Edward Norton visits ABC's 'Modern Family'

Edward Norton

Credit: Matt Sayles/AP

Edward Norton is probably high atop the list of serious actors you'd never expect to sign on for a TV comedy guest spot, but the two-time Oscar nominee is set to cameo on ABC's "Modern Family."

ABC announced on Thursday (Sept. 10) that Norton will play Izzy Fontaine, a  "famous" (ABC's quotes, not ours) musician hired by Julie Bowen's Claire as an anniversary gift for Ty Burrell's Phil. Burrell, savvy entertainment fans will note, co-starred with Norton in "The Incredible Hulk."

That same episode will also feature a guest appearance by Elizabeth Banks ("Scru bs," "Zack and Miri Make a Porno") as one of Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Tyler's (Eric Stonestreet) best friends. 

While we think of Norton as the ultra serious star of movies like "Primal Fear" and "American History X," let us never forget that he made his directing debut on 2000's priest-and-rabbi comedy "Keeping the Faith" and that he also flexed his comic muscles in "Everyone Says I Love You" and "Death to Smoochy."

Norton's TV series credits are limited to a guest voice on "The Simpsons," but he also executive produced HBO's upcoming documentary "By the People: The Election of Barack Obama."

"Modern Family," hailed by HitFix as the fall's best new series, premieres on ABC on Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 9 p.m. ET.