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Adrien Brody Wins Best Actor at the 97th Academy Awards
The intense competition for the Best Actor award at the 97th Academy Awards featured a lineup of remarkable performances. Among the nominees were Adrien Brody for The Brutalist, Timothée Chalamet portraying the legendary Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, Colman Domingo in the impactful prison narrative Sing Sing, Ralph Fiennes in the political thriller Conclave, and Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump in The Apprentice. Ultimately, the prestigious accolade went to Adrien Brody.
The Brutalist, directed by Brady Corbet, centers on László Tóth, a Hungarian-Jewish Holocaust survivor. The film chronicles Tóth’s journey as he arrives in the United States with aspirations of becoming a renowned architect. The subject matter is as stark and uncompromising as the architectural style referenced in the title. Adrien Brody, who previously made history as the youngest recipient of the Best Actor Oscar for his role in The Pianist, delivers a compelling performance marked by profound emotional depth and dedication.
Although the film has garnered widespread acclaim for its direction, performances, screenplay, and score—all of which received Oscar nominations—The Brutalist has not escaped scrutiny. This year’s Academy Awards have been clouded by a variety of controversies that have drawn attention from the media.
The Controversy Surrounding ‘The Brutalist’
One notable area of contention around The Brutalist involves the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to enhance the Hungarian accents of Brody and his co-star Felicity Jones. Critics expressed concerns regarding the use of AI, specifically a tool named Respeecher. Adrien Brody addressed these criticisms, emphasizing his genuine connection to the Hungarian language due to his heritage and asserting that the film’s postproduction process had not compromised the authenticity of the performances.
Brody stated, “First of all, I’m the son of Hungarians and grew up with that language spoken in my home. I actually integrated, within the Hungarian dialogue, curse words that weren’t in the script. I’m happy that Brady managed to clarify a lot in his remarks. Obviously, his postproduction process only touched some lines spoken in Hungarian. Nothing of the dialect was altered; that’s all done through a lot of hard work with our wonderful dialect coach, Tanera Marshall. We all worked incredibly hard on it, and we all know that.”
He continued by praising his director, noting, “Brady is a very sensitive, thoughtful filmmaker. There was no technology implemented that takes work from people. It’s quite a typical postproduction process. I think we all know the truth.”
Despite the controversies, Brody’s performance resonated with voters, allowing him to secure his second Oscar. Interestingly, Ralph Fiennes was a strong contender; some voting members reportedly believed he had previously won an Oscar, which may have influenced their decisions. Regardless, Brody’s portrayal in The Brutalist stands out as one of the year’s most significant performances, justifying his recognition.
Release Date: December 20, 2024
Runtime: 215 Minutes
Source
movieweb.com