Adrien Brody dedicates Golden Globes win for ‘The Brutalist’ to his immigrant family: NPR

Adrien Brody had a strong start to awards season, winning a Golden Globe on Sunday night for his portrayal of a fictional Jewish architect who survives the Holocaust and takes up life as an immigrant in the United States after the war.

The Brutalistdistributed by A24, was nominated in seven categories and won the Globe for best film (drama), best director for Brady Corbet and best actor for Brody’s role as Hungarian László Tóth. This is Brody’s first Golden Globe win.

The film generated a lot of buzz for its lengthy 215-minute runtime that paired screenings with a 15-minute intermission, as well as a performance by Brody that some critics compared to his role in the 2002 film. The pianist, another story of a Holocaust survivor that led the then 29-year-old to become the youngest Best Actor Oscar recipient in history.

Brody’s own legacy was not lost on him when he accepted his award. In his speech, he reflected on how he and Tóth were connected in several ways:

“You know, this story is really the character’s journey, it’s very reminiscent of the journey of my mother and my ancestors who fled the war and came to this great country,” he said.

“I owe a lot to my mother and my grandparents for their sacrifice, and although I don’t really know how to express all the challenges you faced and experienced, as well as the many people who had difficulty immigrating to this country, I hope this work will uplift you a little and give you a voice, I am very grateful and I will cherish this moment forever.

Like Brody’s character in the film, Brody’s mother, photographer Sylvia Plachy, was born in Hungary.

“She emigrated to the United States in the ’50s, just like my character,” Brody said. Weekend Edition last month. “She and her parents fled Budapest during the Hungarian Revolution and moved to New York and started again. This journey of resilience, hope and sacrifice really speaks to me. And here I am and with a solid base on the ground at because of their struggles and all they overcame.

In 1956, Soviet forces attacked to crush a short-lived uprising in Hungary against communist rule. Thousands of Hungarians were killed and hundreds of thousands sought asylum in the West.

The Brutalist The film was warmly received last year at the Venice Film Festival, where Corbet received the Silver Lion for Best Director.