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Adrien Brody Profile |
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Birth Date: April 14, 1973
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Birth Place: New York, New York, USA
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Birth Name: Adrien Brody
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Height: 6'2"
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Biography |
Adrien Brody is an Oscar-winning American actor.
He was born in Woodhaven, Queens, New York (a neighborhood
near Jamaica, Queens) to Elliot Brody (a retired history
professor) and Sylvia Plachy (a photojournalist). Brody's
father is Jewish and his mother, who was born in Hungary,
was raised Catholic, although Brody's maternal grandmother
was also Jewish. Brody attended New York's Fiorello H.
LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
(famously the inspiration for television's Fame). His
parents enrolled him in acting classes to distance him from
the dangerous kids with whom he associated.
In 1992, Brody 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. An avid daredevil,
he has broken his nose several times doing off-the-wall
stunts.
Brody hovered on the brink of stardom, receiving praise for
his roles in Spike Lee's Summer of Sam and Terrence Malick's
The Thin Red Line. He finally received widespread
recognition when he was cast as the lead in Roman Polanski's
The Pianist (2002). The role won him an Academy Award for
Best Actor, the youngest actor ever to win the award. To
prepare for the role, Brody withdrew for months, gave up his
apartment and his car, learned how to play Chopin on the
piano, and lost 13 kg (29 lb).
Throughout his career, Brody has been compared to Al Pacino
and Marlon Brando for his unique looks and method acting. He
is also widely known for giving Halle Berry a back-breaking
kiss after winning his Best Actor Oscar, and as the
spokesman for fashion brand Ermenegildo Zegna.
Brody appeared on Saturday Night Live on May 10, 2003, his
first TV work, but he was banned from the show after giving
an improvised introduction for musical guest Sean Paul (the
show's producer, Lorne Michaels, is infamous for hating
unscripted performances). Other TV appearances include NBC's
The Today Show and on MTV's Punk'd after being tricked by
Ashton Kutcher.
After The Pianist Brody has played three different roles in
three very different movies. He played Noah Percy, a
mentally disabled young man in the movie The Village by M.
Night Shyamalan, shell-shocked war veteran Jack Starks in
The Jacket, and writer Jack Driscoll, in the 2005 King Kong
remake by Peter Jackson. He has also appeared in Diet Coke
commercials. Some critics have argued Brody's choices of
roles do not reflect a sufficient maturity for an Oscar
winner. Brody for his part has said he simply chooses roles
that "look like fun."
He also appeared in Tori Amos' music video for "A Sorta
Fairytale", as man who is only a head and an arm, who meets
Amos as a woman who is only a head and a leg. Each needs the
other to become whole and this is accomplished with a kiss,
like in a fairytale.
On January 5th, 2006, Adrien confirmed speculation that he
is indeed interested and very willing to play the role of
The Joker in 2008's Untitled Batman Begins Sequel. |
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Other Information |
Attended American Academy of Dramatic Arts and LaGuardia
High School for the Performing Arts in New York.
His mother is the Hungarian-born photojournalist Sylvia
Plachy.
Is the only actor to win a Best Actor Oscar when nominated
alongside four previous Oscar winners.
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 "The Pianist".
Has great appreciation for hip-hop. Like Beatnuts, one of
his favorite groups, Brody is also from Queens.
Performed magic shows at children's birthdays as a child, as
'The Amazing Adrien'.
In 2004, Esquire Magazine named him the Best Dressed Man in
America.
Owned and drove a 'Hummer', which is famous in Hollywood for
being Arnold Schwartzenegger's favorite vehicle. It did ten
miles per gallon, and was originally designed for warfare.
Was considered for a role in Pearl Harbor (2001)
Was dressed by Zegna for the Academy Awards.
Is a big hip-hop fan and plans on becoming a producer. He is
being mentored by RZA.
Ranked #21 on VH1's 100 Hottest Hotties.
Has a chihuahua called Ceelo.
His father, Elliot Brody, is a retired history teacher of
Polish-Jewish descent who lost family members in the
Holocaust. His mother Sylvia Plachy, the renown
photographer, fled Communist Hungary as a child during the
1956 revolution against Russia.
Taking acting classes as a youth, by age 13 he had done an
off-Broadway play and a PBS-TV-movie.
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.
To prepare for his title role in "The Pianist," he learned
to play Chopin on the piano and shed 30 pounds off his
already-thin frame. He cut himself off from his real life
and gave up his car and apartment because he felt
responsible to those Polish Jews who had suffered and wanted
to connect with their hurt and despair.
Shares a birthday with Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Admits a shot of his parents in a passionate, back-bending
embrace inspired his famous kiss with Halle Berry at the
Oscars.
Is the only American actor to win a Cesar, the French
equivalent to the Oscar.
Has been compared to Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino for his
unconventional acting skills and unique looks.
Did sessions in an isolation tank, performed prison
exercises, and went on a protein diet for his role in "The
Jacket".
He was furious when his nose was broken during the final
fight in "Summer of Sam", but when he had it fixed, he
didn't change it. That nose is now Brody's most identifying
feature and sets him apart from other actors.
Share a birthday with fellow Academy Award winner Julie
Christie.
Close friends with Asia Argento and Benicio Del Toro.
Grew up in Woodhaven, Queens in New York. |
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