If you’re among those who expect an actor or director’s career to explode after their Oscar wins, then you’ve clearly never heard of the so-called “Oscar curse”. Well, it suggests that after an actor or director takes home the golden statue, some of them witness a major decline in their professional life. And guess what? This is something that’s been bothering Adrien Brody’s fans.
Now that the actor has bagged two Oscars, fans are worried that Adrien Brody might once again drift into indie films, quirky roles, and become almost obscure, like he did after his 2003 Oscar win for The Pianist. People are wondering if Brody will finally reclaim the Hollywood spotlight after winning the award for The Brutalist, or will the Oscar curse strike again.
Adrien Brody drifted out of the spotlight after his first Oscar win
Back in 2003, Adrien Brody made history after becoming the youngest actor ever to win the Best Actor Oscar for his 2002 movie The Pianist—he was 29 back then. Now, following this win, people started expecting great things from the actor and thought this coveted acclaim would launch him into Hollywood superstardom.
But surprisingly, unlike Leonardo DiCaprio or Matthew McConaughey, who used their Oscar wins to secure bigger roles, Adrien Brody took a different path. Instead of chasing global fame, the actor leaned into indie films and unconventional roles, some of which barely scratched the mainstream surface.
It almost seemed like Adrien Brody was casually drifting away from his deserving fame. He sure had some memorable roles—like his SNL hosting gig, King Kong (2005), The Darjeeling Limited (2007)—but nothing seemed to launch him as a blockbuster A-lister. He gradually started disappearing until The Brutalist.
In 2024, after appearing in Brady Corbet’s epic period drama The Brutalist, Adrien Brody once again shot to global stardom, much like The Pianist. He made a major comeback with his role as a visionary architect László Toth and finally clinched his second Oscar. But now, fans are once again left asking if history will repeat itself following his Oscar win.
Fans are curious about Adrien Brody’s career graph after his second win
Winning an Oscar is a big deal. Winning two? That’s rare. But as Adrien Brody bagged his second Academy Award, some fans couldn’t help but feel concerned. While this should have been an exciting moment for fans, they are currently left wondering if Brody’s undeniable talent will get recognition, or will he once again drift into the shadows.
Well, this time, it seems like there’s reason to be hopeful. Unlike in 2003, when superhero and sci-fi franchises were dominating, leaving Hollywood with little space for actors like Adrien Brody—today’s industry thrives on art films and story-driven projects. Further, with the rise of streaming platforms, there’s more room for drama actors and indie projects.
So, if Adrien Brody chooses the right path and takes the correct decisions, he might land a major franchise, an HBO hit, or even dominate the OTT platforms. Now, only time will tell if Brody will finally break free from the so-called Oscar curse, or will we be having this same conversation again in another decade.
The Brutalist and The Pianist are both available on Prime Video.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
