Edward Norton Biography

Considered by the film industry as one of the best new actors of the 1990s, he has been likened to a young De Niro or Hoffman.

He was born in 1969 to parents Edward, a lawyer, and Robin Norton, a former foundation executive and teacher who passed away of brain cancer in 1997. Edward also has two younger siblings named James and Molly.

Norton was always interested in acting. As a precocious child of 8, he demanded of his tutor what his objective in the scene was.

A bright student, while at Yale reading History Norton took as many theatre and Japanese courses as possible. After graduation, he went to Japan and worked for his grandfather's company, Enterprise Foundation, providing housing to the poor.

Back in New York, Norton fought for two years for work, until he attracted the attention of Edward Albee, the celebrated playwright. Norton's first role was in the production 'Fragments'.

At the same time, the director of 'Primal Fear' needed a young actor to play opposite Richard Gere. Norton won the role over 2000 applicants and, before the film was even released, he was at the centre of a Hollywood frenzy from which he has yet to fall.

He actually 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 (1998). This performance would earn him his second Oscar nomination, this time for Best Actor.

In 1999 came the critically acclaimed Fight Club (1999) and in 2000 came his directorial debut in Keeping the Faith (2000).

In 2004 Norton donated $1.1 million to the Enterprise Foundation - the largest non-profit developer of low-income housing in America.