Although A complete unknown is about Bob Dylan, the film also delves deep into the life of Pete Seeger.
The folk singer was instrumental in discovering and mentoring Dylan, and the film follows how Dylan eventually becomes restless with the genre over the course of the 1960s. Despite their divergent paths, Seeger is still there, supporting him and advocating for civil rights alongside him.
Edward Norton told Yahoo Entertainment that he was attracted to the role of Seeger because the character is “incredibly complex and compelling.”
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“The music alone in this film was enough to captivate me, and I loved the idea of diving into the music and recreating some of it. It was a different kind of challenge,” he said.
Norton said Seeger is a “well-documented individual,” so in preparing for the role he spent a lot of time watching “almost everything ever recorded of him” in a “treasure trove” on YouTube.
Edward Norton learned to play the banjo for ‘A Complete Unknown’. (Searchlight photos/courtesy of Everett Collection)
He also learned to play the banjo.
“I focused very hard on a limited repertoire, so I think if I play ‘This Land Is Your Land’ in my house again, my kids will break the banjo over my head,” he joked.
Although now a well-known tune, Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” was released in 1945 as an anti-nationalist response to “God Bless America.” Over the years it became a popular protest song.
Norton said he was an activist himself and that he “admired [Seeger] huge” and felt an “attunement” with him, especially in his early twenties.
“He was the guy who cleaned up the Hudson River,” Norton said. “There were people who – when I told them I was going to play Seeger – had tears in their eyes. He had a hugely inspiring effect on many people.”
Norton hopes people see it A complete unknown will learn about “the breadth and depth of [Seeger’s] commitment to social causes over many decades,” he said. “Overall, I think we all hope that the film will encourage people to look a little more deeply at artists throughout that period — how closely intertwined these great artists were with … the movement for social change.”
“They joined in to try to use music as a tool for change, and not just to get famous and rich, you know what I mean?” Norton added. “It’s worth a reconsideration.”
A complete unknown is in theaters now.
