Edward Norton

Edward Harrison Norton (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. After graduating from Yale College in 1991 with a degree in history, he worked for a few months in Japan before moving to Manhattan to pursue an acting career. He gained recognition and critical acclaim for his debut in Primal Fear (1996), which earned him a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and an Academy Award nomination in the same category. His role as a redeemed neo-Nazi in American History X (1998) earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He also starred in the film Fight Club (1999), which garnered a cult following.

Norton established the production company Class 5 Films in 2003, and was director or producer of the films Keeping the Faith (2000), Down in the Valley (2005), and The Painted Veil (2006). He continued to receive praise for his acting roles in films such as The Score (2001), 25th Hour (2002), The Italian Job (2003), The Illusionist (2006), Moonrise Kingdom (2012), and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). His biggest commercial successes have been Red Dragon (2002), Kingdom of Heaven (2005), The Incredible Hulk (2008), and The Bourne Legacy (2012). For his roles as a haughty actor in Birdman (2014) and Pete Seeger in A Complete Unknown (2024), Norton earned further Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor. He has also directed and acted in the crime film Motherless Brooklyn (2019) and starred in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022).

Norton is an environmental activist and social entrepreneur. He is a trustee of Enterprise Community Partners, a non-profit organization that advocates for affordable housing, and serves as president of the American branch of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust. He is also the UN Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity.

Early life

Edward Harrison Norton was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on August 18, 1969. He was raised in Columbia, Maryland.<ref name="Biography.com">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His father, Edward Mower Norton Jr., served in Vietnam as a Marine lieutenant before becoming an environmental lawyer and conservation advocate working in Asia and a federal prosecutor in the Carter administration.Template:Sfn His mother, Lydia Robinson "Robin" (née Rouse), was an English teacher who died following surgery to remove a brain tumor in 1997.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> Norton's maternal grandfather, James Rouse, was the founder of The Rouse Company and co-founder of the real estate corporation Enterprise Community Partners.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He has two younger siblings, Molly and James.<ref name="Yahoobio"/>

At age five, Norton and his parents saw a musical related to Cinderella at the Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts (CCTA), starring his babysitter, which ignited his interest in the theater.<ref name="NYTimesProfile">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="BaltimoreSun">Template:Cite news</ref> He enjoyed watching films with his father as a pre-teen, but later reflected that he was fascinated with the cinematography rather than the acting.<ref name="Carbondale"/> Norton recalled that it was theater and not films that inspired him to act.<ref name="Carbondale"/> He made his professional debut at the age of eight in the musical Annie Get Your Gun at his hometown's Toby's Dinner Theatre.<ref name="Yahoobio">Template:Cite web</ref> At the CCTA, he acted in several theatrical productions directed by Toby Orenstein.<ref name="BaltimoreSun"/>

In 1984, Norton won the acting cup at Pasquaney, an annual summer camp for boys in Hebron, New Hampshire, where he later returned as a theater director.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He subsequently immersed himself in films, naming Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro as two of his early inspirations because "the ones [he] liked were also the ones who made [him] think [he] could do it because they weren't the most handsome guys".<ref name="Carbondale"/> He graduated from Wilde Lake High School in 1987.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He attended Yale College, graduating in 1991 with Bachelor of Arts in history.<ref name=":0" /> While at Yale, he also studied Japanese, acted in university productions, and was a competitive rower.<ref name="Yahoobio"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After graduating from Yale, conversant in Japanese, Norton worked not-for-profit as a representative for his grandfather's company, Enterprise Community Partners, in Osaka, Japan.<ref name="Vogue_interview">Template:Cite news</ref>

Career

1991–1994: Career beginnings

After five months in Japan, Norton moved to New York City, where he supported himself working odd jobs.<ref name="NYTimesProfile"/><ref name="Vogue_interview"/> He took six months researching different acting techniques, focusing on method acting. He later took lessons from acting coach Terry Schreiber after discovering he was looking for a Japanese translator to help direct a play in Tokyo.Template:Sfn Norton described him as a great teacher who encouraged students to become "multilingual actors" with different techniques for versatile roles.Template:Sfn

