Edward Norton was born on August 18, 1969, in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. His father was Edward Mower Norton and his mother was Lydia Robinson Norton. He has two siblings named Molly Norton and Jim Norton. He grew up in Columbia, Maryland. Norton studied at Columbia School for Theatrical Arts in Columbia, Maryland, and graduated from Wilde Lake High School in 1987. He began his acting education at Orestein’s Columbia School for Theatrical Arts and experienced his first stage performance at the age of eight in the musical Annie Get Your Gun.

After high school, he attended Yale University, where he studied astronomy, history, and Japanese, while also actively participating in university theater productions. He graduated in 1991 with a degree in history. Following his graduation, Norton spent several months in Japan, working at his grandfather’s business in Osaka. He later moved to New York City, where he worked for the Enterprise Foundation, an organization dedicated to combating urban decay. During this period, he continued pursuing acting opportunities and ultimately decided to adopt acting as his profession.

In 1994, Norton joined the New York Signature Theatre Company. His successful performances on Broadway attracted the attention of producers, leading him to pass auditions among 2,100 candidates to earn a role in Primal Fear. In the same year, he appeared in Woody Allen’s Hollywood musical Everyone Says I Love You, portraying the gentle fiancé of Drew Barrymore.

In 1996, he officially began his film career by starring alongside Richard Gere in the psychological drama Primal Fear. In 1998, he played the role of Matt Damon’s friend nicknamed “Worm” in Rounders. To prepare for the film, Edward Norton and Matt Damon attended the World Poker Tour in Las Vegas.

That same year, Norton portrayed a neo-Nazi in the film American History X, a performance that earned him an Academy Award nomination, though he did not win. During this period, he toured as a guitarist with Courtney Love’s band Hole.

In 1999, Norton gained widespread recognition for his role in Fight Club, adapted from Chuck Palahniuk’s novel and directed by David Fincher, starring alongside Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter. His performance significantly increased his global fame.

In 2001, he appeared in The Score, acting alongside Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando. Norton enjoys reading books, photography, playing the guitar, and watching rally racing.

In July 2010, he was appointed as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. In 2012, Norton portrayed Bruce Banner in The Avengers, starring alongside Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, and Samuel L. Jackson.

In 2014, he appeared in Birdman, sharing the screen with Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Naomi Watts, and Emma Stone. Edward Norton married Canadian film producer Shauna Robertson in 2012, and the couple welcomed a son in 2013.

Awards:
1997 – 54th Golden Globe Awards – Best Supporting Actor (Primal Fear)

Filmography:
2014 – The Grand Budapest Hotel (Henckels) (Motion Picture)
2014 – Birdman (Motion Picture)
2013 – Salinger (Himself) (Motion Picture)
2012 – The Avengers (Bruce Banner) (Motion Picture)
2012 – Moonrise Kingdom (Motion Picture)
2012 – The Bourne Legacy (Byer) (Motion Picture)
2011 – The Apple Pushers (Narrator) (Motion Picture)
2010 – Stone (Motion Picture)
2010 – AMC News Special: Toronto Film Festival (Himself) (TV Film)
2009 – Pride and Glory (Ray Tierney) (Motion Picture)
2009 – Leaves of Grass (Bill Kincaid) (Motion Picture)
2008 – The Incredible Hulk (Bruce Banner) (Motion Picture)
2008 – Bustin' Down the Door (Narrator) (Motion Picture)
2006 – The Illusionist (Eisenheim) (Motion Picture)
2006 – The Painted Veil (Walter Fane) (Motion Picture)
2005 – Strange Days on Planet Earth (Narrator) (TV Series)
2005 – Kingdom of Heaven (King Baldwin) (Motion Picture)
2005 – Down in the Valley (Harlan) (Motion Picture)
2003 – The Italian Job (Steve) (Motion Picture)
2002 – Death to Smoochy (Sheldon Mopes) (Motion Picture)
2002 – Red Dragon (Will Graham) (Motion Picture)
2002 – Frida (Nelson Rockefeller) (Motion Picture)
2002 – 25th Hour (Monty Brogan) (Motion Picture)
2001 – The Score (Jack Teller) (Motion Picture)
2000 – Keeping the Faith (Father Brian Finn) (Motion Picture)
1999 – Fight Club (Motion Picture)
1998 – American History X (Derek Vinyard) (Motion Picture)
1998 – Rounders (Lester Murphy) (Motion Picture)
1996 – The People vs. Larry Flynt (Alan Isaacman) (Motion Picture)
1996 – Everyone Says I Love You (Holden Spence) (Motion Picture)
1996 – Primal Fear (Aaron Stampler) (Motion Picture)

Source: Biyografiler.com