Edward Norton

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Edward Norton
File:Ednortongfdl.PNG
Norton at the Gen Art Premiere and Party for "The Illusionist"
Born
Edward Harrison Norton
Occupation(s)Actor, producer, screenwriter, director
Years active1994 - present
AwardsLAFCA Award Best Supporting Actor
1996 Everyone Says I Love You; Primal Fear; The People vs. Larry Flynt
NBR Award for Best Supporting Actor
1996 Everyone Says I Love You

Edward Harrison Norton[1] (born August 18, 1969) is an American film actor and director. In 1997, his supporting role in the courtroom drama Primal Fear garnered him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. A year later, his lead role as a reformed neo-Nazi skinhead in American History X earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. His other films include period dramas such as The Illusionist and Kingdom of Heaven and action-filled dramas such as 25th Hour, a crime drama; Fight Club, a black comedy satirizing violence and mass media; The Incredible Hulk about the muscle-bound superhero. He has won two Golden Globe awards.

Biography

Early life

Edward Norton was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in Columbia, Maryland. His mother, Robin (née Rouse), an English teacher, died of a brain tumor in 1997; his father, Edward James Norton, Jr., is an environmental lawyer and conservation advocate working in Asia, as well as a former federal prosecutor under the Carter administration. His maternal grandfather was the developer James W. Rouse (founder of The Rouse Company), who developed the city of Columbia, Maryland (where Norton grew up), helped develop Baltimore's Inner Harbor, Norfolk's Waterside Festival Marketplace, and Boston's Quincy Market, as well as co-founded the Enterprise Foundation with Norton's maternal stepgrandmother, Patty Rouse. Norton has two younger siblings: a sister, Molly, and a brother, Jim, with whom he has collaborated professionally. From 1981 to 1985, along with his brother, he attended Pasquaney, a camp in Hebron, New Hampshire. There, he won the acting cup in 1984 and later returned to the camp's council for two years, directing theater. He maintains close connections with the camp.

Norton graduated from Wilde Lake High School in 1987. He attended Yale University, where he acted in university productions alongside Ron Livingston and Paul Giamatti. He graduated in 1991 with a BA in History. Following graduation, Norton worked in Osaka, Japan, consulting for his grandfather's company, Enterprise Foundation. Norton speaks Japanese.[2][3] He also appeared in an ESL textbook, Only in America, used by Nova, a major English language school.[4]

Career

Norton moved to New York City and began his acting career in off-Broadway theater. His first major film was 1996's Primal Fear. In the film, he took on the role of Aaron Stampler, an innocent young man accused of a brutal murder, for which he won a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. In 1998, his portrayal of a reformed neo-Nazi in American History X earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He was also critically acclaimed for his role as a card shark in 1998's Rounders. He packed on 30 pounds (15 kg) of muscle for his role in American History X but did not maintain the physique after production. One of his more widely known roles is his performance in the adaptation of the cult novel Fight Club by director David Fincher, which co-starred Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter, and has been credited as a factor in expanding Norton's fan base.

In 2002, he starred as FBI profiler Will Graham in Brett Ratner's Red Dragon and in Spike Lee's 25th Hour. While Red Dragon received mixed reviews, it was commercially successful. 25th Hour was praised by critics, particularly for its examination of a post-9/11 New York City, but failed to break even.[5]

He played himself in a cameo role in the experimental comedy show Stella, and won critical acclaim for his role as the leper king of Jerusalem in Kingdom of Heaven. In 2006, he starred in the independent movie The Illusionist, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and later became a sleeper hit when it went on general release. Norton has also done uncredited script work on some of the films he has appeared in, specifically Frida[6] and The Score. In 2000, he made his debut as a director with Keeping the Faith. He will also direct the film adaptation of the novel Motherless Brooklyn. Norton played Bruce Banner in the second movie adaptation of The Incredible Hulk, released in 2008.

Personal life

Norton is generally known for his reluctance to embrace his celebrity status, and has said, "If I ever have to stop taking the subway, I'm gonna have a heart attack."[7] Norton has stated in interviews that he is a fan of the Baltimore Orioles. He was involved in many of Cal Ripken Jr.'s retirement activities in 2001 when Norton was asked to be a part of Ripken's biography for MLB. He attended Ripken's ceremony at the Hall of Fame in July 2007. Norton has a private pilot license and discussed his flight training when interviewed on episodes of The Late Show with David Letterman and Inside the Actor's Studio.

Norton was a strong supporter of former New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer. Norton is a member of the trustees of the Enterprise Foundation, a non-profit developer of affordable housing. He is also well-known for his support for environmental causes and renewable energy projects, such as BP's Solar Neighbors program.[8][9][10][11][12] He has also put time and money toward social activist causes, including improving the quality of living in low-income communities.