Norton also wrote scripts for plays at the Signature Theatre Company and starred in off-Broadway theater. His performance in Brian Friel's Lovers brought him to the attention of playwright Edward Albee, whose one-act plays Norton enjoyed.<ref name="Carbondale">Template:Cite news</ref> In 1994, Norton auditioned for Albee's Finding the Sun but did not get the part. Albee found a new role for him instead and had Norton read for Fragments.<ref name="NYTP2">Template:Cite web</ref> The playwright was impressed with Norton's rehearsal performance and cast him for its world premiere.<ref name="Yahoobio"/> Albee remarked that Norton was a rare actor "who really knocked me out".<ref name="NYTP2"/> Norton recalled that he was inspired by Al Pacino, who also began his career in theater while struggling to establish himself in New York.<ref name="Vogue_interview"/>

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 Shakespearean works to her. Impressed by his acting, she introduced Norton to the executives of the noir drama Primal Fear, an adaptation of William Diehl's 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>Template:Cite news</ref> His performance was lauded by critics;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times praised Norton's character as "completely convincing",<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> while Peter Stack of the San Francisco Chronicle dubbed the actor "the one to watch" after his debut.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Norton won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor<ref name="PrimalFearGG">Template:Cite web</ref> and was nominated for an Academy Award in the same category for his role in the film.<ref name="oscars">Template:Cite web</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"/>

Portrait of a young Edward Norton smiling

Norton in 1997

In 1998, Norton starred alongside Matt Damon in Rounders, which follows two friends who urgently need cash and play poker to pay off a huge debt.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The film and Norton's performance received a lukewarm response; Entertainment Weekly wrote that his acting "never really goes anywhere",<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> while the Chicago Reader observed that his character was not good enough to make the film interesting.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His role in the crime drama American History X, released later that year, earned him widespread acclaim.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In it, Norton portrays Derek Vinyard, a reformed neo-Nazi, who abandons his preconceived ideology after three years in prison.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During production, Norton was allegedly dissatisfied with 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">Template:Cite web</ref> The New Yorker wrote that he gave Derek an "ambiguous erotic allure" which made the film memorable,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> while the Chicago Tribune deemed his performance an immediate contender for an Oscar.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Norton received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor,<ref name="OscarX">Template:Cite news</ref> and won a Golden Satellite Award in the same category.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the 1999 David Fincher-directed film Fight Club, Norton played an unnamed unreliable narrator who feels trapped in his white-collar job. The film is based on Chuck Palahniuk's 1996 novel.<ref name="fight1">Template:Cite news</ref> To prepare for the role, Norton took lessons in boxing, taekwondo and grappling.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Fight Club premiered at the 1999 Venice International Film Festival.<ref>Template:Cite news</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>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> While the film divided contemporary critics,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Norton's role was widely applauded. Time magazine labeled him "excellent",<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and Variety magazine was impressed by his embracing a range of techniques needed for his character.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> For his performance, Norton was nominated for Best Actor by the Online Film Critics Society.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Despite under-performing at the box office, Fight Club became a cult classic after its DVD release in 2000.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2000–2008: Mainstream success and directorial debut

In 2000, Norton made his directorial debut with the romantic comedy Keeping the Faith, starring as a priest named Brian Finn.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The film received mixed critical reviews.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Dallas Morning News praised his acting and labeled the film "a smart directorial debut".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Entertainment Weekly remarked that Norton's emergence as a director was decent, but criticized the plot because it "proposes heavy theological aims, then disavows any such thing".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In 2001's heist film The Score, Norton plays Jack Teller, an ambitious young thief caught in an unlikely alliance with career criminal Nick Wells (Robert De Niro) arranged by his fence, Max (Marlon Brando). The Score and Norton's performance was well received.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The San Francisco Chronicle stated that despite starring with screen legends De Niro and Brando, Norton's acting "outdoes even that of Brando".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Los Angeles Times also lauded him as an "enormously gifted young actor" who pulled off the character successfully.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

File:Nelson Rockefeller at Critical Choices meeting 1133 17 February 28 1975-1-.JPG

Norton portrayed Nelson Rockefeller (pictured) in the 2002 biopic Frida, for which his version of the screenplay received positive reviews.

