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The Brutalist is a 2024 period drama directed by Brady Corbet, featuring Adrien Brody as the lead. The film premiered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on September 1, 2024, and won the Silver Lion for Best Direction.
It tells the story of László Tóth, a Holocaust survivor and Hungarian-Jewish architect, who immigrates to the United States. The movie was released in the U.S. by A24 on December 20, 2024, and will be released in the U.K. on January 24, 2025.
The question of whether AI was used to enhance Adrien Brody’s Hungarian accent in The Brutalist has sparked significant debate. According to the film’s editor, Dávid Jancsó, AI technology was indeed used sparingly to refine certain sounds in Brody’s Hungarian dialogue.
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Jancsó stated in an interview with Red Shark News on January 11, 2025, about using AI technology,
“It’s mainly just replacing letters here and there. You can do this in ProTools yourself, but we had so much dialogue in Hungarian that we really needed to speed up the process otherwise we’d still be in post.”
Despite Brody’s Hungarian heritage and extensive dialect coaching, achieving a flawless accent posed challenges. AI intervention was limited to specific moments, preserving the actor’s authentic performance while ensuring linguistic accuracy.
Adrien Brody portrays László Tóth, a character that draws inspiration from numerous real-life architects. In his portrayal, Tóth's artistic vision, resilience, and struggles are all vividly captured. The utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance his accent has prompted ethical debates regarding the role of technology in performance art.
AI technology was used to enhance Adrien Brody’s Hungarian accent in The Brutalist
Adrien Brody’s portrayal of László Tóth in The Brutalist required him to speak Hungarian, a language known for its complexity. Brody, who has Hungarian roots, dedicated significant time to mastering the accent.
However, even with extensive coaching and efforts, certain sounds in Hungarian proved challenging. To address these nuances, the filmmakers employed AI tools like Respeecher. On January 11, 2025, Red Shark News interviewed editor Dávid Jancsó about how and why the film's team used AI. David stated:
“I am a native Hungarian speaker and I know that it is one of the most difficult languages to learn to pronounce.”
He further added:
"We first tried to ADR these harder elements with the actors. Then we tried to ADR them completely with other actors but that just didn’t work. So we looked for other options of how to enhance it.”
The team was able to refine Brody's accent by making minor adjustments to specific sounds and words in his dialogue using Respeecher. Dávid Jancsó, the editor, clarified that AI was employed sparingly, with the exception of a two-minute segment in which Brody's character reads a letter in Hungarian.
The Brutalist AI: Enhancing artistry or raising ethical questions?
The use of AI in The Brutalist raises questions about its role in preserving authenticity in cinema. The film’s editor defended the decision, emphasizing that AI was a practical solution to address language-specific challenges. Dávid stated:
"Most of their Hungarian dialogue has a part of me talking in there. We were very careful about keeping their performances".
Hungarian, as noted by Jancsó, is particularly difficult for non-native speakers due to its unique phonetics and grammar. Jancsó also defended the discussion of A.I. in general.
"It is controversial in the industry to talk about AI, but it shouldn’t be.”
He further said:
"We should be having a very open discussion about what tools AI can provide us with. There’s nothing in the film using AI that hasn’t been done before. It just makes the process a lot faster. We use AI to create these tiny little details that we didn’t have the money or the time to shoot.”
Both critics and audiences have given their thoughts. Some say that using AI takes away from the actor's work, while others say it makes the film more artistic as a whole.
The Brutalist shows how technology can enhance human creativity without taking away from it by focusing on small details. As filmmakers look into how AI and storytelling can work together, this debate will continue to change.
Everything to know about The Brutalist
The Brutalist explores themes of resilience, ambition, and identity through the life of László Tóth. Brody’s character immigrates to the U.S. after surviving the Holocaust, facing challenges in achieving the American Dream. His journey intertwines with the ambitions of a wealthy industrialist, leading to profound personal and professional transformations.
The film’s production was complex, involving international collaborations. It was shot in multiple languages, including Hungarian, English, and Yiddish. Detailed costume designs, set pieces, and a compelling score by Daniel Blumberg complemented director Brady Corbet’s vision.
Adrien Brody’s performance has been widely praised, adding depth to a character shaped by historical and personal struggles.
What is Artificial Intelligence?
AI allows machines to perform cognitive tasks by simulating human intelligence. Data and algorithms allow AI systems to learn, reason, and adapt. The finance, healthcare, and entertainment industries use them extensively.
In filmmaking, Artificial Intelligence is employed for tasks like voice modulation, visual effects, and editing. Tools such as Respeecher allow filmmakers to enhance dialogue or correct linguistic inaccuracies without reshooting scenes.
While AI offers efficiency, it also raises ethical concerns about authenticity and artistic integrity. As technology advances, balancing innovation with ethical practices remains a challenge.
Read More: The Brutalist ending explained: What happens to Harrison after Erzsébet confronts him?
Other cast members of The Brutalist
Alongside Adrien Brody, the film features:
- Felicity Jones as Erzsbét Tóth, László’s wife
- Guy Pearce as Harrison Lee Van Buren, a wealthy industrialist
- Joe Alwyn as Harry Lee Van Buren, Harrison’s son
- Raffey Cassidy as Zsófia, László’s niece
- Isaach de Bankolé as Gordon, László’s friend
- Emma Laird as Audrey, Attila’s wife
- Stacy Martin as Maggie Van Buren, Harrison’s daughter
Stay tuned for more news and updates on The Brutalist and similar projects as the year progresses.
