Occupation: Actor
Date of Birth: August 18, 1969
Place of Birth: Boston, Mass., USA
Sign: Sun in Leo, Moon in Libra
Relations: Mother: Robin Norton (deceased); father: Edward Norton Sr.; siblings: James, Molly; companion: Salma Hayek (actress); former companion: Courtney Love
Education: Yale University; majored in history

FACTS ABOUT EDWARD NORTON:

Was one of the many celebrities invited to Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's Malibu wedding (June 29, 2000)

During filming, he and Fight Club (1999) co-star Brad Pitt took soap making classes

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.

His character Worm in Rounders (1998) was originally supposed to smoke but avid nonsmoker Edward Norton 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.

Edward speaks fluent 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, MD, 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 for Edward's grandfather, James Rouse.

Received a B.A. in history from Yale in 1991, but took many theatre and Japanese courses as an undergraduate. He has said in interviews that he took as many theatre courses as he could without majoring in theatre. 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 this year 2000 romantic comedy, but he also assisted Stuart in writing the original story.

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 tha 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.

He is a board member of Edward Albee's Signature Company.

Was close to being cast in the movies With Honors, Hackers, Sabrina, American Psycho and Up Close and Personal.

Auditioned for the role of 'Rudy Baylor' in the movie "The Rainmaker". The role eventually went to Matt Damon.

Edward Norton turned down the role of Private Ryan in Saving Private Ryan (1998) which 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.

(1991) Received History degree from Yale.


Prepared for his southern twang in Primal Fear (1996) by watching Coal Miner's Daughter (1980).

Serves as a member of the board of directors at the Enterprise Foundation in New York.

Oldest of three brothers.

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.

Grandfather James Rouse is also known as the "inventor" of the shopping mall.

Lost several pounds for Fight Club (1999).

Holds benefit screenings of his films mostly at The Senator Theatre in Baltimore, MD to benefit some charities that includes the Lining Classroooms Foundation and the St. Frances Academy Robin Norton Scholarship Fund in honor of his late mother.

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 (1998). 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'
.

Personal quotes:

"I can't see myself, frankly, being a fifteen-million-dollar actor who, through his charisma or whatever, puts asses in seats. I don't think my face is ever going to open a movie."

"Acting? It's a longstanding compulsion I've had since I was about five or six years old. I can literally identify the moment it struck me. I went to see a play [If I Were a Princess] in which a babysitter of mine [Betsy True, who later acted on Broadway] was performing. I was completely shell-shocked by the magic of this little community-theater play; it just riveted me."

"I don't smoke and I don't want to smoke. I am not a fan of gratuitous smoking in films."

"Life, like poker has an element of risk. It shouldn't be avoided. It should be faced."

"If I ever have to stop taking the subway, I'm gonna have a heart attack."

"Fame is very corrosive and you have to guard very strictly against it."

"I've never felt any particular encroachment of the 'celebrity' stuff into my life."

"I'm an actor and, each time out, I'm trying to convince the audience that I'm this character. Every little thing that people know about you as a person impedes your ability to achieve that kind of terrific suspension of disbelief that happens when an audience goes with an actor and character [he's] playing."

"The more you can create that magic bubble, that suspension of disbelief, for a while, the better."

"It's a nice position to be in; I'm lucky. At the same time, all the excitement of that has been put into stark perspective ... In some ways, the highs of it have been blunted, which in a way, is a gift."

"First of all, you never make all things for all people and can't always pander to the broadest denominator. I keep an eye toward doing the themes that interest me. Do they move me? Interest me? Make me think? When I run across something that is provocative in an unsettling way, it appeals to me."

— Edward Norton