Adrien Brody reflects on Hungarian roots and new film “The Brutalist”

Golden Globe-winning actor Adrien Brody recently sat down for an interview with nlc.hu to discuss his latest film, The Brutalist in which he portrays a Hungarian architect. The film, largely shot in Hungary, holds special significance for Brody due to his own Hungarian heritage.

In an interview with nlc.hu, Adrien Brody shared insights into how his family background influenced his performance: “My Hungarian heritage was ingrained in me from childhood. I remember my grandfather struggling with his thick Hungarian accent while trying to find work in America. It was incredibly stressful and difficult for him to assimilate into American society.” The actor also emphasised the importance of his roots in shaping his career and perspective. “These experiences shaped my path and made me who I am. I’ve always approached people who’ve gone through such difficulties with respect and understanding.”

Mastering the Hungarian language

One of the challenges Brody faced was delivering authentic Hungarian dialogue. He worked extensively with a dialect coach to perfect his accent: “The sounds, gestures, expressions, and tonality are all things I was very accustomed to from my grandparents’ house as a child. I focused specifically on their dialect when researching male figures from that era,” he told nlc.hu. Brody also credited filming in Budapest for helping him maintain authenticity. “There was serious pressure on me not to sound stupid in front of our Hungarian crew who heard me speaking Hungarian every day. Whenever I went to the store or struck up a conversation with someone, I heard authentic Budapest dialect. This helped a lot,” he recalled.