He dated singer Courtney Love from 1996 to 1999, and actress Salma Hayek between 1999 and 2003. He had broken engagements with both women.[13] Norton is 6 feet (1.8 m) tall, according to his interview on The Daily Show.[14]

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes and Awards
1996 Primal Fear Aaron Stampler
The People vs. Larry Flynt Alan Isaacman
Everyone Says I Love You Holden Spence
1998 Rounders Lester 'Worm' Murphy
American History X Derek Vinyard
1999 Fight Club The Narrator
2000 Keeping the Faith Father Brian Finn Also Director, Producer
2001 The Score Jack Teller Script (uncredited)
2002 Death to Smoochy Sheldon Mopes/Smoochy the Rhino
Frida Nelson Rockefeller Script (uncredited)
Red Dragon Will Graham
25th Hour Monty Brogan Also Producer
2003 The Italian Job Steve Frazelli
2004 National Geographic's Strange Days on Planet Earth Host
2005 Down in the Valley Harlan Also Producer
Kingdom of Heaven Baldwin IV Uncredited
2006 The Illusionist Eisenheim
The Painted Veil Walter Fane Also Producer
2008 The Incredible Hulk Bruce Banner / The Hulk Also Screenwriter
Pride and Glory Ray Tierney Also Producer
Bustin Down The Door (documentary) Narrator
2009 Motherless Brooklyn Lionel Essrog Also Producer, Writer, Director.

Director credits

Year Title
2000 Keeping the Faith

Producer credits

Year Title
2000 Keeping the Faith
2006 Down in the Valley
The Painted Veil

Music credits

Everyone Says I Love You (1996)

  • Song Performer ("Just You Just Me", "My Baby Just Cares for Me", "I'm Thru With Love")

Death to Smoochy (2002)

  • Song/Song Performer ("My Stepdad's Not Mean (He's Just Adjusting)")
  • Song Performer ("Smoochy's Methadone Song", "Smoochy's Magic Jungle Theme", "The Cookie Chant")

Awards and nominations

Year Group Award Won Film
2006 Independent Spirit Awards Best Male Actor No The Painted Veil
2005 Satellite Awards Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role, Drama No Kingdom of Heaven
2004 Sant Jordi Awards Best Foreign Actor (Millor Actor Estranger) Yes 25th Hour
2003 Satellite Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama No 25th Hour
2002 Obie Award Best Performance by an Actor in an off-Broadway play Yes Burn This
2001 Satellite Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical No Keeping the Faith
2000 Street Film Festival, Milan Best Feature Film Yes
MTV Movie Awards Best Fight No Fight Club
Online Film Critics Society Awards Best Actor No
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Favorite Action Team (with Brad Pitt) No
1999 Satellite Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama Yes American History X
Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards Best Actor Yes
Online Film Critics Society Awards Best Actor No
Chlotrudis Awards Best Actor No
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Best Actor No
Academy Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role No
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Best Actor No
1997 Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards Best Supporting Actor Yes Primal Fear
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards Best Supporting Actor Yes
MTV Movie Awards Best Villain No
Academy Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role No
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Best Supporting Actor No
BAFTA Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role No
Golden Globes Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture Yes
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Most Promising Actor Yes Primal Fear, The People vs. Larry Flynt and Everyone Says I Love You
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards Best Supporting Actor Yes
1996 Boston Society of Film Critics Awards Best Supporting Actor Yes
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards Best Supporting Actor Yes
National Board of Review Best Supporting Actor Yes Everyone Says I Love You
Society of Texas Film Critics Awards Best Supporting Actor Yes Primal Fear and The People vs. Larry Flynt
Template:S-awards
Preceded by Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture
1997
for Primal Fear
Succeeded by

References

  1. ^ "Edward Norton - Frequently Asked Questions". Retrieved 2006-12-19.
  2. ^ "Vogue January 1997". Retrieved 2008-04-27.
  3. ^ "Norton has faith in directorial skills". Retrieved 2008-04-27.
  4. ^ Edward Norton
  5. ^ "Box Office/Business at the [[imdb]]". Retrieved 2007-09-06. {{cite web}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  6. ^ "Edward Norton - A.V. Club Interview". Retrieved 2007-01-09.
  7. ^ Handelman, David (January 1997). "Wanted: Edward Norton". Vogue. Retrieved 2008-04-28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. ^ Ed Norton, BP Solar and the High Line at treehugger.com
  9. ^ Edward Norton at solarneighbors.com
  10. ^ Interview with Edward Norton at grist.org
  11. ^ Edward Norton at enterprisecommunity.org
  12. ^ Hollywood stars heat up solar power at CNN.com
  13. ^ Judd Apatow - Motion Pictures - Knocked Up - 40-Year-Old Virgin - New York Times
  14. ^ Ed Norton | The Daily Show | Comedy Central

External links

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