He ate seven times a day and worked out for hours to gain 25 pounds of muscle for the role
It was difficult for the makers of American History X to locate an appropriate actor for the lead role. Finally, Edward Norton was willing to accept a $500,000 wage cut to get the role. As a white supremacist group member, he thought that the celebrity had the “weight or presence” to represent him.
In contrast, Edward Norton completely nailed the role and was nominated for an Academy Award as a result. To build 25 pounds of muscle, he ate seven times a day and worked out for hours every day.