'Motherless Brooklyn' Director Edward Norton Talks Discovering His Character In New Featurette

Edward Norton has something of a bad rep for his reportedly prickly professional persona. Just ask “American History X” director Tony Kaye, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige or “Rounders” director John Dahl. The Golden Globe-winning actor apparently has a predilection for demanding creative control of his characters, their script and their scenes, occasionally to the detriment of his working relationships. So much so that you might be surprised to learn that “Motherless Brooklyn” will only be Norton’s second directorial feature and his first written screenplay. No pressure then.

Based on the crime novel of the same name by Jonathan Lethem, “Motherless Brooklyn” follows Lionel Essrog (Norton), a private investigator on a mission to solve the mystery of who murdered his mentor, Frank Minna (Bruce Willis). Relocating the narrative to 1950s New York, Essrog also discovers his own affliction with Tourette’s syndrome along with uncovered secrets that hold the fate of his city in balance.

In a new featurette, you can find Norton talking about the journey of bringing the film to the big screen and how the period film is as timely as ever with its look at the city of New York and the politics of the era, and how 2019 might not be as different as you think.

And in an episode of the Off Camera podcast, you can listen to Norton talk about identifying his underdog character in “Motherless Brooklyn,” and why he seemingly doesn’t trust anyone who says they had a good time in high school.

With the Boston-born actor/director/writer flaunting full creative control of the feature, alongside a stellar cast which includes Willem Dafoe, Ethan Suplee, and Alec Baldwin, it will be interesting to see what Norton makes of the material. “Motherless Brooklyn” has the potential to demonstrate Norton’s creativity when the final say on character control or directorial decisions are his and his alone.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Lionel Essrog (Edward Norton), a lonely private detective living with Tourette Syndrome, ventures to solve the murder of his mentor and only friend, Frank Minna (Bruce Willis). Armed only with a few clues and the engine of his obsessive mind, Lionel unravels closely-guarded secrets that hold the fate of New York in the balance. In a mystery that carries him from gin-soaked jazz clubs in Harlem to the hard-edged slums of Brooklyn and, finally, into the gilded halls of New York’s power brokers, Lionel contends with thugs, corruption and the most dangerous man in the city to honor his friend and save the woman who might be his own salvation.

Norton’s directorial debut, the 2000 rom-com drama, ”Keeping the Faith” failed to convert many to his cause, but you know what they say about second comings.

Also starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Leslie Mann, Bobby Cannavale, Fisher Stevens, Michael Kenneth Williams, and Cherry Jones, “Motherless Brooklyn” is scheduled for release on November 1.

You can watch the featurette below: