Edward Norton’s role in “Motherless Brooklyn,” as a 1950s private eye with Tourette syndrome, is a throwback to some of the actor’s earliest work with his characters exhibiting tics, quirks and turn-on-a-dime personality changes.
Three of his roles through the years are so bifurcated — in the case of 2010’s “Leaves of Grass,” literally — that he may just qualify as the reigning champ the of the split-personality performance. (Or, at least, rival “Split” star James McAvoy, who did 23 personalities in one part.)
Spoilers below for the ’90s movies, which we feel is fair.
“Primal Fear” (1996)
Norton’s very first film role earned him an Oscar nomination for his performance as the accused in this Richard Gere crime drama. His stuttering, shy Aaron Stampler morphing into a raging terror named Roy before the eyes of his lawyer was an unforgettable cinematic moment.
“Fight Club” (1999)
This David Fincher-directed black comedy starred Norton as a white-collar worker on the verge of a nervous breakdown — or, as it turned out, way past that point, as he discovered he’d been leading a double life thanks to imaginary friend Brad Pitt.
“The Score” (2001)
Norton steals the show from Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando as a career thief who flies under the radar by pretending to be a mentally challenged janitor.
“Leaves of Grass” (2010)
In this dark comedy directed by Tim Blake Nelson (“Watchmen”), Norton plays identical twins Bill and Brady Kincaid, who are vastly different in nearly every way.