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Being the youngest star to take home the Best Actor award at age 29, for his role in the 2002 war dramaThe Pianist,Adrien Brody appears to be currently aiming for his second Oscar with his 2024 movieThe Brutalist. Meanwhile, after 22 years of serving the industry with a few of the most critically acclaimed projects, Brody dropped a modest remark about his career.
Reflecting on his journey, since his haunting performance inThe Pianistand addressing the similarities it has with the latest movieThe Brutalist, Adrien Brody confessed that none of his works have quite measured up to the level of these two standout films. Despite having an envious and impressive filmography, Brody simply claimed to appreciate his 2002 movie and his latest flick.
Adrien Brody recalled his experience filmingThe Pianist
Fresh from his promo tour forThe Brutalist, Adrien Brody sat for an interview withIndieWire, after his latest movie took home Best Director at Venice for Brady Corbet and Best Film and Best Actor from the New York Film Critics Circle. Meanwhile, considering the number of awards thatThe Brutalisthas already bagged, it’s safe to assume that Brody might end up bagging his second Oscar for the film.
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Thereafter, as the Oscar conversation reminded him of the 2002 movieThe Pianistwhich helped him become theyoungest person to winthe Best Actor award at age 29, Adrien Brody got emotional about his role. Stating how the film was an awakening for him, the actor went on to discuss the pressure and responsibility surrounding the project. Addressing his physical transformation, Brody also reflected on how the film affected his psyche.
It was such an awakening for me to do that movie at that relatively young age.
The impact, the enormity of the pressure and responsibility for me to carry that film, 22 weeks, six days a week, to portray a man whose singular life experience is to represent the loss of 6 million people…
Thereafter, revealing how he had six weeks to learn to play Chopin and to starve himself to meet the physical transformation as per the demands of the film,Adrien Brodynoted developing a sense of gratitude after appearing inThe Pianist. Admitting how he often took freedom, food, and fundamental rights for granted, Brody noted being touched to the core while filming the movie.
First of all, a sense of gratitude that I had not had, in the sense that so many of the simple things in life I had taken for granted, and I felt ashamed… as an American young man who grew up with modest means, I took for granted the many freedoms, the ability to eat, and have food.
I’m talking about fundamental rights that we should all have, that many human beings are deprived of: a roof over our head, relative safety, to not be hunted down for our beliefs and corralled, and God knows what. The level of horror became tangible. It touched me to the core.
After addressing howThe Pianistchanged him, Adrien Brody went on to discuss the similar impacts thatThe Brutalisthad on him.
Adrien Brody’s brutal confession about his career betweenThe PianistandThe Brutalist
Speaking about how his first Oscar-winning movie changed his life, Adrien Brody noted having a similar feeling while shooting his latest flickThe Brutalist. Admitting to be grateful for his role as László Toth, a Hungarian architect and Holocaust survivor trying to create art in America, Brody went on to confess that none of the roles he played in the 22 years betweenThe Pianistandhis 2024 moviemeasures up to either one.
The Brutalist begins almost where [‘The Pianist’] ended in a way. It is a Jewish immigrant’s journey, surviving.
Those specific hardships and loss, and yearning to begin again, and the dream of coming to a place like America — where the myth of the American dream, especially in the ’50s — [offers] the hope to be free of that persecution and to somehow maybe begin again.
Further stating how both films showcase the hardships during the World War and post-war era, Adrien Brody admitted to gravitating towards roles and films that “represent things that are not right”. Perhaps that’s why, despite appearing in a number of envious andcritically acclaimed films, Brody believed that it took him 22 years to receive the same level of love and appreciation from fans, as he did following the release ofThe Pianist.
I appreciate the love I’ve received, and it’s taken me 22 years to receive this level of love again. That is so meaningful to me because that’s all I do with my life.
It is devoted to this work, and it’s not like I wasn’t looking for material of this caliber or a role of this magnitude.
While Adrien Brody might be modest about his works, he certainly exhibited his range inThe Darjeeling Limited, Midnight in Paris, Detachment, and more. And recently, he brought out similar nuance through his portrayal of László Toth inThe Brutalist.
The Brutalistis scheduled to release in theaters on June 30, 2025.
The Pianistis currently available to watch on Prime Video.
Krittika Mukherjee
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3218
Krittika Mukherjee is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on films, TV shows, and celebrity news with over 3,000 articles published. With an educational background in Journalism, and a keen interest in filmmaking, Krittika blends factual precision with creative flair, when crafting her editorials, or dissecting fan theories.Her coverage often includes news and analyses of critically acclaimed films, celebrity news, and franchises like the Wizarding World, LOTR, DC, and MCU—particularly Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Superheroes, and fan theories. As a Wizarding World aficionado, Krittika has spent countless hours exploring hidden backstories, unadapted book moments, spells, and trivias surrounding J.K. Rowling’s lore.An imaginative writer with a way with words, Krittika has worked as an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a web content writer for a year. She brought her experience and expertise to FandomWire to pursue her desire for sipping coffee while dissecting films and tracking celebrity drama.
