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): $6,500,000
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. He played guitar with Courtney Love's band Hole in two gigs in Los Angeles, in December 1998. When Norton met with the director for Primal Fear (1996), 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 (1980)). Was one of the few celebrities invited to Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's Malibu wedding. [June 29, 2000] He and Rounders (1998) 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. 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. 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. The theme song for Keeping the Faith (2000) - "Heart of Mine" by Peter Salett - was not written specifically for the film. Salett is a good friend of Edward's. While a precocious 8-year-old actor, he asked a surprised director of a play, "What is my objective here?" The director was startled by his interest in acting. Auditioned for the role of 'Rudy Baylor' in the movie The Rainmaker (1997). The role eventually went to Matt Damon. Dedicated his directoral debut, Keeping the Faith (2000), to his late mother, Robin. Turned down the role of Private Ryan in Saving Private Ryan (1998). Was considered for the role of Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon (1999). 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. Lost several pounds for Fight Club (1999). Producers of American Psycho (2000) wanted him to play Patrick Bateman. Has a tabby cat named Maggie, named after the character from Cat in a Hot Tin Roof. His grandfather, James Rouse, designed the planned community Norton was raised in - Columbia, Maryland. His father, Edward Norton Sr. was an attorney for president Jimmy Carter. Norton already had two Oscar nominations before he was 30. Was attached at one point to star in Hart's War (2002) but walked away from the project and an $8 million salary. The role later went to Colin Farrell. Was once attached to star as the lead in Runaway Jury (2003) Shares a birthday with Patrick Swayze, Denis Leary, Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Robert Redford. 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 (1998). Was 33 years old when he played Will Graham in Red Dragon (2002). His predecessor, William Petersen, was also 33 years old when he played the same role in Manhunter (1986). 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. Won a Village Voice Obie Award for his role in the off-Broadway show Burn This in 2003. Did an uncredited rewrite of the script of Frida (2002). Like fellow film actors Peter Sarsgaard and Jeanine Louise DeName, he studied at New York City's famous T. Schreiber Studio. Speaks some French and said he really liked the work of Francois Truffaut, a French director. Studied with renowned Hollywood Gun Coach Thell Reed, who taught other actors as: Brad Pitt, Val Kilmer, Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Ben Foster and Girard Swan. Says if he wasn't an actor he would be a pilot. Auditioned for roles in With Honors (1994), Hackers (1995), and Up Close & Personal (1996) before his film debut in Primal Fear (1996). Specializes in characters with multiple personalities, be it as a mental defect or a disguise. He has played people with several identities in Primal Fear (1996), Fight Club (1999), The Score (2001), The Incredible Hulk (2008) and arguably in American History X (1998) in which his character turns 180° during the course of the story and in Death to Smoochy (2002) in which he portrayed a professional actor and his character Smoochie the Rhino. 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. Grew up in Baltimore, MD.