Burnie Burns Biography: Children, Net Worth, Books, Ethnicity, Parents, Height, Instagram, Movies, Awards, Age

Michael Justin “Burnie” Burns, professionally known as Burnie Burns, is an American actor, writer, director, and media proprietor widely recognized as the co-founder of Rooster Teeth Productions.

He gained fame as the creator, writer, director, and voice actor for the groundbreaking machinima series Red vs. Blue, which pioneered the use of video game engines for storytelling and became one of the longest-running web series.

Burns helped build Rooster Teeth into a major online entertainment company with shows like RWBY and Achievement Hunter, influencing digital content creation, comedy, and gaming communities for over two decades.

Quick Facts

• Full Name: Michael Justin Burns
• Stage Name: Burnie Burns
• Born: 18 January 1973
• Age: 53 years old
• Birthplace: Rochester, New York
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: Actor, Writer, Director, Media Proprietor
• Height: 1.88 m
• Parents: Mr. Burns and Mrs. Burns
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: Jordan Burns (m. 2000–2011), Ashley Jenkins (m. 2019)
• Children: 4
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $5 million

Early Life and Education

Michael Justin Burns was born on January 18, 1973, in Rochester, New York, to Mr. Burns and Mrs. Burns.

He grew up in Houston, Texas, after his family relocated shortly after his birth.

His father was a physics professor involved in the Desertron Super Collider project. Siblings are not publicly known.

He attended Alief Elsik High School, where he studied filmmaking, digital media, and media production, initially pursuing interests in medicine through clinical rotations.

Accepted to the University of Notre Dame but unable to afford it, he enrolled at The University of Texas at Austin and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science.

He is of mixed French-Canadian descent, and his religion is unknown.

Career

Michael Justin Burns began his career in the late 1990s with early work in film and digital media while at university, including campus TV contributions.

He gained initial recognition in 2003 by creating Red vs. Blue, a machinima series using Halo game footage to tell a comedic sci-fi story.

Voicing characters like Church and Lopez, the series exploded in popularity online, winning multiple awards at the 2003 Machinima Film Festival including Best Picture and Best Writing.

This success led him to co-found Rooster Teeth Productions with friends, starting in a spare bedroom and turning it into a full production company focused on web series and gaming content.

Burns expanded Rooster Teeth’s portfolio with projects like The Strangerhood, P.A.N.I.C.S., and Immersion, earning accolades such as an IAWTV award for Best Hosted Taped Web Series.

He co-wrote and starred in the 2016 feature film Lazer Team, which premiered at festivals including Sundance.

As former CEO and Chief Creative Officer, he oversaw growth into animation like RWBY and live events such as RTX conventions, establishing Rooster Teeth as a leader in internet entertainment and machinima innovation.

Burns reacquired the Rooster Teeth brand and assets through his Box Canyon Productions in 2025 following its previous shutdown, relaunching the site and planning new programming to return to its fan-focused roots.

His work continues to shape independent digital media, with ongoing influence through podcasts like Morning Somewhere and a legacy in blending gaming with narrative storytelling.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @burnie
• Facebook Handle: burnieburns
• Twitter Handle: @burnie

Personal Life

Michael Justin Burns first married Jordan Burns in August 2000, with whom he had two sons, JD and Theodore “Teddy” Burns; they divorced in December 2011.

He later married Ashley Jenkins in June 2019 after meeting through Rooster Teeth and competing together on The Amazing Race season 28.

The couple has two children — a son born in August 2019 and a daughter born in January 2023 — bringing his total to four children (three sons and one daughter).

Burns has lived in Austin, Texas, for much of his life, with a brief period in Los Angeles and time in Scotland.

Filmography

• Red vs. Blue (2003–present) – Creator, writer, director, voice actor (Church, Lopez, others)
• The Strangerhood (2004–2006) – Creator, voice actor
• Lazer Team (2016) – Co-writer, actor
• Immersion (2010s) – Host, producer
• Various Rooster Teeth series and shorts – Actor, writer, director

Net Worth

Michael Justin Burns has an estimated net worth of $5 million.

His primary sources of income stem from co-founding and leading Rooster Teeth Productions for many years, revenue from popular web series like Red vs. Blue, feature films such as Lazer Team, live events, and merchandise, along with his recent reacquisition and relaunch efforts through Box Canyon Productions.