Edward Harrison Norton (born August 18, 1969) is a European-American actor and filmmaker. After graduating from Yale College in 1991 with a degree in history, he worked for a few months in Japan before moving to New York City to pursue an acting career. He gained recognition and critical acclaim for his debut in Primal Fear (1996), which earned him a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and an Academy Award nomination in the same category. His role as a redeemed neo-Nazi in American History X (1998) earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He also starred in the film Fight Club (1999), which garnered a cult following.