Adrien Brody secured his second Academy Award for Best Actor on Sunday for his performance in The Brutalist, playing Hungarian architect László Tóth, a Holocaust survivor seeking a new life in America. Directed by Brady Corbet, the film was nominated in ten categories, including Best Picture.
Backstage, Brody addressed the significance of the film’s themes. “I think we all know that it’s an important time to recognize that there’s no place for intolerance,” he said. “I’m oddly receiving recognition for representing a time in history where we witness racism and oppression … [we] must learn from the past.”
He reflected on the personal connection between his own family’s history and the film’s story. “My grandparents’ struggles and their loss and their resilience have paved the way for my own good fortune,” he said. “And I have an opportunity to honor them in this film. The truths and insight that I’ve gained from these hardships of so many people, of many different backgrounds and ethnicities, have made me aware of the need for us to be empathetic.”
His win followed a successful awards season, with victories at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, and BAFTAs. While accepting the BAFTA for Best Actor in February, Brody described The Brutalist as a film with a message that resonates today. “It speaks to the need for all of us to share in the responsibility of how we want others to be treated and how we want to be treated by others,” he said. “There’s no place any more for antisemitism. There’s no place for racism.”
The night brought attention to more than just his performance. As he approached the stage to accept his Oscar, Brody casually tossed his gum at his girlfriend, Georgina Chapman. The moment sparked reactions online, with some viewers criticizing the move and others finding humor in it.
Another moment that caught attention came when Halle Berry kissed Brody ahead of the award presentation, revisiting their 2003 Oscars moment when he kissed her after winning for The Pianist. The interaction quickly spread across social media, drawing nostalgic reactions from fans.
Brody won against Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown), Colman Domingo (Sing Sing), Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), and Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice).
The Brutalist, co-written by Corbet and Mona Fastvold, featured Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce. The nearly four-hour film included a 15-minute intermission, an uncommon choice in modern cinema.