Adrien Brody says preparation for his Oscar-winning role in The Pianist in 2002 caused him to go so deep into character he ended up ‘abandoning his life and loved ones.’. The star, 51, won Best Actor in a Leading Role at the 2003 Academy Awards for his role as Wladyslaw Szpilman in the searing Holocaust drama. He was 29 years old when he won, making him the youngest person to ever win the prestigious award.
![[Editorial use only. No book cover usage. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Guy Ferrandis/Focus Features/Studio Canal/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock (5882011n) Adrien Brody The Pianist - 2002 Director: Roman Polanski Focus Features/Studio Canal UK/FRANCE/GERMANY/POLAND/NETHERLANDS Scene Still Drama Le Pianiste]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_234213722-6520.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
The actor is now a favourite to receive another Oscar nomination at the 2025 Academy Awards for his part in The Brutalist after already landing a Golden Globe. The milestone led him to reflect on how different things are this time around as he navigates awards season, telling The Times in a recent interview that he gave up a lot for The Pianist.
He told the publication he would never sacrifice so much for a film again, saying: ‘I’m a grown-up. And as a young man I did not feel that I could faithfully honour all that was on my shoulders with The Pianist, so I dug very deep. ‘I abandoned my life, loved ones, home, phone, car in order to deliver truth. But it’s less toxic now. I no longer think it’s necessary to torment yourself.’.
![[FILM... The Pianist (2002); Frank Finlay pictured as father, with Jessica Kate Meyer as Halina, Ed Stoppard as Henryk, Maureen Lipman as mother, Adrien Brody as Wladyslaw Szpilman, and Julia Rayner as Regina, in a scene from the film directed by Roman Polanski.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/AD_11998495-b4a4.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Brody struggled with his health after filming the movie, and it took him quite a long time to come to terms with his sudden fame. After winning the Oscar, he disappeared from the spotlight completely, bewildered by all the praise he was receiving. He told The Times that he isolated himself in the countryside as he ‘saw how much was coming to me and felt unnerved.’.
![[Editorial use only. No book cover usage. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Guy Ferrandis/Focus Features/Studio Canal/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock (5882011e) Maureen Lipman, Julia Rayner, Adrien Brody, Frank Finlay, Jessica Kate Meyer The Pianist - 2002 Director: Roman Polanski Focus Features/Studio Canal UK/FRANCE/GERMANY/POLAND/NETHERLANDS Scene Still Drama Le Pianiste]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_234213648-eb99.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
