George Mention: Ed Norton

“I don’t live in Hollywood,” he replies a little sharply. “I live in New York. A lot of the people — the actors, my peers, filmmakers — a lot of us don’t feel a strong affiliation to the community of the industry,” he continues. Why, exactly? A quizzical look plays across his face as he pauses before answering, as though he is mulling over how much he will allow me to lead him down this particular path. “What I mean is that I feel a deep sense of community with actors and filmmakers and things like that, but a lot of what I see manifested in the film industry, quote unquote, I disagree with. I find myself feeling affiliated with other people who I think are expressing a certain set of values.” Like? He adjusts himself in his seat, and again studies his brown Oxfords. “I mean, there’s a couple of people this year — George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and some others — and we were just saying that all these award shows and the gift baskets and things like that are sort of appalling. “This notion that with all that is going on in the world — this kind of thing doesn’t have anything to do with who we are but that is what ends up going out there — reports of $30,000 gift baskets, worth more than many families make in a year. Let’s make it that if you win an Oscar, the Academy contributes $10,000 to the charity of your choice. Let’s put it out that way.” (The Globe and Mail)