Edward Norton

Edward Norton
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Name:
Edward Norton
Real name:
Edward Harrison Norton
Who is:
,
Birth date:
(55 y.o.)
Place of birth:
Boston
Height:
6'0 ft ()
Weight:
165 lb (75 kg)
Namesakes:
Birth Sign:
(characteristic)
Chinese zodiac:
Links:

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Edward Norton Biography

Edward Norton is an American actor and director who made his mark with powerhouse performances in "Primal Fear" (1996), "American History X" (1998), "Fight Club" (1999), "The Illusionist" (2006), and "Birdman" (2014).
Edward Norton
Edward Norton

Childhood and Youth

Edward Harrison Norton was born on August 18, 1969, in Boston, Massachusetts. His father, Edward Mower Norton Jr., served in Vietnam before becoming an environmentalist in Asia and a federal prosecutor during Jimmy Carter's presidency. His mother, Lydia Robinson, was an English teacher who died of a brain tumor in 1997. Norton has a younger sister, Molly, and a brother, Jim.

Edward's maternal grandfather was a successful businessman who founded the "Entrepreneurship Fund" for affordable housing construction and the well-known construction company The Rouse Company. His grandfather's company built the historic Baltimore seaport, a festival market in Florida, and other major facilities.
Edward Norton during his school years
Edward Norton during his school years
Unlike his grandfather, Norton had his sights set on the stage, not the boardroom, from an early age. He took his first steps toward an acting career at the Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts. His exceptional talent earned 15-year-old Norton an acting trophy at summer camp in Bristol, New Hampshire - later, he was appointed head of the summer theater, where he eagerly honed his skills.

After high school, Edward enrolled at Yale University as a history major. During college, he rowed crew and eagerly participated in amateur theater productions. He performed alongside future Hollywood stars Ron Livingston and Paul Giamatti.
Edward Norton in his youth
Edward Norton in his youth
After graduation, Norton headed to Japan to help his grandfather with his construction business. He's been fluent in Japanese ever since. Even in the business world, Edward found ways to use his acting skills - he starred in a series of educational videos for Japan's largest language school's English textbook.

Acting Career

In the early 1990s, Edward moved from Japan to New York with his sights set on stardom. His breakthrough came in 1993 at an Off-Broadway theater, where he participated in a production of Edward Albee's play (author of the world-famous work "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?").
Edward Norton on stage
Edward Norton on stage
Norton made his film debut in 1996, starring in "Primal Fear". In Gregory Hoblit's thriller, the actor played a young man accused of murdering an archbishop and defended in court by a famous lawyer (Richard Gere). Critics and audiences were blown away by young Norton's performance, earning him a Golden Globe win and an Oscar nomination.
Primal Fear (1996) - Ending scene
The same year, Edward appeared as lawyer Alan Isaacman in the biographical film "The People vs. Larry Flynt". Woody Harrelson starred as the scandalously famous publisher and businessman Flynt.
Edward Norton and Woody Harrelson in "The People vs. Larry Flynt"
Edward Norton and Woody Harrelson in "The People vs. Larry Flynt"
But his biggest breakthrough was still ahead. In 1998, in the drama "American History X", the actor played Derek Vinyard, a former ruthless leader of a neo-Nazi group who changes his views on life after leaving prison. The film stunned audiences and earned rave reviews across the board. Critics praised Norton's character for his "ambiguous erotic charm" and Edward's powerful portrayal that brought the role to life.
Edward Norton in 'American History X'
During the filming, Norton proved himself a true perfectionist. The film's director, Tony Kaye, edited the film for a whole year, taking into account numerous notes from Norton. From then on, Norton frequently stepped into the production process with his own ideas, often frustrating directors and screenwriters.
On the set of "American History X"
On the set of "American History X"
The next big film featuring Norton was David Fincher's "Fight Club". In the 1999 psychological thriller based on Chuck Palahniuk's novel, Edward played the anonymous narrator, a yuppie dissatisfied with his life, who creates the underground organization "Fight Club" together with soap salesman Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt).
On the set of "Fight Club"
On the set of "Fight Club"
To prepare for the role, Norton took boxing, taekwondo and grappling lessons, and deliberately lost weight from the start of filming (unlike Pitt, who was gaining mass).
Brad Pitt and Edward Norton in "Fight Club"
Brad Pitt and Edward Norton in "Fight Club"
The film was nominated for an "Oscar", and Edward Norton was up for an MTV Movie Award for Best Fight (thanks to a scene where he literally beats himself up), but the award went to Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne for their showdown in "The Matrix" (1999).
A scene from «Fight Club»
In 2002, Norton starred in Brett Ratner's thriller "Red Dragon", the second film in the series about intellectual psychopath Hannibal Lecter (played by Anthony Hopkins). Equally successful was Spike Lee's "25th Hour". Norton played a wealthy American sentenced to seven years for drug trafficking – with just 24 hours to say goodbye to his loved ones.
Edward Norton in "25th Hour"
Edward Norton in "25th Hour"
The film shares several parallels with "American History X": both films have scenes mentioning slavery, Norton has the same hairstyle and beard, his father is a firefighter, and he himself is a criminal.

