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Ed Burns believes his “two-week rule” with Christy Turlington is the secret behind their lasting marriage.
The actor and filmmaker has been busy bringing “The Family McMullen” — the sequel to his 1995 hit “The Brothers McMullen” — to life. Yet, the 57-year-old told Fox News Digital that no matter how hectic life gets, he and his supermodel spouse vowed early on never to let more than two weeks pass without being together.
Burns and Turlington, who tied the knot in 2003, share two children: 22-year-old Grace McKenna and 19-year-old Finn.
“My wife and I, very early on, had an agreement, because our respective jobs do require a bit of travel,” said Burns. “We had a two-week rule where neither one of us was allowed to be gone for more than two weeks at a time. And a lot of times, we had to look at our calendars and sometimes say no to a particular job that would require travel that might have us gone for a longer period of time.”
“Now that we’re empty nesters, we don’t have to stick to that in the same way,” he said. “But we still try not to do jobs that will have us away from one another for too long.”
“The Family McMullen” chronicles the love, humor, and challenges that keep a family together in a Brooklyn setting. For Burns, the most powerful lesson about partnership — the one that guides his storytelling — is, at its core, surprisingly simple.
“It’s sort of a cliché answer, I guess, but I think [having] open lines of communication [is key],” he said. “Whether it’s between husband and wife, parents and their kids, or siblings — those are all things we explore in ‘The Family McMullen.’ And keeping a sense of humor even when things get tough with family.”
Burns’ first film followed his character, Barry, and his brothers as they navigated life after their father’s death. “The Family McMullen” chronicles Barry’s grown kids as they move back home.
“I did not draw from my own life and kids, and I never do that really with my work,” Burns explained. “If there’s any parallel between Barry McMullen and me in this film, it’s that Barry’s a little bit of the butt of the kids’ jokes. That’s probably true in my house. That said, if years from now my kids want to move back home, I’m sure Christy and I would both welcome them with open arms.”
But make no mistake — empty nesting has been “great” for the star. He sees it as a chance to dive into new projects while staying connected with his family.
“While we certainly miss the kids, it’s been a very productive time for me,” he explained.
“I’m getting more writing done now than I’ve ever gotten done. I wrote a novel last year that comes out in paperback on Dec. 15. I just submitted the second novel that I’ve written to the publisher. We have another project that hopefully we’ll be making in the spring. So, I’m keeping my time filled with having the empty nest.”
During the holiday season, Burns said he feels especially grateful. He credits the late Robert Redford — who died Sept. 16 at 89 — with giving him a career-defining opportunity three decades ago.
“I had finished shooting ‘The Brothers McMullen,’” he recalled. “I had a rough cut on VHS, but we’d been rejected by every film festival and distributor. I couldn’t get an agent or a manager. I thought the movie was dead. At the time, I was working as a production assistant at ‘Entertainment Tonight,’ and we were interviewing Redford about the movie he directed, ‘Quiz Show.’ I decided this was my last shot.”
After the interview, Burns said he followed Redford to the elevator and gave him a 30-second pitch. Redford took the tape.
Two months later, Burns got a call — “The Brothers McMullen” had been accepted into the Sundance Film Festival. The movie went on to win the Grand Jury Prize.
“Not only did I get to meet Redford after the screening, and thank him for taking the tape and helping us get in, but he was kind enough to let me introduce my mother,” said Burns. “He spent 10 minutes talking to her, telling her what a talented son she had. My mother was over the moon — Redford was her favorite.”
The film also sparked a decades-long friendship with Connie Britton, who played Molly McMullen — her first feature role.
“The first memory I have of Connie is when she auditioned for me in my dad’s office back in 1993,” said Burns. “We had auditioned a number of actresses for that part, and nobody was right. I started to think, ‘Maybe the scenes are just terrible.’ ‘Maybe I just don’t know how to write for this character, for this woman.’”
“Connie came into the audition and just crushed it,” he said. “We said, ‘Thank you very much.’ She left the office, and I sat there. I’m like, ‘Wait a second. What am I doing? She is Molly.’ I ran out of the office, chased her down the street. She had her suitcases with her because she was going to Grand Central. I ran into her on Third Avenue and said, ‘I want you to do the movie. You got the part.’ Since then, we’ve been fast friends.”
Even after 30 years, Burns insists he has no interest in venturing into big-studio, blockbuster territory as a filmmaker.
“I think the reason I keep telling these small, character-driven stories is, as a kid in film school, those were the movies that first excited me as a young artist who was trying to figure out what kind of films I wanted to make and what kind of stories I want to tell,” he said.
“Luckily for me, I grew up in New York. I live in New York City, I still take the subway every day. And when you’re on the train, I sit there, and I’m listening in on people’s conversations. I’m watching the way people interact with one another. You just let your imagination go in the city.”
“Again, another cliché, but the city never ceases to inspire,” he added.
When asked what he hopes audiences will take away from his latest film, Burns replied, “That there is such comfort in family.”
“I do think that at the end of the day, it’s a movie that reminds you that having a family that you’re still close to is a real blessing and not to take it for granted.”
“The Family McMullen” is streaming on HBO Max.