Ed Burns & Connie Britton Dish on Reuniting for ‘The Brothers McMullen’ Sequel (Exclusive)

“The Brothers McMullen” was an indie hit in the ’90s and now the cast is back 30 years later for a sequel called “The Family McMullen.”

“Extra’s” Mona Kosar Abdi caught up with Ed Burns, Connie Britton, and new addition Tracee Ellis Ross to talk about the new movie.

Ed shared, “I sat down to write the script hoping that I could get it ready for the 20th anniversary and I just couldn’t, quite honestly, crack the story. Then five years ago, I read an article about how 20-somethings are moving back in with their parents because the cost of housing is so expensive and I was like, ‘Okay, maybe that’s the sequel.’”

The film focuses on recently divorced Barry (Burns) as he navigates middle age alongside his 20-something kids. Connie makes her return as Molly, Barry’s sister-in-law.

Burns shared, “Connie has become this huge star and I knew she needed to be a lead in the movie, so that’s how I made her a widow so it could be the Brothers McMullen and the Sister-in-Law McMullen.”

Britton shared, “‘The Brothers McMullen’ changed my life. That was my big break and that's the reason that I have a career. I will walk to the ends of the earth for Eddie Burns.”

She said of doing a family feel-good movie, “I grew up watching rom-coms, and my heart will always be there. And a holiday rom-com is the dream.”

Playing Eddie’s love interest is Tracee, who recalled seeing the original film at the theater “back in the day.”

“I sort of had this idea of the man I was going to marry was based on Barry, Barry McMullen, and the Ed Burns that I thought he was, and all these years later, I just was tickled and pleased as punch [to join the sequel].”

Especially when she found out he hand-picked her for the role!

“Yeah, Eddie wrote it for me and that’s silly and great,” she said. “He loves a rom-com, we love rom-coms, especially for the holidays.”