Editing Edward Norton (section)

===1995–1999: Breakthrough===
In 1995, casting agent Shirley Rich discovered Norton. He then rented a studio space near [[The Public Theater]] and presented his auditions of [[Shakespeare]]an works to her. Impressed by his acting, she introduced Norton to the executives of the [[film noir|noir]] drama ''[[Primal Fear (film)|Primal Fear]]'', an adaptation of [[William Diehl]]'s [[Primal Fear (novel)|1993 novel]].<ref name="NYTP2"/> He was selected for the part over two thousand other prospects.<ref name="Vogue_interview"/> Released in 1996, ''Primal Fear'' features Norton in the role of Aaron Stampler, an altar boy who is charged with the murder of a Roman Catholic archbishop and is defended by Martin Vail ([[Richard Gere]]).<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review.html?res=940DEED81239F930A35757C0A960958260|title=Film Review; A Murdered Archbishop, Lawyers in Armani|last=Maslin|first=Janet|authorlink=Janet Maslin|date=April 3, 1996|work=[[The New York Times]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921235717/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review.html?res=940DEED81239F930A35757C0A960958260|archive-date=September 21, 2013}}</ref> His performance was lauded by critics;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1070992_primal_fear|title=Primal Fear (1996)|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|date=April 3, 1996|quote=... crackerjack performance by Edward Norton.|access-date=March 8, 2019|archive-date=November 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171127041435/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1070992_primal_fear|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Roger Ebert]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' praised Norton's character as "completely convincing",<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/primal-fear-1996|title=Primal Fear Movie Review|first=Roger|last=Ebert|authorlink=Roger Ebert|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602063401/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/primal-fear-1996|newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|date=April 5, 1996|archive-date=June 2, 2013|access-date=March 8, 2019}}</ref> while Peter Stack of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' dubbed the actor "the one to watch" after his debut.<ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050516062656/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F1996%2F10%2F18%2FDD14680.DTL|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/1996/10/18/DD14680.DTL|title=Favorable Verdict for 'Primal Fear'|work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|archive-date=May 16, 2005|date=October 18, 1996|first=Peter|last=Stack|access-date=August 4, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Norton won a [[Golden Globe Award]] for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture|Best Supporting Actor]]<ref name="PrimalFearGG">{{Cite web|url=http://www.goldenglobes.org/browse/member/28790|title=Edward Norton – Golden Globes|agency=[[Hollywood Foreign Press Association]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104233943/http://www.goldenglobes.org/browse/member/28790|archive-date=January 4, 2009}}</ref> and was nominated for an [[Academy Award]] in [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|the same category]] for his role in the film.<ref name="oscars">{{Cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bal-columbias-edward-norton-grabs-oscar-nod-20150115-story.html|title=Columbia's Edward Norton grabs Oscar nod for 'Birdman'|first=Chris|last=Kaltenbach|work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|date=January 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150804154035/https://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bal-columbias-edward-norton-grabs-oscar-nod-20150115-story.html|archive-date=August 4, 2015}}</ref> Norton starred in two other films released in 1996; he played [[Larry Flynt]]'s lawyer [[Alan Isaacman]] in [[Milos Forman]]'s biographical drama ''[[The People vs. Larry Flynt]]'' and Holden Spence in [[Woody Allen]]'s musical film ''[[Everyone Says I Love You]]''.<ref name="Vogue_interview"/>

[[File:Ed Norton 1997.jpg|thumb|upright|Norton in 1997|alt=Portrait of a young Edward Norton smiling]]