Norton appeared in four films released in 2002. He played kids show host Sheldon Mopes, who quickly rises to fame for his character "Smoochy the Rhino", in the black comedy Death to Smoochy. It received negative critical feedback for its plot.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He also portrayed Nelson Rockefeller in the biopic film Frida, which depicts the life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (Salma Hayek). Norton rewrote the script several times without credit, focusing on the historical context and adding some humor while retaining Kahlo's real-life personality.<ref name="Guardian_Frida1">Template:Cite web</ref> The final screenplay, with Norton's contribution, received positive reviews from critics as well as admiration from the film's co-stars including Hayek and Alfred Molina, who portrayed Kahlo's husband and fellow artist Diego Rivera.<ref name="Guardian_Frida1"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="NYTimes_Hayek">Template:Cite web</ref> In the horror film Red Dragon, Norton starred as retired FBI profiler Will Graham, who consults with cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) to catch Francis Dolarhyde (Ralph Fiennes), a serial killer who murders entire families. During production, Norton and director Brett Ratner argued frequently over the script. "He likes to challenge the director. It's all about intellectual debate," Ratner told The Times in 2003. "... Edward's instinct is going to be, 'I have to take over this film.' He's going to try to rescue the film. That's both a blessing and a curse."<ref name="LATimesControversy1">Template:Cite web</ref> Despite mixed reviews, Red Dragon was Norton's most profitable venture in 2002, grossing over $200 million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="EdMojo">Template:Cite web</ref> Norton also co-produced and starred in 25th Hour, a film about a drug dealer in post-9/11 New York City.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Paramount Pictures forced Norton to star in the heist film The Italian Job (2003), threatening to sue him for violating a three-film contract he had signed; the studio had previously distributed 1996's Primal Fear and 2001's The Score.Template:Sfn Norton, accordingly, refused to promote the film's release.<ref name="guardian.co.uk">Template:Cite news</ref> His performance was well received by critics, with The New Yorker calling him "intelligent and incisive ... one of those rare actors who hold the audience's attention with everything they say".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Rolling Stone praised his character as "perversely magnetic" despite giving the film a negative review.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> During this time, Norton co-founded a production company, Class 5 Films, with Yale classmate Stuart Blumberg and film producer Bill Migliore.<ref name="Biography.com"/> Norton was cast as Baldwin IV, the leper king of Jerusalem, in Ridley Scott's 2005 historical film Kingdom of Heaven.<ref name="moore">Template:Cite web</ref> Reviewers criticized the film's lack of depth, while praising the cinematography.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Jack Moore described Norton's performance in Kingdom of Heaven as "phenomenal", and "so far removed from anything that he has ever done that we see the true complexities of his talent".<ref name="moore" /> It grossed over $211 million worldwide.<ref name="EdMojo"/> Norton's next lead role was in the neo-western film Down in the Valley (2005), playing a delusional man who claims to be a cowboy. While the film was criticized for its narrative, Norton was praised for his performance.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Norton had two major film roles in 2006, starring as Eisenheim the magician in The Illusionist and bacteriologist Walter Fane in The Painted Veil. Set in 19th-century Austria-Hungary, The Illusionist was loosely based on novelist Steven Millhauser's short story "Eisenheim the Illusionist" and received generally positive critical reviews.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The San Francisco Chronicle dubbed the film "rich and elegant" and wrote of Norton's character: "he doesn't just seduce the on-screen audience but the audience watching in the movie theater".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Houston Chronicle similarly lauded the film for its vibrant plot and described Norton's performance as "mysterious and understated".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Norton co-produced The Painted Veil, in which he starred with Naomi Watts, who portrayed his character's unfaithful wife. Like his previous venture, The Painted Veil garnered positive feedback from reviewers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Guardian applauded the film as "faultless" and "powerful" as well as Norton's "genuinely affecting" performance.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Entertainment Weekly appreciated that Norton's production effort did not affect his acting.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Norton appeared in two documentaries in 2007: Brando, which chronicles the life and career of screen legend Marlon Brando, with whom Norton co-starred in 2001's The Score,Template:Cn and Man from Plains, which depicts the post-presidency endeavors of former U.S. president Jimmy Carter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He starred in the crime drama Pride and Glory (2008) as Ray Tierney, an honest detective assigned to investigate the precinct run by his older brother. Reviewers criticized the film for its cliched plot.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2006–2008: The Incredible Hulk

