12 Reasons to Give 2005 Wall Calendar

12 Reasons to Give 2005 Wall Calendar is now available. The calendar "honors twelve generous and diverse high-profile individuals within professional sports and entertainment who have demonstrated a strong commitment to philanthropy." Edward Norton, along with Christopher Reeve, Angelina Jolie, Russell Simmons, Sting, Rosie O’Donnell, Leonardo DiCaprio, Alonzo Mourning, Andre Agassi, Sarah McLachlan, David Robinson, and Amy Grant are featured in the calendar. The criteria for selection was the "donation of time, talent, and a million or more of charitable dollars". 100% of the net proceeds of the sale of the calendar will be given to the charities chosen by the honorees. Edward has selected BP Solar Neighbors program with The Enterprise Foundation, helping low-income homeowners reduce their energy bills through solar power. EN donated $1.1 million to Enterprise Foundation in January 2004. Buy the calendar from Amazon.com

Off-topic: Imelda and Guerrilla; Article on New Yorker Festival

Since it's going to be a while until the next Edward Norton film, I guess we have time to consider some other films.

I saw the film Imelda about two weeks ago - I had been waiting to see the film since I first saw a flyer for it back in August. I found it absolutely fascinating. Imelda official website. The trailer for the film is up at the distributor's website (apparently it's also available in DVD now?)

Rolling along in a pink tour van across the country she and her husband once ruled under martial law, resplendent in an aquamarine dress, Imelda Marcos explains how she has managed to survive her many ordeals. "Thank God I never lost that childlike innocence and the purity of vision and naiveté," she says. As she smiles, her cheeks, smoothed and buffed to an eerie luster, become even more impossibly taut. "That childlike innocence was most useful, because if I was a bit wiser, I wouldn't have been able to do anything, perhaps. So I'm glad I was not smart."

Filmed in 1988, this scene from the newly releases documentary Imelda offers a wonderfully revealing glimpse into the personality of the Philippine's former First Lady - a cunning child with a remarkable gift for both self-delusion and self-preservation. Marcos, who turned 75 last week, always maintained her childlike sense of entitlement, despite the harsh realities of life. As the film recounts, when the judges of a Miss Manila contest spurned her in favor of another competitor, the youthful Imelda complained so bitterly to the capital's then mayor that he offered her an alternative award, dubbing her "the Muse of Manila." After her marriage to Ferdinand Marcos, the voracious ambitions of this spoiled child and her dictator husband were to have an appalling impact on the Philippines. In 1972, the Marcoses did away with all democratic institutions. They turned the media into a propaganda tool, commandeered the courts, imprisoned any opponent bold enough to speak out against them and allegedly looted the impoverished nation.

The film that I'm most anxious to see is Guerrilla: The Taking of Patty Hearst, but since it's also in limited release it's going to be a bit of a struggle for me to see it anytime soon. Guerrilla official site (the trailer is also there)

GUERRILLA: The Taking of Patty Hearst is an unprecedented account of the Symbionese Liberation Army, arguably the most notorious and flamboyant domestic terrorist group in American history.

Dedicated to the rights of black prisoners and the working class, the SLA set forth in 1973 to incite the violent overthrow of the U.S. government, brilliantly manipulating the mass media to advance their message. Their audacious kidnapping of teenage newspaper heiress Patty Hearst inspired what might be described as the first true media "frenzy," one that only exploded further when Patty transformed into "Tania" and joined the ranks of the SLA. Every detail of their descent into the surreal outer limits of political extremism was played out in public, a spectacle foreshadowing some of the worst excesses of modern TV journalism. Thirty years later, the SLA's extraordinary two-year crime spree resonates as a parable of political ideology run amok, the role of the media in America, and the romantic fantasies of modern political terrorism.

For GUERRILLA, filmmaker Robert Stone literally went underground, where he spent four years creating a film that delivers both eye-popping archival footage of SLA founder Russ Little, whose incarceration inspired the Hearst kidnapping. The footage is indeed rare and breathtaking, but Little has never given an on-camera interview, making GUERRILLA an important historical document, as well as gripping entertainment. Stone's film does not sympathize with or glorify the SLA. Instead, GUERRILLA gives us a thorough, clear-eyed account of the first terrorist group to hold not just one heiress, but the entire nation hostage, and its subsequent, disastrous self-destruction.

