Adrien Brody facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adrien Brody
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Brody in 2023
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Adrien Nicholas Brody
April 14, 1973 New York City, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Partner(s) | Georgina Chapman (2019–present) |
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| Awards | Full list |
Adrien Nicholas Brody (born April 14, 1973) is an American actor. He has won many important awards, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, and a Golden Globe Award. In 2025, Time magazine named him one of the world's 100 most influential people.
Brody started acting in 1989. He became well-known for his roles in films like King of the Hill (1993) and The Thin Red Line (1998). His biggest role was as Władysław Szpilman in the war drama The Pianist (2002). For this movie, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor at age 29, making him the youngest actor to ever win that award.
He has also appeared in many other popular films. These include The Village (2004), King Kong (2005), and Midnight in Paris (2011). Brody often works with director Wes Anderson. He has been in Anderson's films like The Darjeeling Limited (2007), Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), and Asteroid City (2023).
Brody has also been recognized for his work on television. He was nominated for Emmy Awards for playing Harry Houdini in the miniseries Houdini (2014) and for his role in the series Succession (2021). He also played Luca Changretta in Peaky Blinders (2017) and Pat Riley in Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (2022–2023). In 2024, Brody won his second Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in The Brutalist.
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Early Life and Education
Adrien Nicholas Brody was born on April 14, 1973, in Woodhaven, Queens, New York City. His mother, Sylvia Plachy, is a photographer, and his father, Elliot Brody, was a history professor and painter. Brody's father has Polish Jewish family roots. His mother was born in Budapest, Hungary, and moved to the U.S. in 1958.
As a child, Brody loved performing. He used to do magic shows at birthday parties and called himself "The Amazing Adrien." He went to Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York, which is a famous school for performing arts. He also attended Queens College.
Career Highlights
Starting Out (1989–2002)
Adrien Brody began taking acting classes when he was young. By age thirteen, he was already in an Off-Broadway play and a TV film. His career really took off with a supporting role in Steven Soderbergh's film King of the Hill (1993). Critics and Brody himself consider this his big break.
He continued to get important roles, earning praise for his work in films like Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line (1998) and Spike Lee's Summer of Sam (1999).
Director Roman Polanski was very impressed by Brody's acting. He chose Brody for the main role in The Pianist (2002). To prepare for this challenging role, Brody worked very hard. He practiced piano for hours every day and lost a lot of weight to look like his character. His dedication paid off, and he won an Academy Award for Best Actor. At 29, he was the youngest actor ever to win this award.
After The Pianist (2003–2013)
After his success with The Pianist, Brody appeared in many different types of movies. In Dummy (2003), he played a shy ventriloquist. He even learned ventriloquism for the role! He also starred in M. Night Shyamalan's The Village (2004) and the adventure film King Kong (2005). King Kong was a huge success, earning over $550 million worldwide.
Brody also appeared in commercials and a music video for Tori Amos. In 2011, he played the famous artist Salvador Dalí in Woody Allen's comedy Midnight in Paris. He even walked the runway as a model for Prada in 2012.
Recent Work (2014–Present)
In 2014, Brody worked with director Wes Anderson again in the movie The Grand Budapest Hotel, where he played the villain. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for his role as Harry Houdini in the miniseries Houdini.
In 2015, he starred in the Chinese film Dragon Blade. He also received the Cinema Vanguard award at the San Diego Film Festival. In 2017, he joined the cast of the BBC crime drama Peaky Blinders. He also received the Leopard Club Award at the Locarno Festival for his lasting impact on film.
In 2024, Brody starred in The Brutalist. His performance as László Tóth, a Holocaust survivor, was highly praised by critics. He won his second Oscar for this role, along with a BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Critics Choice Award.
Brody also made his London stage debut in October 2024. He starred in the play The Fear of 13, which is based on the true story of Nick Yarris, a man who was on death row. He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance.
Personal Life
Adrien Brody has faced some challenges. In 1992, he was seriously hurt in a motorcycle accident and spent months recovering. He has also broken his nose three times while doing stunts for movies. He lives in Manhattan, New York.
Brody is in a relationship with English fashion designer Georgina Chapman.
Oscar Moment
At the 75th Academy Awards in 2003, when Brody won his Best Actor Oscar for The Pianist, he famously kissed the presenter, actress Halle Berry. This moment was a big highlight of the awards show that year. Berry later said she was proud to be part of his special moment.
Years later, in January 2025, Berry congratulated Brody on Instagram for winning a Golden Globe for The Brutalist. At the 97th Academy Awards red carpet, Berry and Brody shared another kiss, recreating their famous moment. Brody's girlfriend, Georgina Chapman, was there and celebrated with them.
Images for kids
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Brody in 2023
See also
In Spanish: Adrien Brody para niños
- Youngest winners for Lead Actor at the Academy Awards
- List of Jewish Academy Award winners and nominees