In 1998, Norton starred alongside [[Matt Damon]] in ''[[Rounders (film)|Rounders]]'', which follows two friends who urgently need cash and play poker to pay off a huge debt.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=980CE2DD1F3EF932A2575AC0A96E958260|title=Film Review; Knowing When to Hold 'em and Fold 'em but Just Not When to Run|last=Maslin|first=Janet|date=September 11, 1998|work=The New York Times |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120215203225/https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=980CE2DD1F3EF932A2575AC0A96E958260|archive-date=February 15, 2012}}</ref> The film and Norton's performance received a lukewarm response; ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' wrote that his acting "never really goes anywhere",<ref>{{Cite magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070618133314/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,284869,00.html|url=https://ew.com/ew/article/0,,284869,00.html|title=Rounders|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|archive-date=June 18, 2007|url-status=dead|date=September 18, 1998|first=Owen|last=Gleiberman|authorlink=Owen Gleiberman}}</ref> while the ''[[Chicago Reader]]'' observed that his character was not good enough to make the film interesting.<ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170502015608/http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/rounders/Film?oid=1063620|url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/rounders/Film?oid=1063620|title=Rounders|work=[[Chicago Reader]]|first=Jonathan|last=Rosenbaum|date = July 26, 2007|archive-date=May 2, 2017}}</ref> His role in the crime drama ''[[American History X]]'', released later that year, earned him widespread acclaim.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_history_x/|title=American History X (1998)|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|date=October 30, 1998|quote=A compelling and provocative story led by an excellent performance by Edward Norton.|access-date=March 9, 2019|archive-date=February 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200211052948/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_history_x/|url-status=live}}</ref> In it, Norton portrays Derek Vinyard, a reformed [[neo-Nazism|neo-Nazi]], who abandons his preconceived ideology after three years in prison.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9c07e4de103cf93ba15753c1a96e958260|title=Film Review; The Darkest Chambers of a Nation's Soul|last=Maslin|first=Janet|authorlink=Janet Maslin|date=October 28, 1998|work=The New York Times|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210014312/https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9c07e4de103cf93ba15753c1a96e958260|archive-date=February 10, 2012}}</ref> During production, Norton was allegedly dissatisfied with director [[Tony Kaye (director)|Tony Kaye]]'s first screening. Consequently, he took over the editing (uncredited) and finished the final cut, which was 40 minutes longer than Kaye's version.<ref name="GuardianX1">{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130824192834/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/oct/25/artsfeatures.advertising|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/oct/25/artsfeatures.advertising|title=Losing It|date=October 25, 2002|work=[[The Guardian]]|first=Tony|last=Kaye|archive-date=August 24, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''[[The New Yorker]]'' wrote that he gave Derek an "ambiguous erotic allure" which made the film memorable,<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/arts/reviews/film/american_history_x_kaye|title=The Film File – American History X|last=Denby|first=David|authorlink=David Denby|date=November 9, 1998|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071110022553/http://www.newyorker.com/arts/reviews/film/american_history_x_kaye|archive-date=November 10, 2007}}</ref> while the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' deemed his performance an immediate contender for an Oscar.<ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813234457/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-10-30/entertainment/9810300279_1_john-carpenter-s-vampires-thomas-ian-griffith-star|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1998/10/30/a-shocking-film-about-racial-hate/|title=A Shocking Film About Racial Hate|first=Gene|last=Siskel|work=Chicago Tribune|date=October 30, 1998|url-status=live|archive-date=August 13, 2014}}</ref> Norton received an Oscar nomination for [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]],<ref name="OscarX">{{Cite news|title=Reel Player|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kyYEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA87|work=[[Vibe (magazine)|Vibe]]|page=87|first=Shanel|last=Odum|date=March 2008|issue=March 2008|issn=1070-4701}}</ref> and won a [[Satellite Awards|Golden Satellite Award]] in the same category.<ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010211163917/http://www.pressacademy.com/awards_1999.html|url=http://www.pressacademy.com/awards_1999.html|title=1999 Awards|publisher=[[International Press Academy]]|archive-date=February 11, 2001|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the 1999 [[David Fincher]]-directed film ''[[Fight Club]]'', Norton played an [[The Narrator (Fight Club)|unnamed]] [[unreliable narrator]] who feels trapped in his white-collar job. The film is based on [[Chuck Palahniuk]]'s [[Fight Club (novel)|1996 novel]].