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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.
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Ed Burns and Christy Turlington married in June 2003. They are now busy empty nesters after raising daughter Grace McKenna Burns and son Finn Burns. (Taylor Hill/Getty Images)
“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.”
Ed Burns and Christy Turlington vowed early in their marriage never to spend more than two weeks apart — a promise they’ve kept faithfully. Even now, as empty nesters, they still try to hold to that rule. (Randy Brooke/WireImage/Getty Images)
“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.
WATCH: ED BURNS UNVEILS ‘BROTHERS MCMULLEN’ SEQUEL AFTER 30 YEARS
“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.
“The Brothers McMullen” starred Jack Mulcahy, Maxine Bahns, Ed Burns and Mike McGlone. (© 20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett)
“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.”
“The Family McMullen,” a sequel to “The Brothers McMullen,” is now available for streaming. (HBO Max)
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.”
Christy Turlington and Ed Burns attend the 36th Annual Palm Springs International Film Awards at Palm Springs Convention Center on Jan. 3, 2025, in Palm Springs, California. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Palm Springs International Film Society)
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.
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American actor, director and producer Robert Redford on the set of his movie “Quiz Show” based on the book by Richard N. Goodwin. (Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
“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.
“The Brothers McMullen” was made for just $25,000 — and a VHS copy handed to Robert Redford helped land it at Sundance. (Eric Robert/Sygma via Getty Images)
“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.”
Ed Burns, writer-director of the 1995 indie hit, “The Brothers McMullen,” is shown in front of his childhood home on Marlboro Road in Valley Stream, New York, on Nov. 21, 2025. (John Paraskevas/Newsday RM via Getty Images)
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.’”
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Connie Britton at the premiere of “The Brothers McMullen” in New York City. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
“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.”
Connie Britton and Ed Burns have worked on several films together since they met during the audition for “The Brothers McMullen.” (Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
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.
Like the original, “The Family McMullen” is rooted in Ed Burns’ real-life Irish-American upbringing in New York — a theme he’s explored throughout his career. (HBO Max)
“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.”
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In “The Family McMullen,” Barry (Ed Burns) is thrilled to have everyone living under one roof again. (HBO Max)
“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.