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

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

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

The film has generated plenty of buzz for its expansive 215-minute run time that has paired screenings with a 15-minute intermission, as well as a performance from Brody that some critics have likened to his role in 2002’s The Pianist, another story of a Holocaust survivor that led the then 29-year-old to become the youngest recipient of the Academy award for best actor in history.

Brody’s own heritage was not lost on him as he accepted his award. In his speech, he reflected on how he and Tóth were connected in more ways than one:

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

“I owe so much to my mother and my grandparents for their sacrifice, and although I do not know fully how to express all of the challenges that you have faced and experienced, and the many people who have struggled immigrating to this country, I hope that this work stands to lift you up a bit and to give you a voice. I’m so grateful. I will cherish this moment forever.”

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

“She emigrated to the United States in the ’50s, much like my character did,” Brody told Weekend Edition last month. “Her and her parents fled Budapest during the Hungarian Revolution and moved to New York and began again. That journey of resilience and hope and sacrifice really speaks to me. And I’m here and with firm footing on the ground because of their struggles and all that they’ve overcome.”

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 opened last year to a warm reception at the Venice Film Festival, where Corbet received the Silver Lion for best director.