A side view of Norton in suits giving autographs

Norton at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival

His next lead film role was Marvel Cinematic Universe's Bruce Banner, and the accompanying alter ego Hulk in the big-budget superhero film The Incredible Hulk, released in 2008.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Norton initially turned down the part as he felt the 2003 version Hulk "strayed far afield from a story that was familiar to people, ... which is a fugitive story".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He joined the project during pre-production in 2006 and constantly provided rewrites of the script.<ref name="RothHulk03">Template:Cite news</ref> Director Louis Leterrier welcomed his contributions, saying that, "Edward's script has given Bruce's story real gravitas".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, screenwriter Zak Penn was displeased with Norton's changes.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The Writers Guild of America credited Penn as the sole writer, arguing that Norton had not contributed significantly to the screenplay.<ref name="EW2008">Template:Cite web</ref> Norton did not participate in promoting the film and went to Africa for humanitarian activities instead,<ref name="LATimesControversy1" /> leading to rumors that Norton was sparking conflicts with the film's producers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He dismissed the accusations and said that the media had misrepresented the "healthy" collaborations for headlines.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

The Incredible Hulk received generally favorable reviews upon release.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Wall Street Journal felt that Norton's presence improved the film to "a thunderously efficient enterprise" from the 2003 version.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Conversely, the Los Angeles Times, while recognizing Norton's decent performance, opined that the film lacked a solid script.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was a box office success, grossing over $263 million.<ref name="EdMojo" /> Norton was expected to reprise his role in future Marvel Cinematic Universe ventures, including the 2012 blockbuster The Avengers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, he was replaced by Mark Ruffalo, allegedly due to Norton's "disputes" with Marvel.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Norton later claimed that he chose not to play Hulk again because he "wanted more diversity" and opted against associating himself with one character throughout his career.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2009-2014: Critical resurgence

In 2009, Norton produced the documentary By the People: The Election of Barack Obama, which follows former U.S. president Barack Obama's campaigns leading to his 2008 election victory. Norton planned for this project in 2006, when Obama was a senator from Illinois, elaborating that Obama was "an interesting prism through which to examine politics".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He had two lead film roles in 2010. He portrayed Brown University Professor Bill and his identical twin Brady Kincaid in the comedy Leaves of Grass, and convicted arsonist Gerald "Stone" Creeson in the crime film Stone. Both received weak reviews; Leaves of Grass was praised for Norton's performance but criticized for its conflicting tonal shifts,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> while Stone was panned because of a clumsy plot with excessive twists.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Norton had two lead film roles in 2012. He starred as scoutmaster Randy Ward in charge of finding his missing camper in the coming-of-age film Moonrise Kingdom, directed by Wes Anderson.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The film was acclaimed by critics<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and grossed over $68 million.<ref name="EdMojo"/> His other lead role was in the action thriller The Bourne Legacy, the fourth installment in the Bourne series. In the film, Norton portrayed retired Air Force colonel Eric Byer, who decides to terminate an illegal operation after it is exposed to the FBI and kill everyone involved. The Bourne Legacy received lukewarm reviews<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but has been Norton's highest-grossing venture so far, earning over $276 million worldwide.<ref name="EdMojo"/> Norton also produced the comedy-drama Thanks for Sharing (2012) under his company Class 5 Films.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This production venture received a mixed response.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Guardian panned the film as "smug and humourless,"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> while The Washington Post called it "surprisingly wise, funny and affecting".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

