With the Oscars just around the corner, Adrien Brody, is set for his second shot at gold with his Best Actor nomination for ‘The Brutalist‘. In a rather unpredictable awards season, the actor has been a favourite to win the Academy Award, especially after scooping up the Golden Globe in the same category. Coming in just in time for the awards show, his film is set to hit Indian screens on Friday, February 28. Ahead of the release, the actor, in an exclusive interview with ETimes, discussed the intricacies of his performance and the symbolism.
The Brutalist explores themes of artistic sacrifice, the toll of war, and the pursuit of legacy. As László’s monument becomes a symbol of both his genius and his inner conflict, the film offers a poignant reflection on the price of success. We asked Brody about the most challenging scene to film in the emotionally intense and complex movie. While admitting that it was difficult to single out one particular moment, Brody shared, “Oh, you gave me a whopper. I don’t know about the most challenging moment. I mean, it’s a cumulative thing. We made this movie in a very limited amount of time for the scale and scope of this film. The pressure was quite consistent—to not only deliver every moment to its fullest but to retain all of that.”
He went on to elaborate on the challenges of the shoot saying, “The pressure was quite consistent to not only deliver every moment to its fullest but to retain all of that. You know, there would be very long sequences, very articulate dialogue, complex moments with a dialect. I think that was my consistency that took the most precision.”
“I think I’m quite a precise person. And so I think the level of pressure on me throughout remained,” he added.
When probed about shooting the particularly intense and graphic assault scene in the film, which depicted a pivotal moment of powerlessness for his character Laszlo, Brody reflected on its significance and symbolism. He explained, “I think the scene that you reference is symbolic of, a sense of power and stripping away that power of another individual and a sense of harshness and cruelty in the world. But I think it’s a greater metaphor for the powerlessness that many people have (felt), especially in an artistic position.” He went on to add, “I view that as quite a symbolic moment.”
Directed by Brady Corbet, ‘The Brutalist’ explores themes of artistic sacrifice, the toll of war, and the pursuit of legacy. Set in Pennsylvania, it tells the story of Laszlo Toth, a visionary architect who escapes war-torn Europe to rebuild his life, career, and marriage in post-war America. It follows his journey shaped by his encounter with wealthy industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren, who commissions him to design a monument, however, this patronage comes at a steep cost as he grapples between his artistic integrity and the capitalist forces driving his work.
