Edward Norton

I voted for 25th Hour. And he’s just incredible in American history x, FC-u, and all that...

He’s such a huge favorite of mine. I guess he’s one of my top actors from that more recent era, right up there with Kevin Spacey and John Cusak..

Maybe this is a bit off-topic... but when it comes to underrated talent, I feel like Tim Roth—who I think is a total genius—is definitely overlooked..

brisklynx62 said:A little bit of an off-topic tangent here... when it comes to being underrated, I honestly think Tim Roth is a total genius, yet somehow always flies under the radar as an actor..

He was great in 'Lie to Me,' but he’s just not really my type of actor. 🤷

When you look at actors from the 90s onward, I feel like guys like John Turturro and Chris Cooper get way too little credit—they usually just end up in supporting roles.
I also think Willem Dafoe and Viggo Mortensen deserve way more hype than they actually get.
And man, if we’re talking about the legends from the 70s, there’s a massive list—think Warren Oates, George C. Scott, Oliver Reed, and all those heavy hitters...

This movie doesn't get nearly enough buzz, but personally? I thought it was pretty solid.

Casey Cox2 said:When you look at actors from the 90s onwards, people totally overlook guys like John Turturro and Chris Cooper (they usually just play supporting roles).
I also honestly feel like Willem Dafoe and Viggo Mortensen deserve way more credit than they get.
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You're kidding, right?

I’m definitely joking here—mostly because I know some people think DiCaprio is totally underrated😁

Cronenberg basically fast-tracked Viggo into the big leagues, even though he was already killing it in the 90s with that solid Indian runner role and his small but punchy part in *Carlito's Way*.
Honestly, if he hadn't landed those roles in *Lord of the Rings*, he might still be pretty much a niche actor to most audiences today.
For me, Dafoe’s work in *To Live and Die in L.A.* and *Light Sleeper* is peak performance. Not exactly a massive cult following for those flicks, though... hmm...

Casey Cox2 said:I was definitely joking, since apparently DiCaprio is underrated to some people.😁

Cronenberg basically launched Viggo Mortensen into the big leagues, even though back in the 90s he had that great Indian runner role with Spenny and a small but killer part in Carlito's Way.
If he hadn't done Lord of the Rings, he’d probably still be pretty much overlooked by the general public.
For me, Dafoe’s roles in To Live and Die in L.A. and Light Sleeper are his absolute best performances. Not many people really talk about those films, huh?

DiCaprio is underrated, or maybe you just haven't seen his performance in What's eating Gilbert Grape?
Dafoe and Mortensen are good actors, BUT they're just "good." Maybe they get better projects, or maybe they land something truly iconic—then I might agree with you. They can be as talented as they want, but it doesn't mean much if you're stuck filming crappy movies.

Either you're trolling or you're just delusional—and let's be real, it’s clearly the latter. Saying DiCaprio is an underrated actor is straight-up fanboy nonsense.
Dafoe and Mortensen are just on another level for him. I mean, if you want those heavy-hitting roles, you need actual charisma. His stuff hasn't really moved past Basketball Diaries—where he pretty much burned out—and everything since then has just felt like a carbon copy.
Look, Gilbert Grape is a great movie, sure, but he isn't the only reason why. Anytime he's paired up against a powerhouse actor, he just doesn't stand a chance.
It's just a fact. Some people are fine with a guy showing up for ten minutes like McC or even a mediocre Wahlberg performance.
I honestly hope he gets the chance to work with some actual heavyweights soon—guys like Fassbender or Shannon—just so he can finally show what he's got. Lol.

All this talk about Norton and DiCaprio being "underrated" just doesn't hold water.

Casey Cox2 said:Maybe you're just trolling, but let's be real. Saying DiCaprio is underrated is basically just being part of a
Dafoe and Mortensen fan club. I mean, you need actual charisma for heavy-hitting roles, right? His vibe hasn't been the same since Basketball Diaries—he totally blew it there. Everything after that felt like a carbon copy.
Gilbert Grape is a great movie, sure, but he isn't the only reason why. Anytime he's paired up against a stronger actor, he just can't compete.
It's just how it is. Some people are fine with just ten minutes of screen time from someone like McC or even a mediocre Wahlberg.

Claiming that Norton and DiCaprio are underrated just doesn't hold water.

Look, I'm not some superfan, I'm just seeing what you're missing. McC actually killed it in his last movie. I'm not talking about the movie itself; I'm talking about the actor's performance IN THE MOVIE. It feels like you aren't grading the actors, you're just grading the films they happen to be in. That’s the only way I can make sense of why you think mediocre actors are top-tier. Come on, give me one solid reason why they aren't underrated.

electricridge6 said:Look, I'm not some obsessed fanboy—I just see what you're missing. McC does a perfectly fine job in his last film. I'm not talking about the movie itself, I'm talking about the guy as an actor IN A FILM. Honestly, it feels like you aren't judging actors, you're just judging the movies they happen to be in. That's the only way I can make sense of why you think mediocre actors are actually good. Give me one solid reason why they aren't underrated.

