Edward Norton was born on August 18, 1969 to parents Edward, an attorney who works for the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Robin Norton, a former foundation executive and teacher who passed away of brain cancer on March 6, 1997. Edward also has two younger siblings named James and Molly. From the age of 5 onward, the Yale graduate (majoring in history) has always been interested in acting. At the age of 8, he would ask his drama teacher what his motivation in a scene was. He attended theater schools throughout his life, and eventually managed to find work on stage in New York as a member of the Signature players, who produced the works of playwright and director Edward Albee. Around the time when he was appearing in Albee's Fragments, in Hollywood, they were looking for a young actor to star opposite Richard Gere in a new courtroom thriller, Primal Fear. The role was offered to Leonardo DiCaprio but he turned it down. Gere was on the verge of walking away from the project, fed up with the wait for a young star to be found, when Edward auditioned and won the role over 2000 other hopefuls. Before the film was even released, his test screenings for the part were causing a Hollywood sensation, and he was soon offered roles in Woody Allen's Everyone Says I Love You and The People vs. Larry Flynt. Edward won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Primal Fear. In 1998, Norton gained 30 pounds of muscle and transformed his look into that of a monstrous skinhead for his role as a violent white supremacist in American History X. This performance would earn him his second Oscar nomination, this time for Best Actor. In 1999 came the critically acclaimed Fight Club and in 2000 came his directorial debut in Keeping the Faith.
The Italian Job (2003): $1,000,000
25th Hour (2002): $500,000
Red Dragon (2002): $8,000,000
Death to Smoochy (2002): $8,000,000
The Score (2001): $6,500,000
Primal Fear (1996): $50,000
Following graduation, he worked in Osaka, Japan, consulting for his grandfather's company, Enterprise Foundation, which works to create decent, affordable housing for low-income families. On his return to New York, it took less than two years of waiting tables before the young thespian to capture the eye of Edward Albee, one of the most celebrated playwrights of the 20th century. Albee was working with the Signature Theater Company on a new production of Fragments. One audition and Norton landed the role, as well as a slot in Signature's repertory company. He currently serves on its board of directors. He played guitar with Courtney Love's band Hole in two gigs in Los Angeles, in December 1998. In July 1998, after a New Yorker jibe in a review of a documentary about Courtney Love, Norton sent the magazine a frameable letter. Norton's missive was in response to "Endless Love," a piece by Daphne Merkin centering on Nick Broomfield's controversial documentary _Kurt & Courtney (1998)_ . The film, filled with speculation that Love's husband Kurt Cobain was a murder victim rather than a suicide, features a litany of Love-haters anxious to air their grievances. The magazine's coverage of Broomfield's film "along with Merkin's thoughtful contributions" didn't sit well with Norton. When Norton met with the director for Primal Fear, he told them that he, like Aaron, came from eastern Kentucky. Norton even spoke with the twang (which he prepared by watching Coal Miner's Daughter). His character Aaron Stampler in Primal Fear, which was based on a book, did not have a stutter, but when he auditioned he gave him one. Was one of the few celebrities invited to Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's Malibu wedding. [June 29, 2000] During filming, he and Fight Club co-star Brad Pitt took soap-making classes. He and Rounders co-star Matt Damon competed in the World Series of Poker at Las Vegas on May 1998 with the movie studio Miramax paying the $10,000 per person entrance fee. His character Worm in Rounders was originally supposed to smoke but being avid non-smoker he refused. He worked as a waiter, a proofreader, and a director's assistant (to try to get his foot in the door) in New York City. He applied to be a New York City cab driver, but he was rejected for the license because he didn't meet the age requirement. Speaks some Japanese, which helped when he worked, briefly, for his grandfather's company, The Enterprise Foundation. He was assigned to the Osaka, Japan branch until he decided to quit the desk job grind (at his grandfather's suggestion) and try to break into acting in New York. Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, Maryland, where Edward graduated in 1987, built a new auditorium for the performing arts several years ago. He revisited his alma mater and gave a lecture on the day of the dedication. It is named after Edward's grandfather, James Rouse. Received a B.A. in history from Yale in 1991, but took many theater and Japanese courses as an undergraduate. He has said in interviews that he took as many theater courses as he could without majoring in theater. The theme song for Keeping the Faith - "Heart of Mine" by Peter Salett - was not written specifically for the film. Salett is a good friend of Edward's. According to Yale's newspaper, he has wanted to play the poet Dylan Thomas for a long time, but feels he's not physically right for the part. While a precocious 8-year-old actor, he asked a surprised director of a play, "what is my objective here?" The director was so startled by his interest in acting. His babysitter, Betsy True, went on to perform as Cossette in a