Edward Norton movies: 12 greatest films ranked worst to best
Few actors have had quite as surprising a film debut as Edward Norton in the 1996 thriller Primal Fear. As Aaron Stampler, a 19-year-old Kentucky altar boy seemingly being framed for murder, this little-known actor broke out in a big way. It was not until the film’s final shocking moments that they learned the truth about Aaron and recognized the enormous acting chops of Norton. Critics and the Academy responded as well, with Norton earning his first Oscar nomination for his performance.
His career blossomed and he showcased his impressive skills in a range of genres, from mysteries to rom-coms and even a Woody Allen musical. He particularly excelled in dramas, earning his second Oscar nomination in 1998 as a white supremacist leader who comes to see the error of his ways in American History X. He added a third nomination for 2014’s Best Picture winner, Birdman, playing an intense Method actor whose self-absorption reaps backstage chaos at a Broadway show.
Norton ditched the intensity to portray a kind and gentle Pete Seeger in the 2024 Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown.
His work is not limited to acting; Norton has successfully branched out into directing as well, both starring in and directing a well-received rom-com, 2000’s Keeping the Faith, as well as the 2019 neo-noir crime film Motherless Brooklyn, which he also wrote.
Check out the Gold Derby ranking of Norton’s 12 best screen performances in the photo gallery above.
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