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Heather Burns

Heather Burns

Actor, also writer · Born April 7, 1975 (51) · Chicago, Illinois, USA

Heather Burns (born April 7, 1975) is an American actress, known for her role as Miss Rhode Island Cheryl Frasier in the 2000 film Miss Congeniality and its 2005 sequel, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous. Burns was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her father Jim Burns played basketball for the Chicago Bulls. She is married to actor Ajay Naidu. She is a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Burns has appeared in a number of films with Sandra Bullock, including Miss Congeniality (2000), Two Weeks Notice (2002) and Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous (2005). More recently she starred in the film What's Your Number? (2011), she held a recurring role opposite Zach Galifinakis in the HBO series Bored to Death and plays Trish in the Amazon webseries Sneaky Pete (2017).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 7, 1975 (51)
From
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Works as
Actor, also writer
Titles
29 on MovieCove · 40 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 16% in 30 days

What are Heather Burns' films like?

Across their 18 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 41st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
30%
Self
29%
Society
19%
Morality
11%
Survival
6%
Ideas
2%
Power
1%
Romantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 15 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 9 · Serious 3 · Dark 3

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 12 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 9 · Charged 4 · Intense 2

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 9 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 9

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 10 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 12 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 14 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles
Ally
1 of 3
Herald
1 of 3
Shadow
1 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
9
Absurd
7
Warm
5
Tense
7
Melancholic
6
Other
19

How their films linger

Feel-good11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet7
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Heather Burns' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 22 of their 29 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Heather Burns' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

40 credits, 29 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Brenda (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Ms. Johansen

  • The Best You Can(2025)

    as Rosemary

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Princeton's in the Mix (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Beth

  • Social Distance(2020)

    Show 1 episode · as Deb

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all shows

  • The Politician(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Mary McCutcheon

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Brave New Jersey(2016)

    as Lorraine Davison

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Good Fight(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Toni Hedger

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Manchester by the Sea(2016)

    as Jill

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Blindspot(2015)

    Show 4 episodes · as Kathy Gustafson aka Electra

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Sneaky Pete(2015)

    Show 2 episodes · as Trish

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Save Me(2013)

    Show 7 episodes · as Jenna Dennings

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all shows

  • Elementary(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Chloe Butler

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • The Fitzgerald Family Christmas(2012)

    as Erin Fitzgerald

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • What's Your Number?(2011)

    as Eileen

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Mister Handsome (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Emily

  • Ashes(2010)

    Writer · as Jasmine

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Valley of the Sun(2011)

    as Betsy

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Weakness(2010)

    as Julia

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Blue Bloods(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Sister Mary

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Bored to Death(2009)

    Show 24 episodes · as Leah

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • The Unusuals(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Breaking Upwards (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Hannah

  • Choke(2008)

    as Internet Date / Gwen

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Beer for My Horses(2008)

    as Lobster Claw

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Watching the Detectives(2007)

    as Denise

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Twenty Good Years (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 13 episodes · as Stella Mason

  • The Groomsmen(2006)

    as Jules

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Brooklyn Lobster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Kerry Miller

  • Bewitched(2005)

    as Nina

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous(2005)

    as Cheryl Frasier

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Perception (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Ramona

  • Kill the Poor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Scarlet

  • Two Weeks Notice(2002)

    as Meryl Brooks

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Claire Quinn

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Miss Congeniality(2000)

    as Cheryl "Rhode Island"

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The $treet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 5 episodes · as Joanne Sacker

  • The Beat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 6 episodes · as Beatrice Felsen

  • You Are Here* (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Lydia

  • You've Got Mail(1998)

    as Christina Plutzker

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Lana Madison

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 40 titles from 1990 to 2026; peak year 1999.

Biggest box office

You've Got Mail (1998)

$251M worldwide

Highest rated

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

You've Got Mail (1998)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19902026

Peak 1999 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting40 of 40: 39 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score58thWriting1 of 40: 0 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

1990s2 · acting2000s19 · acting2010s15 · 15 acting · 1 crew2020s4 · acting

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 0% of 14 roles
9808

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Heather Burns' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 44th percentile, the median of all 17; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 44th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

94thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 29 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

15 of their 29 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Cult Classic5
  • Crowd Pleaser15
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor, writer

Ashes (2010)

88th percentile spread · 26% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

Midcredits 98th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 14 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 48. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Heather Burns' work okay for kids?

Across up to 11 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore7 titles2–39 · median 10 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity11 titles22–57 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity9 titles33–59 · median 44 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles24–35 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense7 titles2–42 · median 6 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Heather Burns work with?

People who share at least 2 of Heather Burns' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Marc Lawrence shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles