Karl Bury's journey to the spotlight began when he won his role in The Majestic, marking his motion picture debut, thanks to the suggestion of director Frank Darabont's President of Production, Anna Garduño, who discovered his talent at a local acting class.
Born and raised in Fremont, Ohio, Bury initially aspired to become a farmer, studying business at Ohio State University. However, during a midterm break in Chicago, he was drawn to acting and was cast as an extra in the John Hughes comedy, She's Having A Baby.
Director Hughes noticed Bury and offered him a scene in the film opposite stars Kevin Bacon and Alec Baldwin, but Bury declined, opting to prioritize his academics over acting. Unfortunately, he flunked his economics midterm and immediately changed his major to theatre.
After graduating from Ohio State, Bury moved to Seattle, where he obtained a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Washington. He then moved to Los Angeles to pursue his craft, meeting renowned acting coach Larry Moss, who tutored actor Michael Clarke Duncan, contributing to his Academy Award-nominated performance in Darabont's The Green Mile.
Bury continued studying with Moss while working various jobs, eventually landing television roles and commercials to support himself. He has since directed Last Out: Elegy of a Green Beret on the Steppenwolf/2023 National tour and has appeared in numerous theatre productions, including Broadway's Match, written by Stephen Belber, and Paradise Lost at A.R.T. directed by Daniel Fish.
As a long-standing member of the award-winning Circle X Theater Company in Los Angeles, Bury has also directed two different productions of Awake and Sing! at the Odyssey Theater and Pittsburgh Public Theatre. Furthermore, he is a highly sought-after acting coach, showcasing his dedication to the craft and his passion for helping others achieve their goals.
