Edward Harrison Norton (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor, screenwriter, film director, and producer. Norton was drawn to theatrical productions at local venues as a child. After graduating from Yale College in 1991 with a degree in history, he worked for a few months in Japan before moving to Manhattan to pursue an acting career. He gained immediate recognition and critical acclaim for his debut in Primal Fear (1996), which earned him a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and an Academy Award nomination in the same category. His role as a redeemed neo-Nazi in American History X (1998) earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He also starred in the film Fight Club (1999), which garnered a cult following.
Norton established the production company Class 5 Films in 2003, and was director or producer of the films Keeping the Faith (2000), Down in the Valley (2005), and The Painted Veil (2006). He continued to receive critical acclaim for his acting roles in films such as The Score (2001), 25th Hour (2002), The Italian Job (2003), The Illusionist (2006), Moonrise Kingdom (2012), and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). His biggest commercial successes have been Red Dragon (2002), Kingdom of Heaven (2005), The Incredible Hulk (2008), and The Bourne Legacy (2012). For his role in the black comedy Birdman (2014), Norton earned another Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Norton has since directed and acted in the crime film Motherless Brooklyn (2019), and starred in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022).
Norton is an environmental activist and social entrepreneur. He is a trustee of Enterprise Community Partners, a non-profit organization that advocates for affordable housing, and serves as president of the American branch of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust. He is also the UN Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity.
A day before his Saturday Night Live hosting debut. He made cameos on March 20, 1999, the sixteenth episode of Season 24, hosted by actress Drew Barrymore (which he returned to host SNL for the 2nd time and her first appearance in 16 years and 4 months), with musical guests Garbage, as Daryl Dragon in the "VH1" commercial sketch and on March 15, 2003, the fifteenth episode of Season 28, hosted by Mexican and American actress Salma Hayek, with musical guest Christina Aguilera, during the opening monologue.
He hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time and made his 3rd appearance on October 26, 2013, the fourth episode and Halloween show of Season 39, with musical guest Janelle Monáe. He also appeared as Stefon on Weekend Update during the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special.
Impressions[]
- Daryl Dragon
- Owen Wilson