# Edward Norton filmography
The filmography of **Edward Norton** (born 1969) covers his work as an actor, director, producer, and writer from his screen debut in *Primal Fear* (1996) through *The Invite* (2026). Across that span he has moved between independent dramas, studio thrillers, and ensemble comedies, and has repeatedly worked behind the camera as well as in front of it.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Screen debut | *Primal Fear* (1996) as Aaron/Roy; won a Golden Globe and received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton) |
| Oscar nominations | Four acting nominations: *Primal Fear* (supporting), *American History X* (lead), *Birdman* (supporting), and *A Complete Unknown* (supporting)[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton) • [2](https://as.com/meristation/cine/nominados-al-oscar-a-mejor-actor-de-reparto-2025-quienes-son-los-cinco-candidatos-n/) |
| Directing | Directorial and producing debut with *Keeping the Faith* (2000); later directed, wrote, produced, and starred in *Motherless Brooklyn* (2019)[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton) • [3](https://www.metacritic.com/person/edward-norton/) |
| Critical range on Metacritic | 45 movies listed, average career Metascore 62; highest 88 (*The Grand Budapest Hotel*), lowest 23 (*Collateral Beauty*)[3](https://www.metacritic.com/person/edward-norton/) |
| Cataloged titles | The AFI Catalog of Feature Films lists 26 titles for Norton across cast, director, producer, and writer credits[4](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/44894-Edward-Norton) |
| Production company | Founded Class 5 Films in 2003 with screenwriter Stuart Blumberg, a friend from his Yale days[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton) |
## Breakthrough, 1996 to 1999
Norton's first film role came in *Primal Fear* (1996), a part he landed after [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://www.edgepedia.org/leonardo-dicaprio) turned down the lead. His performance as Aaron/Roy brought a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, and Norton has said the role's central revelation worked partly because audiences had no prior knowledge of him[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton). The same year he appeared in [Woody Allen](https://www.edgepedia.org/woody-allen)'s musical *Everyone Says I Love You* as Holden, and in Milos Forman's *The People vs. Larry Flynt* as attorney Alan Isaacman[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton) • [4](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/44894-Edward-Norton).
The late 1990s consolidated his standing. He played Worm opposite [Matt Damon](https://www.edgepedia.org/matt-damon) in *Rounders* (1998), then gave what his biographical profile calls an emotionally fierce performance as reformed neo-Nazi Derek in *American History X* (1998), earning his second Oscar nomination, this time for Best Actor[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton). In 1999 he took the Narrator role in [David Fincher](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-fincher)'s *Fight Club*, opposite [Brad Pitt](https://www.edgepedia.org/brad-pitt); the film became a cult hit and, per his profile, moved Norton into the ranks of A-list actors[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton).
## The 2000s: leading roles and producing
**Directing debut.** *Keeping the Faith* (2000), a romantic comedy in which Norton starred with [Ben Stiller](https://www.edgepedia.org/ben-stiller) and [Jenna Elfman](https://www.edgepedia.org/jenna-elfman), marked his debut as both director and producer[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton). In 2001 he co-starred with [Robert De Niro](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-de-niro) and Marlon Brando in the crime film *The Score*[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton).
The year 2002 was dense: *Death to Smoochy*, a critical and commercial failure; *Red Dragon*, in which he played retired FBI agent Will Graham; *Frida*, as [Nelson Rockefeller](https://www.edgepedia.org/nelson-rockefeller); and [Spike Lee](https://www.edgepedia.org/spike-lee)'s *25th Hour*, in which he played a drug dealer facing prison, a project his profile describes as a dream come true for Norton[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton). He followed with supporting turns in *The Italian Job* (2003) and *Kingdom of Heaven* (2005), telling *Entertainment Weekly* that he did not want to take work he felt less than totally enthused about just for the pay[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton).
