Whenever a nominee goes over their acceptance speech duration at the Oscars, the show’s coordinators begin running a particular track to play them off. At this year’s awards, Adrien Brody was the one to take too long. He thanked the various people responsible for making The Brutalist possible, going well over the time limit. And when the music began playing, he was having none of it.
As an actor who's won an Oscar, Brody knew what he was doing; that’s why the veteran stopped the event coordinator in his tracks. Instead of pausing mid-speech to close it out, he proceeded with the following: I’m wrapping up. Please. Please. I will wrap up. Please turn the music off. I’ve done this before. It’s not my first rodeo. I will be brief.
Reasonably speaking, Brody had a right to take as long as he did. However, the one thing that probably didn’t sit well with everyone else was how long he went over his limit. Later reports would reveal that Brody’s acceptance speech was the longest in Oscar history.
Claiming such an accolade is both good and bad. An actor with Brody’s portfolio should be able to speak, at the very least. He’s gone through the strenuous process of making movies for people’s enjoyment, shedding blood, sweat, and tears so that he can get movies like The Jacket made. And they weren't easy. Several scenes in The Jacket required Brody shoot scenes on an icy road with very little clothes on. Even with production nearby, carrying jackets and equipment to warm him afterward, performing in conditions like that would've been extremely strenuous.
So, if Brody feels entitled to a little extra time, he deserves the extension. It’s not like he went to the podium to hold up the event’s progression, purposely intent on stopping everything else from happening. Brody simply wanted to thank those necessary—all the people who made his performance possible. Saying “I’ve done this before,” should’ve reiterated that the actor understands the parameters of how to keep his speech to a minimum. Giving credit to the ones who helped him get there is essential. Those actions require zero justification, because while an actor plays the most important role in a movie, they're not the only one who makes it possible. The rest of the cast, the crew, the producers, the directors, and the makeup and design department, are all integral to the moviemaking process, which supports why Brody's actions at the Oscars were justified.
Do you think he should've stepped down when the music played? Or was Brody right?