Adrien Broday received widespread recognition and acclaim, when he was cast as the lead, concentration camp survivor Wladyslaw Szpilman, in Roman Polanski’s The Pianist (2002).
To prepare for the role, Brody withdrew for months, gave up his apartment and his car, learned how to play Chopin on the piano; at 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) tall, he lost 30 pounds (14 kg), dropping him to 130 lb (59 kg).
For this role, Brody won the Best Actor Oscar making him, at age 29, the youngest actor ever to win the award.
To date, he is the only male winner under the age of thirty.
My Oscar book, now in its 11th edition.
He also won a César Award (French Oscars) for his performance.