**Class 5 Films.** In 2003 Norton founded Class 5 Films with Stuart Blumberg. The company produced *Down in the Valley* (2006), starring Norton as a cowboy who moves to California, and *The Painted Veil* (2006), a historical drama in which Norton played a bacteriologist in China during a cholera epidemic[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton). Also in 2006 he starred as the title magician in *The Illusionist*[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton). In 2008 he played Bruce Banner in *The Incredible Hulk*, a summer box-office hit that netted more than $134 million, and co-starred with [Colin Farrell](https://www.edgepedia.org/colin-farrell) in the crime drama *Pride and Glory*[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton). He also produced the HBO documentary *By the People: The Election of Barack Obama* (2009)[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton).
## 2010s and after
Norton played twins in *Leaves of Grass* (2009), starred with Robert De Niro and [Milla Jovovich](https://www.edgepedia.org/milla-jovovich) in *Stone* (2010), and appeared in [Wes Anderson](https://www.edgepedia.org/wes-anderson)'s *Moonrise Kingdom* (2012) and *The Grand Budapest Hotel* (2014)[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton). His role as Mike, a stage actor with an unpredictable temperament, in *Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)* (2014) brought Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton). Later work included voice roles in *Sausage Party* (2016) and Anderson's stop-motion *Isle of Dogs* (2018), and a role in *Collateral Beauty* (2016)[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton).
**Motherless Brooklyn.** Norton's second directing effort, *Motherless Brooklyn* (2019), a period crime drama set in a corrupt 1950s New York, credited him as lead actor, director, producer, and writer; it premiered at the 2019 [Toronto International Film Festival](https://www.edgepedia.org/toronto-international-film-festival)[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton) • [3](https://www.metacritic.com/person/edward-norton/). Production was marked by tragedy: in March 2018 a fire broke out in the basement of a former Harlem jazz club used as a set, and a 37-year-old firefighter died; two residents later sued his production company over equipment allegedly kept in the basement[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton).
In the 2020s Norton appeared in *Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery* (2022) as Miles Bron, in Wes Anderson's *Asteroid City* (2023) as Conrad Earp, and as folk singer [Pete Seeger](https://www.edgepedia.org/pete-seeger) in *A Complete Unknown* (2024)[3](https://www.metacritic.com/person/edward-norton/). The Seeger role brought his fourth Oscar nomination, for Best Supporting Actor at the 2025 ceremony[2](https://as.com/meristation/cine/nominados-al-oscar-a-mejor-actor-de-reparto-2025-quienes-son-los-cinco-candidatos-n/). *The Invite* (2026), in which he plays Hawk, is his most recent screen credit[3](https://www.metacritic.com/person/edward-norton/).
## Reception
Metacritic's aggregation of his film work shows 26 of 45 listed movies scoring positive (58 percent), 15 mixed (33 percent), and 4 negative (9 percent), with an average career Metascore of 62[3](https://www.metacritic.com/person/edward-norton/). His highest-scored film is Anderson's *The Grand Budapest Hotel* at 88, and his lowest is *Collateral Beauty* at 23[3](https://www.metacritic.com/person/edward-norton/). The Hamptons International Film Festival, announcing a Career Achievement Award in 2016, described him as a three-time Academy Award-nominated actor, director, producer, and activist known for *Birdman*, *Fight Club*, *25th Hour*, *American History X*, and *Primal Fear*[5](https://hamptonsfilmfest.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/HIFF-2016-Edward-Norton-Lifetime-Achievement-Award-Competition-Announced.pdf).
## References
1. [Edward Norton, Biography.com](https://www.biography.com/actors/edward-norton)
2. [Nominados al Oscar a mejor actor de reparto 2025, AS.com](https://as.com/meristation/cine/nominados-al-oscar-a-mejor-actor-de-reparto-2025-quienes-son-los-cinco-candidatos-n/)
3. [Edward Norton, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/edward-norton/)
4. [Edward Norton, AFI Catalog of Feature Films](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/44894-Edward-Norton)
5. [HIFF 2016 Edward Norton Career Achievement Award announcement](https://hamptonsfilmfest.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/HIFF-2016-Edward-Norton-Lifetime-Achievement-Award-Competition-Announced.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Actor filmographies and performer list articles › Surnames A to F*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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