryer - *Flight of the Phoenix* (2004), Screenplay - *Entourage* (2004), series, as Edward Burns — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/entourage.md) - *Looking for Kitty* (2004), as Jack Stanton · Writer, Director, Producer - *Confidence* (2003), as Jake Vig - *Ash Wednesday* (2002), as Francis Sullivan · Director, Writer, Producer - *Life or Something Like It* (2002), as Pete - *Lethargy* (2002), as Store Clerk - *Sidewalks of New York* (2001), as Tommy · Director, Writer, Producer - *The Concert for New York City* (2001), Director, Producer - *Lovely Day* (2001), Director, Producer - *The Fighting Fitzgeralds* (2001), series, Creator - *15 Minutes* (2001), as Jordy Warsaw - *Will & Grace* (1998), series, as Nick - *Saving Private Ryan* (1998), as Private Reiben — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/saving-private-ryan.md) - *No Looking Back* (1998), as Charlie · Director, Screenplay, Producer - *She's the One* (1996), as Mickey Fitzpatrick · Producer, Director, Writer - *The Brothers McMullen* (1995), as Barry / Finbar McMullen · Director, Screenplay, Producer ## Gallery - ![Edward Burns](https://film.one/media/person/87588/gallery-cbac1f816658.jpg) Edward Burns — Kevin Payravi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Edward_Burns_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Edward_Burns_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Christy Turlington and Edward Burns at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for the movie Millers In Marriage.](https://film.one/media/person/87588/gallery-b96f7fefa80d.jpg) Christy Turlington and Edward Burns at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for the movie Millers In Marriage. — Kevin Payravi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/Christy_Turlington_and_Edward_Burns_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival.jpg/1280px-Christy_Turlington_and_Edward_Burns_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![January 7, 2008 - 27 Dresses Premiere in Westwood](https://film.one/media/person/87588/gallery-e820aadf1b60.jpg) January 7, 2008 - 27 Dresses Premiere in Westwood — Photo from www.lukeford.net, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Ed_Burns%2C_Christy_Turlington_at_27_Dresses_Premiere_2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![January 7, 2008 - 27 Dresses Premiere in Westwood](https://film.one/media/person/87588/gallery-7d05582e04d8.jpg) January 7, 2008 - 27 Dresses Premiere in Westwood — Photo from www.lukeford.net, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Ed_Burns%2C_Christy_Turlington_at_27_Dresses_Premiere_3.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Edward Burns](https://film.one/media/person/87588/gallery-4f900c30d05e.jpg) Edward Burns — Image via TMDB - ![Edward Burns](https://film.one/media/person/87588/gallery-80ef20ac5f32.jpg) Edward Burns — Image via TMDB - ![Edward Burns](https://film.one/media/person/87588/gallery-0ac144d943ab.jpg) Edward Burns — Image via TMDB - ![Edward Burns and Christy Turlington Shankbone at 2010 Tribeca Film Festival](https://film.one/media/person/87588/gallery-176fb59995bb.jpg) Edward Burns and Christy Turlington Shankbone at 2010 Tribeca Film Festival — David Shankbone, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Ed_Burns_and_Christy_Turlington_Shankbone_by_David_Shankbone.jpg/1280px-Ed_Burns_and_Christy_Turlington_Shankbone_by_David_Shankbone.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Edward Burns at the Tribeca Film Festival (2026)](https://film.one/media/person/87588/gallery-df997b95b646.jpg) Edward Burns at the Tribeca Film Festival (2026) — Colleen Sturtevant, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/Edward_Burns_2026.jpg/1280px-Edward_Burns_2026.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) ## Awards ### SAG Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated - 1999: Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture (nominated), for *Saving Private Ryan* ### Other awards — 2 won - Independent Spirit Awards 1996: Best First Feature (won), for *The Brothers McMullen* - Sundance Film Festival U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize Award 1995: Sundance Film Festival U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize Award (won), for *The Brothers McMullen* *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/edward-burns