Edward Burns

Born: 29th January 1968
Where: Queens County, New York

Burns began his film career on the bottom rung of a ladder as a van driver for the TV programme Entertainment Tonight.

He 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.

After receiving the prestigious award, the film was picked-up by Fox for distribution and went on to gross in excess of £7 million.

Working with a larger budget (£2 million) for his second feature in 1996, Burns directed the romantic comedy She's the One, featuring himself along with screen beauties Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz.

That same year Burns along with his brother Brian, formed Irish Twin Productions, and signed a two-year development deal with Twentieth Century Fox Television.

When Steven Spielberg tapped him to co-star with Tom Hanks in the WWII drama Saving Private Ryan, it marked the first time Burns had acted under another director or spoken dialogue he had not written.

Next came a co-starring role with Robert De Niro in the thriller 15 Minutes and he directed, wrote and starred in the well received Sidewalks of New York.

His career took a bit of a dip with the dismal romantic comedy Life or Someting Like It oppposite Angelina Jolie and he went on to star in Confidence with Andy Garcia.

Burns can next been seen as actor, director and writer of Ash Wednesday and upcoming projects include A Sound of Thunder.