Adrien Brody Says That the Physical Changes He Went Through for His Hole in ‘The Pianist’ Led to PTSD and an Eating Disorder

Adrien Brody has opened up about how deeply his role in The Pianist affected him, both physically and emotionally. To play Holocaust survivor Władysław Szpilman in Roman Polanski’s 2002 film, the Oscar-winning actor went to extreme lengths to make his performance as real as possible.

Brody followed a strict diet, losing 30 pounds and dropping to just 129 pounds. By the time filming began, he was barely drinking water. Since the movie was shot in reverse, he had to start by portraying Szpilman at his weakest.

The transformation wasn’t just about looking the part. “It was necessary for the story,” he said, explaining how the experience gave him a new perspective on hunger and emptiness.

But the process took a serious toll on his health. Brody struggled with insomnia, panic attacks, and believes the role caused him to develop PTSD. “I definitely had an eating disorder for at least a year,” he said, joking afterward, “And then I was depressed for a year, if not longer.”

This wasn’t the first time Brody went to extremes for a role. While filming The Jacket, he requested to stay in a straitjacket to better understand his character’s struggles. On the set of Summer of Sam, he was accidentally punched in the face, leaving a permanent dent in his nose.

In Oxygen, where he played a serial killer with braces, Brody chose real metal braces instead of fakes and found out how painful they were when removed with pliers. For Wrecked, he even ate ants and worms to make his performance as a stranded man more believable.

Brody’s dedication has earned him critical praise throughout his career. In his latest film, The Brutalist, he plays László Toth, a Hungarian-Jewish architect and Holocaust survivor who moves to the United States. On December 3, Brody received the Best Actor award from the New York Film Critics’ Circle for his role in the A24 film.

Despite the challenges some roles have brought, Brody’s commitment to his craft continues to define his career.

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