A bob-haired man sitting at a movie conference

Director Wes Anderson, who featured Norton in five of his films

In 2014, Norton played in two Academy Award-winning films, The Grand Budapest Hotel and Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). He collaborated again with director Wes Anderson for The Grand Budapest Hotel, which featured an ensemble cast and won four Academy Awards.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Oscar_BBC">Template:Cite web</ref> In the black comedy Birdman, Norton played Broadway method actor Mike Shiner, who is talented but hard to work with. The film, as well as Norton's performance, was well received by critics.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Los Angeles Times lauded him for successfully portraying the volatility of the character,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Newsday complimented his "truly moving" poetic delivery.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture and earned Norton his third Academy nomination for Best Supporting Actor.<ref name="Oscar_BBC"/>

2015-2021: Limited roles and voice acting

Norton had voice-acting roles in the animated features Sausage Party (2016)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and The Guardian Brothers—the English-dubbed version of the Chinese animated film Little Door Gods (2017).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He played Whit Yardsham, an estranged friend and business partner of Howard Inlet (Will Smith) in the 2016 drama Collateral Beauty. The film was panned by critics for its incoherent screenplay.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Norton worked again with director Anderson for the 2018 stop motion film Isle of Dogs, in which he voiced Rex, a member of a pack of five dogs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Norton had announced in February 2014 that he would direct Motherless Brooklyn, a crime drama based on the acclaimed 1999 novel by Jonathan Lethem.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Norton had wanted to work on the project since 1999 but did not begin until Brett Ratner, director of 2002's Red Dragon, joined in to help production.<ref name="Indiewire">Template:Cite web</ref> Released in 2019, the film received mixed reviews.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Toronto Star's Peter Howell praised Norton's direction, but thought the film was complex and too long.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2022-present: Return to mainstream

In 2022, Norton portrayed an obnoxious New York tech billionaire Miles Bron in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, the second installment in Knives Out franchise. The ensemble mystery film was released on Netflix to positive reviews and recorded strong viewership.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Norton featured in the Apple TV+ anthology mini series Extrapolations (2023), created by Scott Z. Burns.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He once again reunited with Wes Anderson to play a supporting role in the comedy drama set in retrofuturistic 1950s, Asteroid City, premiering at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on May 23, 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It received generally positive reviews while also becoming a moderate success commercially.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He reprised his voice role from the animated adult comedy film Sausage Party (2016) in the sequel series Sausage Party: Foodtopia (2024), which released on Amazon Prime Video.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Norton next portrayed Pete Seeger opposite Timothée Chalamet in A Complete Unknown (2024), a biopic of Bob Dylan, directed by James Mangold.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He learned to play banjo in Seeger's distinctive style for his role.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His performance received praise, and he was nominated for a Golden Globe award and an Academy Award.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="oscars2025" /> Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com described him as "wonderfully understated,"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> while James T. Keane of America Magazine praised Norton as the film's standout performer, lauding his ability to subtly convey a wide range of emotions: "preternaturally good-hearted, but also part booster, part handler, part jealous rival, part stubborn doctrinaire."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Relationships

Since coming to fame in the mid-1990s, Norton has opted not to discuss his personal life in public, saying that he "believes that excessive media coverage can distract him from fulfilling his role as an actor".<ref name="Vogue_interview"/><ref name="Interview1996"/> Following the release of The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996), tabloids spread rumors that Norton and his onscreen co-star Courtney Love were dating.<ref name="Vogue_interview"/> Norton insisted that he was not romantically involved with Love, and the two were only friends and colleagues.<ref name="Interview1997">Template:Cite news</ref> Nevertheless, appearing on an episode of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Love stated they had dated for four years. It was in addition to her references in a 2006 interview to their past relationship.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She said that Norton had been a "mediator" and "communicator" between her and her daughter Frances Bean Cobain, calling him a "force of good".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