<ref name="fight1">{{Cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/books/news/9910/19/fight.club.salon/index1.html|title='Fight Club': It 'Just sort of clicked'|last=Sragow|first=Michael|date=October 19, 1999|publisher=CNN|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523020214/http://www.cnn.com/books/news/9910/19/fight.club.salon/index1.html|archive-date=May 23, 2010}}</ref> To prepare for the role, Norton took lessons in [[boxing]], [[taekwondo]] and [[grappling]].<ref>{{Cite news |first=Stephen |last=Garrett |title=Freeze Frame |journal=[[Details (magazine)|Details]] |issue=July 1999}}</ref> ''Fight Club'' premiered at the 1999 [[Venice International Film Festival]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/fight-club-takes-beating-hyper-violence-1999-article-1.847125 |title='Fight Club' Steps into the Ring new Film's taking a beating for its Hyper-Violent content |last=Dominguez |first=Robert |date=October 15, 1999 |work=[[New York Daily News]]| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016125713/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/fight-club-takes-beating-hyper-violence-1999-article-1.847125| archive-date=October 16, 2015}}</ref> During promotion for the film, Norton explained that ''Fight Club'' examines the value conflicts of [[Generation X]] as the first generation raised on television, by probing "the despair and paralysis that people feel in the face of having inherited this value system out of advertising".<ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161206061834/http://www.cnn.com/books/news/9910/19/fight.club.salon/index1.html|url=http://www.cnn.com/books/news/9910/19/fight.club.salon/index1.html|title=Fight Club, P. 2|date=October 19, 1999|publisher=CNN|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 6, 2016|first=Michael|last=Sragow}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | first=Stephen | last=Schaefer | url=http://mrshowbiz.go.com/celebrities/interviews/509_1.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010417125217/http://mrshowbiz.go.com/celebrities/interviews/509_1.html | archive-date=April 17, 2001 | title=Brad Pitt & Edward Norton | publisher=MrShowbiz.com |date=October 1999}}</ref> While the film divided contemporary critics,<ref>{{Cite news|first=David|last=Gritten|date=September 14, 1999|title=Premiere of Fight Club leaves critics slugging it out in Venice|newspaper=The Ottawa Citizen}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|first=James|last=Christopher|date=September 13, 2001|title=How was it for you?|work=[[The Times]]|location=London}}</ref> Norton's role was widely applauded. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine labeled him "excellent",<ref>{{Cite magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080122002302/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C992235%2C00.html|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C992235%2C00.html|title=Conditional Knockout|first=Richard|last=Schickel|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|url-status=dead|date=October 11, 1999|archive-date=January 22, 2008}}</ref> and ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' magazine was impressed by his embracing a range of techniques needed for his character.<ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208200156/http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117752116.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0|url=https://variety.com/review/VE1117752116.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0|title=Fight Club Review|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|first=David|last=Rooney|date=September 13, 1999|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 8, 2008}}</ref> For his performance, Norton was nominated for Best Actor by the [[Online Film Critics Society]].<ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070305035048/http://ofcs.rottentomatoes.com/pages/awards/99nominees|url=http://ofcs.rottentomatoes.com/pages/awards/99nominees|title=1999 Year-End Nominees|publisher=[[Online Film Critics Society]]|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 5, 2007}}</ref> Despite under-performing at the box office, ''Fight Club''  became a [[cult film|cult classic]] after its DVD release in 2000.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/23/cult.films/|title=The personality of cult|last=Nunziata |first=Nick|date=March 23, 2004|publisher=CNN|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100416074855/http://edition.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/23/cult.films/|archive-date=April 16, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514045039/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/movies/homevideo/08lim.html|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/movies/homevideo/08lim.html|title='Fight Club' Goes On|date=November 9, 2009|first=Dennis|last=Lim|work=The New York Times|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 14, 2012}}</ref>