Broadway version of Les Miserables. She was the one who originally got Edward interested in acting, taking him to see his first play ("If I Were A Princess") at age six. Auditioned for the role of 'Rudy Baylor' in the movie The Rainmaker. The role eventually went to Matt Damon. Got the role for Fight Club because director David Fincher enjoyed his performance in The People vs. Larry Flynt, which was the only film of the actor's that he had seen. Dedicated his directoral debut, Keeping the Faith, to his late mother, Robin. Brother of Molly Norton and James Norton. Turned down the role of Private Ryan in Saving Private Ryan. Serves as a member of the board of directors at the Enterprise Foundation in New York. Oldest of three children. Was considered for the role of Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon. Director Milos Forman could not decide between him and Jim Carrey and left the decision up to the studio. The studio decided to go with Carrey. Grandfather James Rouse is also known as the "inventor" of the shopping mall. Lost several pounds for Fight Club. Holds benefit screenings of his films mostly at The Senator Theatre in Baltimore, MD to benefit some charities that includes the Living Classroooms Foundation and the St. Frances Academy Robin Norton Scholarship Fund in honor of his late mother. Producers of American Psycho wanted him to play Patrick Bateman. Played "Captain" in a VH1 "Captain & Tenille" Behind the Music skit on Saturday Night Live with friend Drew Barrymore the night before the 1999 Oscars when he was a nominee for American History X. Drew then accompanied Edward to the Oscars the day after. Has a tabby cat named Maggie-named after the character from 'Cat in a Hot Tin Roof' Dated Salma Hayek. [1999-2003] Dated Courtney Love. [1996-1998] His grandfather, James Rouse, designed the planned community Norton was born in - Columbia, Maryland. Did NOT attend the famed 'Yale Drama School', as reported in many news paper articles. Attended Yale merely as an undergraduate. Grew up in a planned commmunity designed by his Grandfather, James Rouse His father, Edward Norton Sr. was an attorney for president Jimmy Carter. As a response to the events of September 11th and the increasing conflict in the Middle East, he contributed to establish the Middle East Peacemakers Fund at Yale University. Norton already had two Oscar nominations before he was 30. College buddies with Ron Livingston at Yale. Was attached at one point to star in Hart's War but walked away from the project and an $8 million salary. The role later went to Colin Farrell. Voted International Man of the Year (2003) By British GQ Magazine Was once attached to star as the lead in Runaway Jury Born on the same day as Christian Slater. Shares a birthday with Patrick Swayze, Denis Leary, Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Robert Redford. He served as Artistic Director for the Signature Theatre Company in New York from 2001-2003. He is currently still on the board. Shaved his head and gained 30 pounds of muscle in 3 months by drinking protein shakes, meat shakes (blended roast beef), and lifting weights non-stop for his role as Dereck Vinyard in American History X. Was born in Boston, Massachusetts and was raised in Columbia, Maryland. Was 33 years old when he played Will Graham in Red Dragon. His predecessor, William Petersen, was also 33 years old when he played the same role in Manhunter. He speaks Spanish He treasures his private life and being able to live a normal life - and can't imagine not being able to take the New York subway if he gets too famous. Stuart Blumberg, Edward's friend from his Yale college days, wrote most of what was to become the basis for Keeping the Faith. Edward starred, produced, and directed the romantic comedy, but he also assisted Stuart in writing the original story. Won a Village Voice Obie Award for his role in the Off-Broadway Show Burn This in 2003 Drew Barrymore accompanied him to the Oscar in 1999 where he was nominated for "Best Actor in a Leading Role" Did an uncredited rewrite of the script of Frida. He shares a birthday with ex-girlfriend Courtney Love's daughter, Frances Bean Cobain [August 18]. Credits legendary acting coach Terry Schreiber as being a major reason behind his success as an actor. The story was that Norton, who speaks Japanese, worked a deal with Schreiber to trade acting lessons for Norton teaching Schreiber Japanese. Schreiber was to direct a play in Japan at the time, and agreed to the deal. Norton studied with Schreiber for about three years in the early 90s in New York, and his career subsequently took off. Norton wrote the introduction to Schreiber's 2005 acting text "Acting: Advanced Techniques for the Actor, Director, and Teacher." Like fellow film actors Peter Saarsguard and Jeanine Louise DeName, he has studied at New York City's famous T. Schrieber Studio. Is an active member of Friends of The High Line, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and reuse of the High Line - a 1.5 mile, elevated railway that runs along the West Side of Manhattan. Norton appears in a video made by Good Mag about the conversion of the old rail line into a multi-use trail. Speaks some French and said he really liked the work of Francois Truffaut, a French director. Turned down the role of Bruce Banner in Hulk, but signed up for the lead in the sequel, replacing Eric Bana. Was trained by renowned Hollywood Gun Coach Thell Reed, who has also trained such actors as: Brad Pitt, Val Kilmer, Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Ben Foster and Girard Swan.