After Norton had ended his relationship with Love in 1999, he started dating Salma Hayek, with whom he later appeared in the 2002 biopic Frida.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Norton absented himself from the premiere of The Italian Job, in which he starred, to attend the premiere of The Maldonado Miracle, Hayek's directorial debut.<ref name="GQ_2003">Template:Cite news</ref> The two broke up in 2003.<ref name="GQ_2003"/> Hayek still remains friends with Norton.

Hayek recalled in a 2017 piece for The New York Times that Norton "beautifully rewrote the script [of Frida] several times and appallingly never got credit" after she had rejected Harvey Weinstein's sexual demands and Weinstein, in retaliation, had given her "a list of [four] impossible tasks with a tight deadline," including "a rewrite of the script, with no additional payment, or writer's credit" before he would make the film.<ref name="NYTimes_Hayek"/>

In 2011, Norton proposed to Canadian film producer Shauna Robertson after dating for six years. The pair married in 2012. The couple have two children, a son Atlas, and daughter Lydia.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Ancestry

Norton appeared on the PBS genealogy series Finding Your Roots in January 2023, where it was confirmed that Pocahontas was his 12th great-grandmother. Norton, whose family had known of possible relation to Pocahontas and her husband John Rolfe for years, replied to the findings: "It makes you realize what a small piece of the human story you are".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Norton expressed discomfort upon learning his ancestors owned a family of slaves: "The short answer is these things are uncomfortable, and you should be uncomfortable with them. Everybody should be uncomfortable with it. It's not a judgement on you and your own life, but it's a judgement on the history of this country. It needs to be acknowledged first and foremost, and then it needs to be contended with. When you go away from census counts and you personalise things, you're talking about, possibly, a husband and wife with five girls – and these girls are slaves. Born into slavery. ... When you read 'slave aged eight,' you just want to die."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Norton also learned he is a distant cousin of fellow actors Eric and Julia Roberts.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Activism

File:Edward Norton in Kenya (2010).jpg

Norton as UN Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity on a trip to Kenya, 2010

Norton's father is an environmental lawyer and conservationist; Norton is an environmentalist.<ref name="LATimes_environment">Template:Cite news</ref> He narrated the four-part National Geographic documentary Strange Days on Planet Earth (2005), which examines earth system science.<ref name="LATimes_environment"/> He is an advocate for renewable energy, specifically solar energy<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and is currently an Advisory Council Member for GoodLeap.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After rising to stardom, Norton bought a solar energy-powered home in Los Angeles and switched to a hybrid car.<ref name="LATimes_environment"/> In 2003, he collaborated with oil company BP to develop the Solar Neighbors program, which aimed to install photovoltaic panels on rooftops of households in Los Angeles.<ref name="Grist">Template:Cite web</ref> The initiative was welcomed by many of Norton's fellow celebrities, notably Salma Hayek, Brad Pitt, Danny DeVito, Alicia Silverstone and Robin Williams.<ref name="Grist"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Norton is a supporter of the African Wildlife Foundation and its "Say No" campaign which raises awareness and fights against illegal poaching of elephants and rhinoceroses for ivory and horn.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He is the president of the American branch of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust. The organization aims to preserve the ecosystems and biodiversity of East Africa through conservation which directly benefits the local Maasai communities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> To raise money for the trust, Norton fielded a team of thirty runners for the New York City Marathon on November 1, 2009; the team included himself, three Maasai tribesmen, and fellow celebrity musician Alanis Morissette.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He raised over $1.2 million for the Trust after completing his run.<ref name="Tough">Template:Cite web</ref>

