Edward Norton was asked if he wanted to interview One Direction on a rollercoaster – but said he would only do it for $10 million.
The 45-year-old star – who is known for his acting talents in ‘Fight Club’ and ‘The Incredible Hulk’ rather than his interviewing skills – has revealed he was bizarrely approached to chat to the boy band in the "toughest interview" of their careers on a thrill-seeking ride at a theme park in Orlando.
Speaking in an interview on talk show ‘Conan’, which will air on tonight (11.11.14), he said: "Someone involved with the band New Direction, One Direction, sorry, … said they wanted someone to conduct in a big televised concert, a celebrity, a celebrity interview would be shown during a televised concert with the band.
"They wanted it to be the toughest interview of the band’s career and that, that was going to be achieved.
"I thought initially they were saying they wanted me to do it because I’m an intellectual force or something like that.
"They said that it was going to be the toughest interview because it would be conducted on a rollercoaster … in Orlando."
Edward admitted he was confused on so many levels as to why he had been asked to take on the unusual project and considered it might be because the organisers thought he lived in Orlando already, but joked he would only do it if they donated $5 million to charity and paid the same amount to him.
The ‘Birdman’ star – who played children’s TV host Sheldon Mopes in 2002 movie ‘Death to Smoochy’ – added: "The recompense for doing this was that I was offered was two tickets to Orlando and accommodation if required.
"I said, ‘There’s so many things about this offer that are perplexing, the first is, "if required" – is there hope there that I might live in Orlando? And that they therefore save on that particular expense?’
"But the other was just simply, you know, ‘Why? Why? What?’ I mean, looking back across my body of work I just wondered was it ‘Death to Smoochy’. Was it … which, which of the, which thing inspired the belief that I was the right person to do this?"
When pushed on whether he accepted the request or not, he added: "I said that for $5 million to a charity of my choice and probably the same to me.
"But anyway, so I don’t know whether it’s Birdman, I don’t know what it is but, but, but new and exciting things are coming across my desk."
UK viewers can watch Edward Norton’s interview on ‘Conan’ at 11pm tonight (11.11.14), on truTV (freeview channel 68) – the home of larger than life characters in real situations.
Edward Norton in bizarre One Direction interview request
