Brutalist director Brady Corbet claims actors' "performances are completely their own" in response to the AI controversy

The Brutalist director Brady Corbet addressed AI use after his critically acclaimed movie faced backlash for using artificial intelligence. The controversy started after editor David Jancso revealed to tech magazine Red Shark News on January 11 that they used AI tools from Respeecher to ensure that the Hungarian dialogues of the film's stars Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones sounded authentic. He said at the time:

"We coached [Brody and Jones], and they did a fabulous job but we also wanted to perfect it so that not even locals will spot any difference."

He explained that they were careful about "keeping their performances," and only used the tool to replace a "letter here and there."

However despite his explanation, many on social media criticized the decision to use AI. Corbet defended the AI use in the movie and rallied in support of both Brody and Jones' performances. He said in a press statement, per Entertainment Weekly, on Monday, January 20:

"Adrien and Felicity's performances are completely their own. They worked for months with dialect coach Tanya Marshall to perfect their accents."

Brady Corbet also defended using AI technology in their film, claiming that it was only used in editing and only in the Hungarian language. He further said:

"Innovative Respeecher technology was used in Hungarian language dialogue editing only, specifically to refine certain vowels and letters for accuracy. No English language was changed."

He further explained that their sound team used the AI tools manually in post-production, adding that their purpose was never to replace or alter the actors' performances. He also said that the AI use was done "with the utmost respect for the craft."

---

The Brutalist director Brady Corbet clarified the use of AI in the movie, saying it didn't use AI to create any of the buildings

After defending the performance of the two stars of The Brutalist, Brady Corbet also rallied in support of the film's production designer Judy Becker.

He asserted that the architectural designs seen in the movie were made without the use of AI. Corbet said in his press statement, via Entertainment Weekly:

"Judy Becker and her team did not use AI to create or render any of the buildings. All images were hand-drawn by artists."

He also clarified a particular scene in the film, adding:

"In the memorial video featured in the background of a shot, our editorial team created pictures intentionally designed to look like poor digital renderings circa 1980."

Brady Corbet further noted that creating The Brutalist was "driven by human effort, creativity, and collaboration," and that they are proud of the team and what they have accomplished.

The Brutalist was released in movie theaters on December 20, 2024, in the USA. It has since reaped many awards. At the 2025 Golden Globes, it was awarded the Best Motion Picture, Drama. Brady Corbet and Adrien Brody each received their trophies for Best Director and Best Actor, respectively. It is also nominated in nine categories at 2025 BAFTAs, with the ceremony scheduled for February 16, 2025.