In 2003, Paramount Studios contractually obligated Norton to star in the action thriller "The Italian Job." Norton had no interest in the project and later refused to participate in the film's promotional tour. Nevertheless, the film was commercially successful.
Edward Norton, Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron in "The Italian Job"
Edward Norton, Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron in "The Italian Job"
Norton then starred in "The Illusionist" and the romantic drama "The Painted Veil" alongside Naomi Watts, before landing the lead role in Marvel Studios' 2008 blockbuster "The Incredible Hulk." Norton brought to life scientist Bruce Banner, who transforms into the green monster Hulk after a failed experiment.
Edward Norton Reflects on The Incredible Hulk
Eric Bana played the character in the 2003 film, with designers using facial capture technology to create resemblance, but for Norton's version, the Hulk's face was created without reference to the actor's features. Norton was expected to reprise his role in 2012's "The Avengers," but was replaced by Mark Ruffalo due to salary disputes.
On the set of "The Incredible Hulk"
On the set of "The Incredible Hulk"
In the 2010 tragicomedy "Leaves of Grass," Norton played twin brothers with completely opposite personalities, while in the thriller "Stone," he portrayed a desperate prisoner willing to do anything for freedom. Two years later, Norton appeared in the action thriller "The Bourne Legacy," a spin-off from the Jason Bourne franchise.
Edward Norton on His Favorite Roles
Norton earned widespread critical acclaim for his performance in Alejandro González Iñárritu's Oscar-winning dark comedy "Birdman" (2014). The film's signature technique creates the illusion of one continuous shot (though it actually contains over 100 hidden cuts). In this story about an aging theater director (Michael Keaton), Norton plays a volatile actor who strips naked on stage, attempts to assault his co-star (Naomi Watts) during a performance, and clashes intensely with his director. Critics noted that this marked Norton's most powerful and dynamic role since "Fight Club" fifteen years earlier.
Michael Keaton and Edward Norton on Birdman
In February 2018, work began on the creation of the film "Motherless Brooklyn", directed and written by Edward Norton, who also played the lead role in the film. The film takes place in 1950s New York and tells the story of a detective with Tourette's syndrome who is looking for his mentor's killer. The film also features Willem Dafoe, Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin and Leslie Mann.
"Motherless Brooklyn" – Norton's second directorial work
"Motherless Brooklyn" – Norton's second directorial work
In March of the same year, a fire broke out on set, killing a firefighter who was battling the blaze. A $7 million lawsuit was filed against Norton's production company for acting "recklessly, carelessly and negligently." Filming resumed a week after the incident.

Norton has become one of indie director Wes Anderson's go-to actors. He appeared in his films "Moonrise Kingdom" (2012), "The Grand Budapest Hotel" (2014), "The French Dispatch" (2021), "Asteroid City" (2023), and also voiced Rex, one of the main characters in his animated film "Isle of Dogs".
...Wes saw me in a play and sent a letter of praise, and I wrote him about his films. We both live in New York, and we both thought it would be great to work together, but I never pushed because he has such a specific vision of the world and creativity – you need to fit into it.

Edward Norton's Personal Life

In the mid-1990s, Edward Norton dated actress Drew Barrymore, then got engaged to rock singer Courtney Love, though they never made it to the altar.
Edward Norton and Drew Barrymore
Edward Norton and Drew Barrymore
From 1999 to 2003, he was in a relationship with actress Salma Hayek.
Edward Norton and Salma Hayek
Edward Norton and Salma Hayek
In 2011, Norton proposed to Canadian producer Shauna Robertson after six years together. In 2013, their son Atlas was born.
Edward Norton and Shona Robertson
Edward Norton and Shona Robertson
Norton holds a private pilot's license and owns a modified Cessna 206 aircraft.

Edward Norton champions environmental causes, especially renewable energy projects. He's also involved with the African Wildlife Foundation, fighting against the ivory trade.
Edward Norton with his son Atlas
Edward Norton with his son Atlas
He serves as a UN Goodwill Ambassador and a representative of the Convention on Biological Diversity, regularly donating to improve life in low-income communities. In May 2010, Norton launched the Crowdrise website, a platform for raising funds for charity.

In 2023, Norton appeared on the documentary series "Finding Your Roots," where he discovered he's a 12th generation descendant of Pocahontas and also related to actress Julia Roberts.

Edward Norton Now

In the mystery sequel "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" (2022), Edward transformed into an eccentric billionaire who stages a game with deadly consequences for his island guests. When asked who inspired his character, the actor grinned slyly: Miles is more of a composite character, whose behavior echoes the absurd actions of many eccentric rich people. Honestly, my character has no specific prototype, but if anyone sees themselves in Miles, let me know – let's talk.
Edward Norton in the movie 'Knives Out 2'
Edward Norton in the movie 'Knives Out 2'
Norton also had a major role in the climate change series "Extrapolations" (2023). And in 2024, Edward Norton voiced one of the main characters in the animated series "Sausage Party: Foodtopia".

Edward Norton: latest news and articles

  • He decided we didn`t deserve him, so he went to the other side of the movie screen?
    2021-04-28 13:56:28
  • It is interesting, of course, that he decided to take up directing - it will be interesting to see if there will be an act of vanity or the real ascent of a genius ... Because I can`t even name the talented roles for him
    2021-04-25 17:44:35
  • Except for «Fight Club» Norton was no longer remembered for me :) and the meme with «always sleepy». Apparently, he has a very nasty character.
    2021-04-03 09:53:15
  • I heard that now he plans to direct, not act. Apparently the character does not allow to be on the other side of the film crew
    2021-04-02 08:16:23
  • Norton starred in Fight Club, and this is a cult film. For this he is a great respect.
    2021-03-03 12:57:06
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