Edward Norton Reveals the Golden Age Actor Who Still Inspires Him
Edward Norton is one of those actors who really earns respect in Hollywood, and he himself has a hero in the industry. Over the past thirty years, Norton has built a reputation as one of the most talented actors of his generation.
He has been nominated for four Academy Awards and has taken on roles that show off his incredible range, from the intense story of American History X to the cult classic Fight Club. He has worked with some of the most creative directors, including David Fincher and Wes Anderson, and he has a rare skill: he can disappear into a character completely.
Whether it’s a slick con artist or a tough, raw protagonist, Norton makes it believable. Even with all his success, he went through a period of uncertainty in the mid-2010s. He started exploring different kinds of projects, including commercial films and experimental work.
One of those projects was the 2016 animated comedy Sausage Party, where he provided voice work. Around the same time, he got a script for Collateral Beauty, a drama starring Will Smith. Collateral Beauty was meant to be a modern holiday film, inspired by classics like It’s a Wonderful Life.
The story follows an executive, played by Smith, who deals with grief by writing letters to abstract ideas. Kate Winslet and other actors were part of the ensemble. At first, Norton wasn’t sure about taking the role.
He told the Carbondale Times, “When I first heard about the film, my gut reaction was a little snooty. I thought, ‘I don’t want to be in one of these studio holiday movies that they crank out.’ But when I read it I was quite moved. It tapped me into that thing where, for whatever reason, at the end of the year, we get reflective.”
That feeling reminded him of his admiration for James Stewart, who Norton calls the greatest actor from Hollywood’s golden age. He appreciated Stewart’s talent for mixing humor and lightheartedness with serious emotional depth.
Norton explained, “He does a thing where he’s terrific with the screwball banter, and he can dance across the confection of old Hollywood plot contrivances like a tap dancer. But when it turns around and drops into those key moments where it’s actually about something, he’s really got gravitas.”
Seeing that mix of charm and seriousness helped Norton decide to join the project. Stewart’s work in Frank Capra’s 1946 classic continues to inspire actors, showing how to balance sadness and hope in the same story. Stewart’s career earned him five Oscar nominations and two wins, and he proved he could do everything—from Hitchcock thrillers to westerns to comedies.
Norton is still very active in acting today. He recently appeared in The Invite, directed by Olivia Wilde and co-starring Penélope Cruz. The movie, a reimagined Spanish comedy, will have a wide release this June. Before that, he received praise for his role as Pete Seeger in the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown.
Outside of acting, Norton stays busy with activism and producing. He continues to pick roles that challenge him and push boundaries, influencing younger actors who look up to him.
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