Edward Norton Biography
Summary
"Edward Harrison Norton" (born August 18, 1969) is a two-time Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe-winning American film actor and director. His acting credits include roles in the films "Primal Fear", "American History X" and "Fight Club".
Biography
Early life
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, Sr., 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 (also see The Rouse Company), who designed 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 step grandmother, Patricia. Norton has two younger siblings; his sister Molly Norton, who attended Washington and Lee University and his brother Jim, who attended Bowdoin College and 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 continues to visit this camp and maintains close connections with it.
Norton graduated from Wilde Lake High School in 1987. He attended Yale University, where he gained experience in university theater productions. He acted alongside fellow Yale students 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. He also appeared in an ESL textbook, "Only in America", used by Nova, a major Japanese language school.
Career
Edward Norton moved to New York City and began his acting career in Off-Broadway theater. Moving into film, Norton cut his teeth playing a series of dark, grotesque characters, quickly launching him into the spotlight, beginning with 1996's "Primal Fear." In the film, he took on the role of Aaron Stampler, a deeply disturbed 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 and his role as a card shark pitted him opposite Matt Damon in 1998's poker-playing hit "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. Despite mixed reviews for the film, his performance in the adaptation of the cult novel "Fight Club", which co-starred Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter, 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, as a drug dealer living his last night before going to prison. 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.
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" and "The Score". In 2000, he made his debut as a director with "Keeping the Faith". He will also direct his film adaptation of the novel "Motherless Brooklyn".
On April 16, 2007, it was confirmed that Norton will play the role of Bruce Banner in the upcoming movie adaptation of the Incredible Hulk, to be released in 2008.
On September 11, 2007, it was announced that Norton would re-join "Fight Club" co-star Brad Pitt in the film adaptation of hit BBC television drama "State of Play", which begins filming in November 2007.
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.' 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 an episode of "The Late Show with David Letterman".
Norton has been a strong supporter of Eliot Spitzer, who was elected governor of New York in 2006. He has introduced Spitzer at several campaign events and also rode on his campaign bus. 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. He has also put time and money toward social activist causes, including improving the quality of living in low-income communities.
Norton dated Mexican actress Salma Hayek between 1999 and 2003. He was also once engaged to Courtney Love. He is currently dating film producer Shauna Weinberg Robertson.
Norton is 6 feet tall, according to his interview on 'The Daily Show.'
Filmography
"Director credits"
"Producer credits"
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')
Credit
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article about Edward Norton.