The Guerilla tagline of "The Revolution Will Be Televised" reminds me of another interesting film. However, this one is entitled The Revolution Will Not Be Televised and it's about the brief coup against Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez which was captured by Irish filmmakers on the scene to do a documentary on Chavez. This one also was shown in a few theaters, and I was lucky enough to catch it on the brief appearance it made locally last year. Unfortunately, it's not available on DVD yet. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised official website . (Off off-topic: "The Revolution will not be televised" is also the title of a book by Howard Dean's campaign manager Joe Trippi)

After I wrote all this, I came across an article on the panel discussion EN was a part of at the New Yorker Festival back in October. Even though this was a highly sought after session, up until this one, I had found no articles actually describing the discussion. Part of the act

Fragment of Lethem, Introducing the fake news

Yesterday's New York Sun had an article on Motherless Brooklyn author Jonathan Lethem and included a mention of the film. Since the article is only available to subscribers, I was only able to get a few sentences from it while searching Google News. With a little bit of manipulation, I was able to get the following fragment. However I don't know if there was any additional mention of the film or EN anywhere else in the article (or even in the sentences following what I was able to retrieve).

Mr. Lethem sold the film rights to the story several years ago and has no idea when it might actually make it to the screen. Edward Norton is expected to write the screenplay, star in, and direct the project. "I just get an occasional phone call from the agents, who always tell me that it's going great," Mr. Lethem notes wryly, "but that's all they ever tell me about anything."

The newest addition to the website is the fake news. Here's the latest

Correcting the screenplay rumor

This might be a tremendous shock, but the tabloid story about EN currently writing a screenplay for Salma Hayek for free was misleading. I watched the Inside the Actor's Studio featuring Salma Hayek and saw a conversation the was very similar to the one recounted in the tabloid story. However, the topic discussed was not a future screenplay, but actually the making of Frida. As we know, EN wrote the screenplay for Frida (for free).

Valley score, Building on a rumor

For those wondering about the progress of Down in the Valley, here's an update: composer Nathan Larson (Dirty Pretty Things) has been hired. Nathan Larson to score Ed Norton vehicle. Also, check out his website nathanlarson.com.

[False information-See 12/5/04] No updates on the rumor that EN is writing a screenplay for Salma Hayek for free (see Nov 19). Since there is no information on this rumored project (or any other), I guess that all that's left is speculation. What kind of film would EN volunteer to write, taking time away from his acting career, his newly formed production company Class 5, and from his charitable activities? I found a rumor that might fit the bill. Dark Horizons (Oct 11) posted a report from the newspaper El Siglo Durango that Hayek will star in the biopic "La Mas Bella" about the life of Manuela Saenz, the wife of Simon Bolivar. It also states that Hayek will also act as co-director and co-producer, along with director and producer Víctor Rubén Rodríguez. Sounds pretty good, but then I checked Salma Hayek Online and apparently the president of her production company denied she's even involved in the project (dated Oct 25). So back to square one. Here's another possible project, it's from older information (Feb 2004), also posted by Dark Horizons, but this time the source was Variety: "Salma Hayek is looking to topline and/or direct 'The Man in the House Across the Street.' Project is being penned by Abram Makowka from thesp's original idea." "Comedy deals with a Mexican woman married to an American drug dealer who is being investigated by a retired cop, himself a drug addict." Okay. Well, that's definitely a project. Maybe she should reconsider the biopic (or at least pay EN - a lot).

Another screenplay?

