Quiz

Performed magic shows at children's birthdays as a child as the Amazing Adrien.

He attended a charity auction in November 2011 for Artists for Peace & Justice, which was offering "Tea with Gerard Butler" as a bidding item; it was a chance to meet and chat with Butler. Brody's $15,000 bid was the winner. On a whim, Brody offered to host "Champagne with Adrien Brody" as a last-minute addition to the auction, if it could take place later that day; he had a bottle available. Brody's offer was accepted, and it earned an additional $17,000 for the charity.

To prepare for his title role in Il pianista (2002), he learned to play Frédéric Chopin pieces on the piano and shed 30 pounds off his already-thin frame. He cut himself off from his real life by giving up his car and apartment because he felt responsible to those Polish Jews who had suffered greatly and wanted to connect, to some small degree, with their hurt and despair.

In 2003, at the age of 29, he replaced Richard Dreyfuss as the youngest actor ever to win the Best Actor Academy Award, for his role in Il pianista (2002).

In 1992, he was seriously hurt in a motorcycle accident in which he flew over a car and crashed feet-first into a crosswalk. He spent months recuperating.

He was furious when his nose was broken during the final fight in Summer of Sam - Panico a New York (1999). When he had it fixed, he didn't change it: his nose is one of his most distinctive features and sets him apart from other actors.

Is one of only two American actors to win a César, the French equivalent to the Oscar. The other one is Kristen Stewart.

Was friends with the late Tupac Shakur, with whom he starred in the little-known film Bullet (1996).

He and Marion Cotillard are the only actors to win both a César and an Oscar for the same performance. Brody won both awards in 2003 for Il pianista (2002) and Cotillard won in 2008 for La Vie En Rose (2007).

Is the only actor to win a Best Actor Oscar when nominated alongside four previous Oscar winners.

He has appeared in five films that have been nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: La sottile linea rossa (1998), Il pianista (2002), Midnight in Paris (2011), Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) and The Brutalist (2024).

He signed on to make Bread and Roses (2000) without a script because he trusted the director Ken Loach. Prior to filming, he also went undercover to research life as a union member in Los Angeles, California. He went to conventions and sat in on strike talks. A couple of the members recognized him, but Brody persuaded them not to blow his cover.

Has been compared to Robert De Niro and Al Pacino for his unconventional acting skills and unique looks.

Adrien's father, Elliot Brody, is a retired history teacher; Elliot is of Polish Jewish descent, and lost family members in the Holocaust. Adrien's mother, Sylvia Plachy, the renowned Hungarian-born photographer, fled Communist Hungary as a child during the 1956 revolution against the Soviets. Adrien's maternal grandfather, Vilmos Lajos Emil "Willy" Plachy, was from an aristocratic Hungarian background. Adrien's maternal grandmother, Ilma Magda (Jahr), was of Czech Jewish descent (her own parents, Adrien's great-grandparents, were killed in the Holocaust). Adrien's mother was not aware of her own mother's Jewish background until later in life.

Admits a shot of his parents in a passionate, back-bending embrace inspired his famous kiss with Halle Berry at the Oscars in 2003.

Did sessions in an isolation tank, performed prison exercises, and went on a protein diet for his role in The Jacket (2005).

In 2004, Esquire Magazine named him the Best Dressed Man in America.

Is a big hip-hop fan and plans on becoming a producer. He is being mentored by The RZA.

Was engaged to Elsa Pataky, having been in a relationship with her since June 2006 after meeting on the set of Manolete (2008) (April 2008-May 2009).

His maternal great-great-grandfather was noted Hungarian painter Ábrányi Lajos.

Took acting classes as a youth; by age 13 he had done an off-Broadway play and a PBS-TV movie.

Put on 25 pounds of muscle for the role of Royce in Predators (2010).

Fought hard to convince producer Robert Rodriguez and director Nimród Antal that he was a good choice for the lead role of "Royce" in Predators (2010).

Appears in the music video of the song "A Sorta Fairytale" by Tori Amos.

Grew up in the Woodhaven section of Queens in New York.

He was considered for the role of The Joker in Il cavaliere oscuro (2008).

He was considered for the role of Spock in Star Trek (2009).

He, Marisa Tomei and Marcia Gay Harden won an Oscar without being awarded for the same performance in one of its precursor awards (Golden Globe, Critics Choice Awards, SAG and BAFTA).

Has expressed a desire to star in a comic book film as a hero or villain. He has said he would love to play The Joker or The Riddler in a Batman film.

Alumnus of the AADA (American Academy of Dramatic Arts), Class of 1993.

Was considered for a role in Pearl Harbor (2001).

Has great appreciation for hip-hop music. Like the Beatnuts, one of his favorite groups, Brody is also from Queens.

Ranked #21 on VH1's 100 Hottest Hotties.

Very good friends with Neal McDonough.

Attended Stony Brook University before transferring to CUNY-Queens College.

Graduated from CUNY Queens College in the Flushing section of Queens, New York.

Holds the record for longest Oscar speech at 5 minutes and 40 seconds. Greer Garson was the previous record holder in 1942.

Is only one of eight actors who have a 2-0 win-loss record when nominated for an acting Oscar, his two wins for Il pianista (2002) and The Brutalist (2024). The others are: Luise Rainer for Il paradiso delle fanciulle (1936) and La buona terra (1937); Vivien Leigh for Via col vento (1939) and Un tram che si chiama Desiderio (1951); Helen Hayes for Il fallo di Madelon Claudet (1931) and Airport (1970); Kevin Spacey for I soliti sospetti (1995) and American Beauty (1999); Hilary Swank for Boys Don't Cry (1999) and Million Dollar Baby (2004); Christoph Waltz for Bastardi senza gloria (2009) and Django Unchained (2012); and Mahershala Ali for Moonlight (2016) and Green Book (2018).

Shares a birthday with Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Close friends with Asia Argento.

Once owned and drove a Hummer H2.

Was dressed by Zegna for the Academy Awards.

Attended the CatHouse grand opening at the Luxor Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Dec. 29th. (dicembre 2007)

Attended the Hugo Boss: Paris Fashion Week Menswear in Paris, France on June 25th. (giugno 2009)

Attended the 64th Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy on September 3rd. (settembre 2007)

On both of his Best Actor Oscar wins he played a Holocaust survivor: a real life figure in Il pianista (2002) and a fictional character in The Brutalist (2024).

Graduated from the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School in New York, New York.

Attended the BOSS Orange Fashion Party: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin in Berlin, Germany on July 2nd. (luglio 2009)

Haikou, China: Attended the World Celebrity Pro-Am golf tournament. (ottobre 2012)

Attended the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on Sept. 9th. (settembre 2008)