Born to a well-blended family, Anthony Edwards was born in Santa Barbara, California, on July 19, 1962, the youngest of five children. Growing up as the son of an architect and an artist, his parents encouraged him to act at age 16, which eventually led him to attending a summer workshop in London before graduating from high school. Returning to the United States, Edwards worked in commercials, jobs that helped him pay his education at The University of Southern California, where he studied acting. However, he dropped out of college, and in that same year, he had a small role in the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High, starring Sean Penn. The movie was a box office smash and Edwards was looking forward to doing more films. His first movie role was that of teen-aged John Muldowney in Heart Like a Wheel, and his first starring role as nerdy Gilbert Lowell, in Revenge of the Nerds.

Edwards didn't need to worry about being typecast as a socially-challenged loser. After starring in The Sure Thing and Gotcha!, he landed another big-time successful movie Top Gun, in which he played Tom Cruise's ill-fated easy going navigator/best friend, Lt. Nick "Goose" Bradshaw. As Cruise rode Top Gun into the Hollywood stratosphere, Edwards also found his flight to stardom, at the same time. After Top Gun, he reprised his role as Gilbert in the movie Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise, before he starred in Summer Heat. He also starred in Mr. North, and Miracle Mile, although they weren't too successful.

Edwards began working in TV movies and continued to star in more box office movies such as Hawks, How I Got Into College, Downtown, Pet Sematary II, Landslide and Delta Heat. The '90s won Edwards his best reviews for his recurring role of the quirky "bubble man" Mike Monroe on the popular television series Northern Exposure. He was nominated for a Cable Ace Award in HBO's Sexual Healing, and the following year, he starred in Charlie's Ghost Story, before he played law clerk Clint Von Hooser in the John Grisham movie The Client. This led to his most prominent role, as easy-going charismatic physician Dr. Mark Greene on the very popular TV series ER.

For his work on "ER", he was nominated for an Emmy Award four times For Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, but has never won. However, he has won a Golden Globe Award For Best Performance by an Actor-In a TV Series, and was nominated four times, and also has two Screen Actor's Guild Awards. Prior to playing Dr. Greene, he also played bank breaker turned cold-blooded killer, Dick Hickock in the TV movie remake of Truman Capote's _In Cold Blood (1996) (TV)_ , which was the best TV movie of the 1996-97 season. During Edwards' hiatus on "ER", he went back to the box office circuit to star and to produce the movie Don't Go Breaking My Heart, a complex movie which wasn't a big hit. Edwards, once again, returned to the set of "ER", and this time, he signed up for a salary that almost no actor could be paid, so his decision was to stay on the show for 3 more years and possibly to save the money in order to spend a lot of family time and to work on directing later.

His first big roles after "ER" were that of Brains in the movie Thunderbirds, and as Jim Paretta in The Forgotten. In the many years that he starred on "ER", that show gave him more success in working on and off the set. Also it gave him a spiritual blessing that so many popular actors have had over the years.
ER (1994): $35,000,000 (for 3 seasons - 1999-2002)
Nominated as "Best Actor" by Cable Ace for his part in _Sexual Healing (1993)_ . Named as "Favorite Male Television Performer in a Series" by the People's Choice Awards. Nominated for best actor by the Viewers for Quality Television. Is an honorary board member of Access Theatre, a repertory acting company comprised of disabled artists. A documentary he directed about this group has received several awards and is being distributed in high schools around the United States. Grew up and went to school with Eric Stoltz Dated Meg Ryan Graduated from University of Southern California with a BA in drama [1986 - 88] Attended San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara, California and graduated in 1980 (as stated on wall of fame plaque in auditorium). Has four children: Son Bailey (b. 1994), daughters Esme and Wallis born in September of 2000, and daughter, Poppy (b. 2002). His wife, Jeanine, is a respected & renowned make-up artist who also founded the Stila cosmetics line. When he was a teenager, studied ballet with his childhood friend Eric Stoltz in Santa Barbara, California, so that "they could meet girls." Left his role on ER to spend more time with his family. Was raised in the 'Riviera' - Santa Barbara's answer to Beverly Hills. His family belonged to the 'Riviera Country Club'. Has a cat named Nitro At 16, he appeared in dozens of plays Is currently on the Board of Cure For Autism Now Foundation. Is a longtime friend of Aimee Mann. Owns his production company, Aviator Films As a teenager, he collected James Taylor's & 'Styx' 's tapes/records. On an episode of ER, he sang a popular 'Styx' song, "Come Sail Away," when his TV wife gave birth to a baby girl. In real-life, growing up as a teenager, he was a big fan of 'Styx' . Moved to Manhattan, New York, in 2002 Spends every Thanksgiving with Helen Hunt. Honda Civic was his very first car. Was approached by Michael Crichton (author of Jurassic Park) and producer John Wells to star in a two-hour pilot called ER after playing a lawyer on The Client. Plays basketball with friend George Clooney, who also co-starred with him on ER. Had lived on the same street that Lily Tomlin, Nicolas Cage and Patricia Arquette resided on. Had watched every single Gene Kelly musical, which led him to becoming "a song and dance man". Is a big fan of race car driving. Is a big fan of the show South Park. Is good friends with James Garner. Left his role in the 8th season of ER to spend more time with his family. Co-star, Noah Wyle did the same in the 10th season (though he has returned sporadically since). Named "The Sexiest Man" in a prime-time series [1997]. His grandfather designed Walt Disney Studios in the 1930s. His parents wouldn't allow him to watch prime-time TV as a teenager.