[False information - see 12/5/04 ] Apparently, Edward is currently working on a screenplay for Salma Hayek for free. I never thought I would obtain EN project news from Star magazine, much less a website that recycles gossip from Star magazine, but that is how low I've sank to get you this info. According to Star magazine (internal cringing- please help me), Hayek taped an episode of Bravo's Inside the Actor's Studio on Nov 8, 2004 and mentioned the above information. Nothing else about the screenplay was included in the article, I don't know if she talked about it more on the program. The rest of the article is just gossip, so I'm not going to address it. I will say that I did visit Inside the Actors Studio official website and found out that the episode featuring Salma Hayek will air on Sunday, Dec 5. Hopefully, that part of the interview will make it into the final product. I think they tape for two hours and edit it down to an one hour program with commercials (about a 45 minute interview)- I remember listening to a Robin Williams @ Audible.com interview with Nathan Lane discussing the Inside the Actor's Studio experience. Edward wrote the screenplay for Frida which Salma Hayek produced and starred in. Star magazine article

Mid December marks two years since the release of The 25th Hour. I was hoping before then we would be receiving news on upcoming acting roles for the near future, but it seems like more and more of Edward's time is spent on developing projects or charities. This is not surprising since he's stated that he's not interested in being just an actor for hire, but disappointing nonetheless. Also, like most actors, in-depth interviews are only really done when there's something to promote.

In deciding to do a website on the work of one of the most sought after actors, there was one thing I really wasn't expecting: all the free time.

Edward in Vegas

Today's Las Vegas Sun includes an article Campaigns work through weekend includes EN talking about campaigning for John Kerry in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

Actor Edward Norton was campaigning Saturday night in what he termed a "tough" Las Vegas neighborhood when a few young men came running up to warn him he could be in danger.

Norton seemed unfazed telling the story on Sunday, talking instead about the spirited political conversations he had with those young men and many other Nevadans this weekend.

"I've been amazed at the level of fire on the streets," said Norton, the star of movies such as "American History X" and "Fight Club." "Clearly this state is up for grabs."

Further down in the article

That's where celebrities such as Norton hope to inspire infrequent voters. Norton said he thinks Americans are too sophisticated for celebrities to simply stand on stage with a candidate and nod their heads in agreement. Instead, he said he likes to get out and talk to people, asking voters what their major issues are, and sometimes telling them his opposition to Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

As a New Yorker, he said he's also concerned that Bush hasn't focused enough on homeland security. But he said he most hopes to appeal to young voters of all stripes.

"It helps affirm for them that attention is being paid not just to the election but to them," he said.

Edward goes door-to-door for votes in Reno

Yesterday, EN campaigned in Reno on behalf of Democratic presidential candidate Senator John Kerry by giving a speech at University of Nevada, Reno and knocking on doors afterward. It was written up in the Reno Gazette Journal in Celebrities campaign in Reno (which includes a pic). Afterward he headed to Las Vegas to do more campaigning for Kerry. Here are some of his comments quoted in the article:

“It’s incredibly important work that we’re doing.”

“I have very mixed feelings sometimes about the way that celebrity gets used as a blanket asset in political campaigns.”

“But if young people can hear people they admire stressing the critical importance of being engaged, then to me it’s worth it to leverage that celebrity component.”

Reno bound (9 P.M. update)

Variety via Yahoo! News (10/27/04 5:19 PM ET) reports that Edward will be campaigning for Kerry in Reno, Nevada. It does not provide any info on date or time. The Reno Gazette Journal article Celebs, politicians add Reno appearances indicates that EN will be in Reno this Saturday.

Norton, whose starring roles include “Fight Club” and “Keeping the Faith,” will speak at the University of Nevada, Reno, on Saturday. Following a kickoff rally, he will walk door-to-door as part of the Nevada State Democratic Party’s election efforts. He then will attend a young voter town hall-style meeting at UNR.

The actor, who has been touring swing states to stump for Democrats, will begin his public appearance at noon in the Mackay Science Building, room 215. Details: 829-1699.

If you're in NYC, a one-hour TV show on the High Line (a 1.5 mile, elevated railway that runs along the West Side of Manhattan) will air Saturday on WNBC TV Channel 4 starting at 7 PM. The program is part of the "Jane's New York" series. EN is one of the interviewees (he is a boardmember of the Friends of the High Line organization).