First off: Norton is a killer actor. He’s been super picky with roles and has shared the screen with some massive names (even Brando). Beyond just being talented, he really digs in—kind of like how De Niro would study a character to get inside their head. He proved he was the real deal early on with Primal Fear; the kid had serious potential and you could definitely count on him.
He basically had a career path similar to Christian Bale, constantly pushing to be more versatile, which peaked with the indie hit American History X. That role really made him stand out to Kaye through a masterclass transformation.
He just leveled up. A performance like that secures your spot in those big-budget productions that followed, especially working with guys like Fincher and Spike Lee.
Ever since American History X, the media has treated him like a superstar—one of those generational top-tier actors everyone raves about.
So yeah, I don't see how he's underrated. What are we even talking about here???

Edward Norton "Under The Influence"

Casey Cox2 said:First off, Norton is an incredible actor. He’s always been super selective with his roles and pulled off some seriously heavy performances (even sharing the screen with Brando). Beyond just being a great actor, he really goes all in—studying his characters deeply and channeling those legendary veterans like De Niro to get inside their heads. Even back when he was young in Primal Fear, you could tell he had massive potential and was someone you could truly count on.
He’s basically had a career path similar to Christian Bale, constantly pushing himself to be versatile. That peaked with American History X, where he made his mark on Kaye through a masterclass transformation that left everyone stunned.
He basically leveled up. A performance like that guarantees you a spot in those big-budget productions that followed, especially through his work with Fincher and Spike Lee.
Ever since American History X, the media has treated him like a superstar—one of those generational talents that everyone just raves about.
So, I honestly don't see how he can be considered underrated. What are we even talking about here???

Edward Norton "Under The Influence"

It looks like we have totally different definitions of what 'underrated' means, but whatever. Based on everything you wrote, it sounds like you think Norton is just some mid-tier actor. Forget 🙂

Norton and Spike Lee are both huge fans of Sidney Lumet.😍

Quote : no contemporary actor except Philip Seymour Hoffman Can Play ethical confusion as eloquently as Norton Can Philip Seymour Hoffman Quote : no contemporary actor except Philip Seymour Hoffman Can Play ethical confusion as eloquently as Norton Can

O'Connor acknowledges Norton's Reputation for upsetting certain Directors ( Tony Kaye in American history x ) and certain producers ( Marvel Entertainment, The Incredible Hulk ) because he gets so deeply into the weeds with his ideas.

The director basically said, "Edward's very involved in a positive way. Most actors just care about their own little bubble, but he actually needs to see how his performance fits into the entire machine. He’s gotta grasp the whole puzzle—how his character’s influence reaches out and touches all the other moving parts."

Quote : Pride and Glory boasts The zest and grit of New York police-corruption Movies fra The 1970 sa and Beyond , and Norton Can ring OFF. "Amazingly," Norton laughs and says, "they're All by Sidney Lumet" Sidney LumetPersonally, the Lumet flick that really sticks in my mind from that lineup is— Frank SerpicoIt was basically the definitive police-corruption flick for an entire era—think along the lines of Frank Serpico, that hippie cop who actually connected with the counterculture. Norton saw Pride and Glory as a chance to explore "how words like pride and glory and patriotism are used to co-opt my generation into participating in things that it knows are not right. And when you frame something that way, to me it starts to rise above genre."

When i ask Norton whether in som Scenes He was consciously echoing Brando's Terry Malloy in on The Waterfront , He says He thinks Brando's character acted fra personal betrayal and anguish ; Ray is more Brando.When I asked Norton if he was trying to channel Brando's Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront, he basically said he doesn't see it that way—he thinks Brando’s character was driven by pure personal betrayal and anguish, whereas Ray is more "pro-active" when it comes to taking down corruption and just seems fueled by straight-up "rage."

"Whenever I hear an actor claim their character would never do something, I can't help but laugh," Norton laughs and says. "To me, once a character starts doing stuff that feels totally contradictory—that’s exactly when you know you've hit the zone of truth."

Casey Cox2 said:Both Norton and Spike Lee are huge fans of Sidney Lumet.😍

😁 He’s one of those guys who actually gets art. Smart, picky about his roles, too. But man, it still bugs me how few movies he’s actually made.

Regrettably, aside from his work in the Kingdom of Thailand, he hasn't delivered anything worth noting over the last five years... far too little output for an actor of his caliber.🤷