After the successful fundraising for the Maasai Conservation, Norton launched an online fundraising platform called Crowdrise in May 2010.<ref name="Tough"/><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The website uses a social-networking framework to help raise funds for charity.<ref name="Tough"/> In July 2010, the then-Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) named Norton the Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity and a spokesperson for the Convention on Biological Diversity.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At his designation ceremony, Norton said that biodiversity is an issue that "transcends national boundaries", with people "having lost sight" of the need for environmental protection.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As part of his job as a UN Ambassador, Norton has embarked on trips to Africa and participated in programs organized by UN bodies including the Development and Environment Programmes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Guardian_Not">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He also played soccer (football) for Soccer Aid in May 2012; the event raised over £4.9 million for UNICEF to assist children worldwide.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Norton is a general aviation pilot who flies people in need of access to healthcare in his Cessna 206 aircraft through the organization Angel Flight West.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Political views

Norton has served since 1998 as a member of the board of trustees of Enterprise Community Partners, a non-profit developer of affordable housing founded by his grandparents.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The company has invested $9 billion in equity capital, pre-development lending, mortgage financing, and house building for low-income Americans.<ref name="FastCompany">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2008, Norton initiated the company's plan to embark on green affordable housing. This originated with his concerns over environmental issues and sustainable development in addition to housing problems.<ref name="FastCompany"/> He attributed his involvement in community building to his upbringing in Columbia, Maryland, which is a planned city built in the 1960s and home to a diverse population.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Norton believes celebrities should "participate quietly" in discussions on politics and social issues as, "Having a public forum tends to make people offer too casual a commentary".<ref name="GlobeMail">Template:Cite web</ref> During the 2004 presidential election, Norton urged college students to vote against the Republican nominee George W. Bush, further criticizing his plans to cut college financing and his support of tax breaks for the rich.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He also made speeches to encourage voters to support Democratic nominee John Kerry.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Norton was a supporter of Democrat Eliot Spitzer, former New York governor.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

During the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, Norton supported but did not actively campaign for the Democratic nominee Barack Obama, saying that "it's much more interesting to encourage people to engage than to suggest that people should model themselves on me and my views".<ref name="WP_Obama">Template:Cite news</ref> He produced the 2009 documentary By the People: The Election of Barack Obama, which chronicles Obama's political activities from 2006 to his 2008 election victory.<ref name="Reuters">Template:Cite web</ref> Norton spoke highly of Obama, citing him as "a perfect framework" to explore contemporary U.S. politics.<ref name="Reuters"/> He produced a campaign video for Obama's 2012 presidential race with Bennett Miller; the video featured voters from diverse economic and racial backgrounds.<ref name="WP_Obama"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He also expressed "grave concerns" over the Trump administration's position regarding climate change.<ref name="GlobeMail"/> In 2020 Norton donated $8,400 to the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In November 2020, Norton criticized then-US President Donald Trump for his unfounded claims of election fraud at the 2020 United States presidential election, as a "contemptible, treasonous, seditious assault on the stability of the country and its institutions."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Public image

Norton in suits and a gray tie, smirking at the camera

Norton in 2010

Norton has been regarded as one of the most talented actors of his generation.<ref name="GQ_2003"/><ref name="Variety2">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Complex">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Baltimore_magazine">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="AVClub2010">Template:Cite web</ref> The Daily Telegraph observed that "the tag 'finest actor of his generation' clings to him wherever he goes".<ref name="Telegraph">Template:Cite web</ref> In The Observer, Peter Preston noted that his image was unlike that of conventional screen "stars" because his most memorable characters are unlikeable, specifically a neo-Nazi in American History X. Preston likened his characters to those played by Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro, whom Norton admires.<ref name="Guardian01">Template:Cite web</ref> Interview magazine commented that Norton has successfully portrayed a wide range of roles and found it impossible to simply characterize him as a leading man, a villain, or a character actor.<ref name="Interview2014">Template:Cite web</ref>