My comments

Just some clarification of my comments yesterday: I think that Edward has a lot of good ideas and has a right to speak about them publically. However, I don't think that a charity luncheon is an appropriate place to express political views unless the intention is well-known to organizers and guests ahead of time. Edward still could have managed to work in a few political issues if they didn't overwhelm the speech and if he had tried a less confrontational method. It's essential to know what's important to an audience and be able to state ideas in a way that helps them understand the similarities between you, and only then can they start to see your point of view. They may not agree, but there is at least a level of mutual respect. If Wednesday's speech had these characteristics, the take home message would have been more constructive and probably would have spread to the media coverage, reaching still a larger audience. My main problem with Edward's speech is it seemed to be a missed opportunity.

Cleveland luncheon, Jim Rouse Visionary Center, National Geographic Series

Thanks to everyone who was kind enough to wish me a happy birthday! As of yet, no Happy Meal from EN or his people. Actually, I doubt that I'm going to be hearing from them anytime soon due to the next few paragraphs. I woke up this morning to look for any articles on EN's speech at a Presidential Scholarship Luncheon for a community college in Cleveland and I found one in the Cleveland Plain Dealer: Actor urges audience to vote Bush out. And I cringed for several reasons. I wasn't expecting a political speech. The ads for the luncheon gave the catch phrase, "Lights, Camera and ACTION!" and billing Edward as an "Actor, Producer, and Director" (no mention of activist even though his bios usually include the word). Nothing in the ads would indicate that politics would be a topic. And the price tag was steep- $350 for an individual seat and $1,000 for preferred seating ranging up to $10,000 for a table of ten (w/program mention) - chances are you're going to trip over at least one Republican. Maybe the audience expected that type of speech, or maybe they were expecting a funny story about working with Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando, I don't know. Unfortunately, I could find only one article on the event, so I am relying on one reporter's account of the luncheon. Without the full text of his speech, it's hard to judge.

On this website, I try to refrain from using such statements as "Edward Norton is the greatest actor of his generation." It's not for me to tell you what to think about his work. I tell you what films he's been in and you make your own decisions on his abilities. And I try to do the same with everything about him. I post information and interviews and hopefully, you get an accurate picture. However, in the area of politics, there is a disconnect between the Edward Norton I recognize from interviews and the Edward Norton that I read about making political statements. In interviews, Edward manages to deftly steer away from questions about his personal life, and demonstrates a great deal of insight into his profession and intelligence about a wide range of topics. He has strong views but manages to avoid denigrating the opinions of others. This doesn't seem to carry over into politics. The underlying characteristic of his political statements tends to be anger. However strongly his anger is justified, he severely undercuts his position by speaking from that anger. He doesn't consider how his words can be used against him or how his profession can be considered a target. No matter what valid points he brings up, the anger will pull the focus away. Thus you get a headline like: Actor urges audience to vote Bush out. The article didn't mention his $1.1 million donation to Enterprise Foundation (provides housing to low-income families), the creation of the Solar Neighbor Program, or any of his other charities. It didn't mention that Edward established the Middle East Peacemakers Fund at Yale (Edward, President Bush, and Senator Kerry are all Yale alumni), nor did it mention that Edward's mother was a teacher. Why do you think that is? Those kind of details fall by the wayside when there is news to report. And a scholarship fundraiser that turns political is news. The keynote speaker's task is to serve the charity by either coaxing the guests into giving just a little bit more before they leave or keeping them happy enough with the event that they'll be eager to participate the next time. I think Edward would be extremely effective at political rallies or fundraisers (maybe not a Bush-Cheney fundraiser). However, I think it's a mistake to bring politics to a nonpartisan charity event. It's hard not to be political when we are just days from an important election, but I don't think this tactic helps. Perhaps this account is overblown and Edward's comments were more subtle, I don't know.

The American Visionary Art Museum is holding a grand opening gala for the Jim Rouse Visionary Center on Saturday, November 13. Tickets $300. Jim Rouse was Edward's grandfather.

