Brooke Burns Movies
Actress Brooke Burns has sustained an extremely varied career in fiction films, sitcoms, series dramas, and reality television programs. Burns began her career with a temporary television role -- that of "idealized" woman Jennifer Higgin -- on David E. Kelley's surrealistic comedy drama Ally McBeal (1997). The next year, Burns scored a part on the long-running series Baywatch as lifeguard Jessie Owens, playing the character for over two seasons (1998-2001).After Baywatch, Burns made her way into film work with a small role in Peter and Bobby Farrelly's comedy Shallow Hal, playing Katrina -- an unfortunate girl with a model build but an unsightly visage, who suddenly, "magically" gains a sexy countenance under the retooled mind of the superficial Hal (Jack Black). The physical nature of the part (it required Burns to wear a hideous prosthetic nose and gobs of grotesque makeup) both demonstrated Burns' courageous willingness to play with her onscreen image and made an indelible impression with viewers, by its very unforgettable nature.
The actress returned to the limelight in a much different capacity, as hostess of the short-lived U.S. "reality" game show Dog Eat Dog -- a kind of adult spin on Double Dare with contestants attempting to outdo each other in various physical and mental challenges. Burns then took on regular roles on two prime-time series dramas: the 2004 North Shore and the 2006 Pepper Dennis. Unfortunately, both series didn't make it past their first seasons. In 2008, she was cast in another regular television role, on the sitcom Miss Guided, but it was similarly short-lived.
Burns has a daughter, Madison, by actor Julian McMahon (Nip/Tuck) whom she married in 1999 and divorced two years later. She also dated movie star Bruce Willis from 2003 to 2004, and was briefly engaged to him. The actress made national headlines in November 2005 given her involvement in a freak diving accident that fractured the upper vertebrae in her neck and brought her within an inch of permanent paralysis; she sustained irreparable interior physical damage but miraculously survived without permanent disability. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 2008
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A modern-day female Scrooge gets a taste of Christmas romance in this family film from the Hallmark Channel. Jennifer (Brooke Burns) is a stressed-out single mom whose holiday spirit is awakened when her eccentric uncle Ralph (Henry Winkler) comes for a visit and brings along a handsome stranger, Morgan (Warren Christie), who was stranded at the airport. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Winkler, Brooke Burns, (more)
- 2008
To some people, the true definition of Hell might be: "To remain in the same high school with the same irritating people for the rest of your life." Even so, this was more or less the premise of the ABC sitcom Miss Guided. Judy Greer headed the cast as Becky Freeley, formerly the gawky, underachieving class nerd of Glen Ellen High School (she'd been president and half the membership of the school's Milli Vanilli Fan club, among other things). Now attractively grown up, Becky returned to Glen Ellen as the school's guidance counselor, determined to make a difference in the lives of other disenfranchised youngsters. Making life difficult for Becky all over again was the fact that her onetime "bete noire" Lisa Germain (Brooke Burns), the most popular girl in our heroine's graduating class, was also at Glen Ellen as the new English teacher--and worse, as Becky's rival for the affections of handsome Spanish instructor Tim O'Malley (Kristoffer Polaha). Also seen were Earl Billings as Phil Huffy, eternal principal of Glen Ellen; and onetime Saturday Night Live regular Chris Parnell as vice principal Bruce Terry, who had foresworn to get even for being relentlessly picked on during his days as a high school nerd by mercilessly persecuting the current crop of students (especially the good-looking ones). Created by Caroline Williams (The Office, High School Musical), and co-executive produced by actor Ashton Kutcher, Miss Guided debuted on March 18, 2008. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Judy Greer, Brooke Burns, (more)
Unfairly blamed for the death of her captain, a female firefighter attempts to restore her reputation by joining one of the most elite firefighting groups in the country. Kristin Scott (Brooke Burns) was following in her father's footsteps when she decided to join the fire department, though her career battling blazes nearly came to an end when her captain perished in a fire and she was forced to shoulder the blame. But Kristin isn't one to shrink in the face of adversity, and in the aftermath of that tragedy she has made it her mission to become the first female ever to be accepted into the elite ranks of the Missoula Smokejumpers. The most treacherous form of fire fighting, smoke jumping involves jumping out of planes in order to combat wildfires and save lives. Though no woman before her has ever been accepted into the hallowed ranks of the Missoula Smokejumpers, Kristin begins her grueling, four week training program with steely determination. Later, when a raging wildfire threatens the lives of her loved ones, Kristin summons all of her strength and resolve to rescue her family and save the day. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brooke Burns
A man who planned to marry his high school sweetheart, buy a house with a white picket fence, and raise a family kisses his dreams of suburban bliss goodbye in order to travel through a hundred mile section of Central and South American jungle known as the Darien Gap in this adventure starring Christopher Masterson, Brooke Burns, Johnny Messner, and James Duval. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Kennedy Masterson, Brooke Burns, (more)
- 2006