Despite critical plaudits, Norton is scornful of being seen as a Hollywood A-lister.<ref name="HeraldGlasgow">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="PhilStar">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Forbes">Template:Cite web</ref> He feels it necessary to keep his off-screen life to himself and opts for a "normal life."<ref name="PhilStar"/> As soon as his career took off in the late 1990s, Norton asserted that, "If I ever have to stop taking the subway, I'm gonna have a heart attack."<ref name="Vogue_interview"/> AllMovie remarked that Norton attained "almost instant stardom" following his 1996 film debut in Primal Fear and could have risen to even greater fame.<ref name="AllMovie">Template:Cite web</ref> The Daily Telegraph attributed Norton's lack of interest in celebrity status to his family of "distinguished political and social activists."<ref name="Telegraph"/> Sharing the same sentiment, Forbes complimented Norton as "a far cry" from celebrities who do charity works "with a keen eye to furthering their personal brand," citing his involvements in community planning and social entrepreneurship even before his film career.<ref name="Forbes"/>

Norton has a strict work ethic and a high desire for professionalism.<ref name="AllMovie"/> He is selective in choosing his roles, explaining that, "You don't want to do anything just ... to work with somebody. There are many actors I would like to work with but it has to be the right role."<ref name="PhilStar"/> Drew Barrymore, his co-star in the 1996 musical Everyone Says I Love You, recalled that he was "on the set every day" and "never compromised for a second."<ref name="Interview1996">Template:Cite news</ref> He also expects different approaches to projects with different collaborators and wishes for "happy" working situations as long as "the boundaries of the collaboration are well-established in the beginning."<ref name="AVClub1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Due to this, Norton has garnered a reputation for being difficult to work with.<ref name="Telegraph"/><ref name="GuardianShot">Template:Cite web</ref> Incidents include Norton's editing the final cut of American History X (1998), which is 40 minutes longer than director Tony Kaye's version;<ref name="GuardianX1"/> conflicts with director Brett Ratner on the set of Red Dragon (2002);<ref name="LATimesControversy1"/> refusing to promote The Italian Job (2003);<ref name="guardian.co.uk"/> and uncredited rewriting of the screenplay for The Incredible Hulk (2008), which angered screenwriter Zak Penn.<ref name="EW2008"/> The Los Angeles Times opined that these incidents led to Norton's image as a "prickly perfectionist", which diminishes his reputation.<ref name="LATimesControversy1"/> Nevertheless, a few collaborators with whom Norton had disputes have expressed their respect for him: Kaye wanted to feature Norton in some of his other ventures, and Ratner offered to help with production of Norton's film Motherless Brooklyn and got along well with Norton.<ref name="LATimesControversy1"/><ref name="Indiewire"/> Some publications interpreted Norton's performance in Birdman (2014), in which he portrays a talented but volatile actor, as a self-referential nod to his image.<ref name="Variety2"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Acting credits and accolades

According to the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, Norton's most critically acclaimed films (all of which were certified "fresh", achieving 70% approval or higher) are Everyone Says I Love You, The People vs. Larry Flynt, and Primal Fear (all 1996); American History X (1998); Fight Club (1999); The Score (2001); 25th Hour and Frida (both 2002); The Italian Job (2003); The Illusionist and The Painted Veil (both 2006); Moonrise Kingdom (2012); Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) and The Grand Budapest Hotel (both 2014); Sausage Party (2016); Isle of Dogs (2018); The French Dispatch (2021); Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022); Asteroid City (2023); and A Complete Unknown (2024).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His biggest commercial successes are Red Dragon (2002), Kingdom of Heaven (2005), The Incredible Hulk (2008), and The Bourne Legacy (2012), all of which grossed over $200 million worldwide.<ref name="EdMojo"/> He has directed two films to date: Keeping the Faith (2000) and Motherless Brooklyn (2019)—the latter of which was in development hell for nearly two decades.

Norton has been nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor for Primal Fear, Birdman, and A Complete Unknown; and Best Actor for American History X.<ref name="oscars2025">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="oscars"/><ref name="OscarX"/> He also has three Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor for Primal Fear, Birdman, and A Complete Unknown, winning for the first.<ref name="PrimalFearGG"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

References

Bibliography

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External links

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