Edward Norton is hailed as one of the greatest actors to ever showcase his talent in front of the cameras. He has worked on a number of projects where he has made people a fan of his work, as he consistently gave remarkable performances. Hence, making him an actor with one of the most nominated actors for the prestigious Academy Award. Some of his most renowned works are in films like Kingdom of Heaven, Fight Club, Frida, Rounders, and many more.
However, the actor is most renowned for his portrayal of Aaron Stampler in the 1996 thriller, Primal Fear. His performance was so remarkable in the film that many renowned figures from the industry believed that the year 1996 belonged to Edward Norton. However, Wil Wheaton, who was first offered the role decided to turn down the offer because of an absurd reason.
Wil Wheaton Turned Down The Lead Role in Primal Fear For a Bizarre Reason
Edward Norton was mesmerizing in the role of Aaron Stampler, as he was an immensely layered character. However, the actor killed it, as he worked extremely hard, and as the plot unfolds, he showcased different sides of the character. Hence, he embodied the role, revealing the chilling and manipulating psyche of the character.
However, Norton was not the first choice for the role, as Wil Wheaton, the actor from Star Trek: The Next Generation, was offered the role. But he turned it down, that too for an absurd reason. As per IMDb, when Wheaton was first offered the role, he rejected it because he did not want to quit his acting school when his manager insisted on taking the role. He gave him a bizarre explanation, telling him,
“It is like Luke Skywalker when Yoda told him not to go and save his friends, but to stay on Dagobah and learn to be a Jedi instead. Luke didn’t listen to him and that’s why he never became a true Jedi master.”
However, turning down the lead role in Primal Fear was a massive mistake for him because the Fight Club actor bagged the role and it turned out to be his career-defining film. But most importantly, he believes that not playing the role in the film was why he never became an A-tier actor in Hollywood.
Edward Norton Was Replaced In The MCU
The Birdman actor is famed for working in films that are box-office hits. Despite having a reputation for making successful movies, he was replaced by Marvel. His film, The Incredible Hulk was not only a massive letdown but also he had creative differences with the producers of the film. Norton and Louis Letterier, the director of The Incredible Hulk had issues with the producers over the runtime of the movie cutting it short by 23 minutes. Moreover, the actor missed a lot of major promotional events, and he was also rumored to be a hidden writer for the movie along with Zak Penn.
Shortly after, Kevin Feige, the President of Marvel Studios, mentioned via CBR that their requirements for Hulk were somewhat different from what they already have, hence they have decided to part ways with the actor.
“Our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members.”
The news was upsetting to hear because Norton is an immensely dedicated actor, and he is popular for playing complex roles. Naturally, his agent was upset about how they had to part ways and spoke to save his client’s respect.
Primal Fear can be streamed on Paramount+.
Source: IMDb