A vehicle for the dazzlingly beautiful Rebecca Romijn, the WB comedy drama Pepper Dennis cast the model-turned-actress as the title character, an up-and-coming news reporter for fictional Chicago TV station WEIE. Aspiring to anchor the station's top-rated news broadcast, Pepper Dennis was understandably put out when the job went to handsome Charlie Babcock (Josh Hopkins) -- with whom Pepper had had a one-night stand just before he was hired for the job! Now relegated to the position of Babcock's assistant and occasional on-air replacement, Pepper did her darnedest to hide her jealousy (not to mention her still-strong attraction to Charlie) when anchoring WEIE-TV's characteristic "if it bleeds it leads" news features. Typical of Pepper's assignments was the episode in which, to expose a poker-club prostitution ring, she had to disguise herself as a hooker. Also, in keeping with the tenor of the times (the mid-2000s), Pepper and her colleagues zinged out a great many wisecracks and put-downs aimed toward certain right-wing cable news hosts, notably that guy with the Irish name who was "looking out for you." The rest of the cast included Brooke Burns as Kathy Dinkle, Pepper's whiny, self-centered sister, who moved in with our heroine after the breakup of her marriage (which she unfairly blamed on Pepper); Ms. Dennis' best friend, WEIE's acerbic makeup artist Kimmy Kim; and Rider Strong as Chick, a station cameraman who worshipped Pepper from afar. Created by Gretchen J. Berg and Aaron Harberts, whose previous efforts included the highly regarded but little-watched Wonderfalls, Pepper Dennis debuted April 4, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A desert island photo shoot takes a dark turn when world's sexiest supermodels begin falling prey to a mysterious killer in this satirical comedy starring Jaime Pressley, Brooke Burns, and Taylor Negron. The sun is shining and the sand is hot, but when a group of bikini clad beauties step out on the beach for a steamy photo shoot, these runway models are forced to run for their lives from an unseen killer. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
The proprietor of a beauty salon that serves as the one remaining thread that ties her community together finds her last bastion of unity threatened by eminent domain in Barbershop director Mark Brown's adaptation of Shelly Garrett's hit stage play Beauty Shop. Jenny (Vivica A. Fox) owns a modest neighborhood beauty parlor that is hugely popular with the folks who reside on her street, but mom-and-pop businesses are going belly-up all over the place and lately a corporate giant has been clamoring to set-up shop on the block. Despite formidable pressure from the Department of Water and Power, however, Jenny refuses to accept the offer made for her shop and decides to test her luck against the DWP in the local courthouse. Monica Calhoun, Kym Whitley, Darrin Henson, and Terrence Dashon Howard co-star in an underdog comedy that shows just how fierce some people are willing to fight in order to maintain their sense of community. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vivica A. Fox, Kym E. Whitley, (more)
- 2002
Based on the British series of the same name, the NBC weekly Dog Eat Dog was the latest in a succession of "guerilla" game shows launched by such earlier efforts as Fear Factor and Weakest Link. Six contestants, who apparently were selected on the basis of their sex appeal, competed for a 25,000-dollar prize by playing upon the strengths, weaknesses, and innermost fears of their rivals. Within a "boot camp" environment, the contestants were first required to meet a variety of challenges within tight time limits. The winners continued to play the game in subsequent episodes, while the losers of the earlier rounds did their best (or worst) to sabotage and undermine those winners so that they themselves could divvy up the prize money. If the "legitimate" finalists managed to survive this hostile and sometimes downright sadistic treatment, they were allowed to duke it out for the coveted title of "top dog" on the final episode. Hosted by Brooke Burns, Dog Eat Dog made its American TV bow on June 17, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Jack Black continues his march to stardom with this typical Farrelly brothers blend of broad comedy and a heartfelt message. Black is Hal Larsen, a shallow man rapidly approaching middle age whose superficiality can be attributed to his father's deathbed admonition to only date young, beautiful women. Hal and his best friend, Mauricio (Jason Alexander), have taken the advice to heart, but Hal finds all of his physically impressive girlfriends consistently lacking in other qualities that would make them ideal mates. When he bumps into self-help guru Tony Robbins (playing himself), the motivational entrepreneur is intrigued by Hal's predicament and hypnotizes him so that he'll only see the inner beauty of women. Hal is quickly smitten with Rosemary Shanahan (Gwyneth Paltrow), a blonde Peace Corps volunteer who's tenderhearted, funny, and intelligent. She is also gorgeous and meets Hal's basic criteria of outer perfection, but what he doesn't realize is that Robbins' spell is working and he cannot see that Rosemary actually weights 300 pounds. When Mauricio is finally able to snap Hal out of his charmed state, Hal's in love with the inwardly perfect woman and must overcome his obsession with beauty. The script for Shallow Hal (2001) was developed when Peter Farrelly enjoyed the humorous letters written to a mutual friend by Sean Moynihan, a computer software executive who followed the filmmaker's advice to take up screenwriting. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gwyneth Paltrow, Jack Black, (more)
- 1997
Ally's efforts to help a divorce (Brenda Vaccaro) make her separation legal in Jewish law go awry when she offends the woman's rabbi (Jason Blicker). ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
Billy's revelation unsettles Ally. Meanwhile, Elaine hires an attorney (Sandra Bernhard) in a sex-discrimination suit; and Ally and Georgia turn tough in a divorce case. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
Ally reexamines male-female relationships when a lawyer develops an unrequited crush on her, and she defends a prostitute (Jamie Rose). ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
Ally tries to shake off her prudish image; and the firm is sued again---this time by the object of Elaine's lawsuit. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
