Trivia

He and three others were ambushed and robbed in the Brazilian jungle while doing research for The Rundown (2003). They were held for 15 minutes and lost cash and a laptop computer. Nobody was injured.

He was embedded with SEAL Team Five for nearly a month in March 2009 while preparing to make his upcoming movie, Lone Survivor (2013), based on the book by Marcus Luttrell. Embedded journalists typically live with military units while covering armed conflicts.

His best friend and roommate from Macalester College, is his agent, Ari Emanuel, inspiration for Entourage (2004)'s "Ari Gold".

Worked as a dock worker in San Pedro, California prior to getting his "big break".

Guest-starred in a two part Alias (2001), episode where he played Jennifer Garner's ex-boyfriend. Based on this experience, he decided to cast and direct her in The Kingdom (2007).

Is a second cousin of writer Buzz Bissinger, who wrote the book Friday Night Lights (Peter later directed the film based on the book). Buzz's paternal grandmother, Gertrude Louise Winkler, and Peter's maternal grandfather, Robert Eli Winkler, were siblings.

Peter grew up in Chappaqua, New York and attended a private high school in Watertown, Connecticut.

His mother co-founded a youth group named "Catalog for Giving" and worked at a psychiatric hospital, when Berg and his younger sister, Mary Berg, were growing up.

Still works out by boxing which he's loved since he was a 14-year-old freshman at Connecticut's private Taft School.

The last three films he has directed, Patriot's Day, Deepwater Horizon and Lone Survivor all star Mark Wahlberg and are all based on recent, real-life tragic events.

Berg remembers his father as 'a hard-assed ex-Marine" and who later became an executive for Grey Advertising, commuting to New York City and drinking martinis at lunch-- the very model of a Mad Men (2007) -type character.

Worked as Domino's delivery boy while at Macalaster.

Peter began his career (when the "Brat Pack" were at the height of their success) in the independent 1980's comedy Never on Tuesday (1988): the movie featured a myriad of "Pack" cameos including Nicolas Cage, Cary Elwes, Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson and Charlie Sheen.

His paternal grandparents were from Russian Jewish immigrant families. His maternal grandfather was of German Jewish and Austrian Jewish descent.

Peter is a fifth cousin, three times removed, of theoretical physicist Albert Einstein, through Peter's maternal grandfather, Robert Eli Winkler. Peter's seven times maternal great-grandfather, Moyses Einstein, was also Albert's four times paternal great-grandfather.

Attended the Guthrie Theater Drama School, Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Has a director's cameo in Lone Survivor (2013) (before Shane Patton's speech).

Visited Saudi Arabia for two weeks in research for The Kingdom (2007).

Attended Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Appeared in local theater productions while attending college in Minnesota.

Guest Speaker at Macalester College Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2008.

One of 115 people invited to join AMPAS in 2007.

Has a son, Emmett Berg (born in November 1999), with ex-wife, Elizabeth Rogers.

Moved to Los Angeles in 1985.

Owns Churchill Boxing in Santa Monica, California.