National Geographic's Strange Days on Planet Earth, a four-part series which is hosted and narrated by Edward, won a 2004 Panda Award at the Wildscreen 2004 film festival and will premiere on PBS on April 20 and 27, 2005. Strange Days on Planet Earth

Campaign 2004: Buy Susan a Happy Meal

Tomorrow is my 32nd birthday, a day full of self-reflection, self-doubt, and above average sugar consumption. But enough about tomorrow, let's focus on the remaining hours of thirty-oneness. Just to give you a taste of my exciting life, here's what I learned today: according to Fundrace a site which looked at campaign contributions (according to FEC records) made between January 1, 2003 and July 31, 2004, Edward Norton donated $2,000 to John Kerry, $2,000 to Dennis Kucinich, and $25,000 to the Democratic National Committee. Now, as someone who has donated $50 to Kerry, I find his level of contribution remarkable (I aspire to someday get my student loans down to $29,000). But as someone who has spent six and a half years doing a website on Edward and his career with basically zero to show for it, it's hard not to feel a little underappreciated. So I'm hoping that Edward (or his people) might be willing to donate a gift certificate to McDonald's or Papa John's in honor of my birthday.

12 Reasons to Give, Going Upriver screening

The Giving Back Fund has created the 12 Reasons to Give, a celebrity philanthropy calendar which "honors twelve generous and diverse high-profile individuals within professional sports and entertainment who have demonstrated a strong commitment to philanthropy." Edward Norton, along with Christopher Reeve, Angelina Jolie, Russell Simmons, Sting, Rosie O’Donnell, Leonardo DiCaprio, Alonzo Mourning, Andre Agassi, Sarah McLachlan, David Robinson, and Amy Grant are featured in the calendar. The criteria for selection was the "donation of time, talent, and a million or more of charitable dollars". 100% of the net proceeds of the sale of the calendar will be given to the charities chosen by the honorees. Edward has selected BP Solar Neighbors program with The Enterprise Foundation, helping low-income homeowners reduce their energy bills through solar power. The calendars will be available at bookstores soon. I'll post an update when they are available.

Last night, EN ran into two of his former co-stars Brad Pitt and Catherine Keener at a screening of Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry in Los Angeles at the DGA. Since a number of actors showed up at the screening, footage of the event might show up at entertainment news shows Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, E! News Live tonight or tomorrow. The only pics I can find are at Wireimage and I can only get the little thumbnails.

People for the American Way

Tuesday night, Edward was honored with the Champion of the American Way Award for his "ongoing commitment to numerous social, environmental, and cultural initiatives, and his creative approach to bringing positive change to our community." People For the American Way official website

Today's Marc Steiner Show: James Rouse

From 1-2 PM (Eastern time), the Marc Steiner Show will focus on Edward's grandfather, urban planner James Rouse. You may be able to listen to the program live online (streaming using the Real Player) through the WYPR website. If you are in Maryland, it will be on the radio at 88.1 FM. Unfortunately, the show does not have audio archives.

People for the American Way, New Yorker Festival update, Rounders released

Edward Norton will be one of the honorees at the People For the American Way Foundation's Spirit of Liberty Celebration. He will receive the 2004 Champion of the American Way Award for his "ongoing commitment to numerous social, environmental, and cultural initiatives, and his creative approach to bringing positive change to our community." Tickets are still available for the Tuesday, September 21 celebration at the Beverly Hilton (individual tickets for the dinner are $300). More info on the event and EN's charitable activities can be found at the People For the American Way official website.

The New Yorker Festival Schedule is now available. EN will be part of a panel discussion (along with Stockard Channing, Cynthia Nixon and Stanley Tucci, moderated by John Lahr) on "Acting: onstage and onscreen" on Saturday, October 2. Tickets go on sale this Thursday, Sep 9 through Ticketmaster. A ticket for Saturday's events will apparently cost $20. Take a look at the schedule of events (which includes a caricature of the panelists), visit The New Yorker Festival website

The Rounders Collector's Edition DVD was released today. It contains special features including a commentary that includes EN, director John Dahl, and screenwriters David Levien and Brian Koppelman and a behind the scenes segment on "Rounders". Rounders Collector's Edition DVD