“Turn the Music Off!”: Brody’s Epic Speech Stuns the 2025 Academy Awards
Adrien Brody just made history at the 2025 Oscars—and not just for his Best Actor win. The Hollywood veteran shattered a record that had stood for over 80 years by delivering the longest acceptance speech in Academy Awards history. Clocking in at a jaw-dropping 5 minutes and 40 seconds, Brody’s speech surpassed the previous record held by Greer Garson, who spoke for 5 minutes and 30 seconds when she won for Mrs. Miniver in 1943.
And let’s just say… Brody knew he was going long.
When the orchestra dared to cue the “wrap-it-up” music, the Brutalist star wasn’t having it. “Turn the music off!” he declared. “I’ve done this before. Thank you. It’s not my first rodeo, but I will be brief.”
Spoiler alert: He was not brief.
The Speech That Had It All
Brody’s speech covered a lot of ground—social justice, the fragility of an acting career, and even an impassioned plea for unity.
“I’m here once again to represent the lingering traumas, the repercussions of war, of systematic oppression, anti-Semitism, and racism. If the past can teach us anything, it’s a reminder to not let hate go unchecked,” he said, drawing rapturous applause from the audience.
He then got personal about the industry, calling acting “a very fragile profession.”
“It looks very glamorous—and at certain moments, it is—but the one thing I’ve gained, having the privilege to come back here, is perspective. No matter where you are in your career, no matter what you’ve accomplished, it can all go away. What makes this night most special is the awareness of that and the gratitude I have to still do the work I love.”
The Ultimate Power Move
Before his history-making moment even started, Brody set the tone by casually spitting out his chewing gum and tossing it to his partner, fashion designer Georgina Chapman. Because if you’re about to break an 80-year record, why not make it extra memorable?
A Big Night for The Brutalist (and Anora)
Brody won for his portrayal of Hungarian-Jewish architect László Tóth in The Brutalist, edging out fellow nominees Timothée Chalamet, Sebastian Stan, Colman Domingo, and Ralph Fiennes.
While Anora dominated the night, The Brutalist still managed to scoop up Best Original Score and Best Cinematography.
Other big winners included:
- Mikey Madison (Anora) – Best Actress
- Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain) – Best Supporting Actor
- Zoë Saldaña (Emilia Pérez) – Best Supporting Actress, making history as the first American of Dominican origin to win an Oscar
- Sean Baker (Anora) – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing
History Made, and a Lesson Learned?
By the time Brody wrapped up his epic monologue with a heartfelt “Okay, I’ll get out of here, I love you, I appreciate you all. Let’s fight for what’s right, keep smiling, keep loving one another, let’s rebuild together,” you could practically hear Greer Garson’s ghost whispering, “Took you long enough.”
So, what did we learn from all this? Never tell Adrien Brody to wrap it up.
And for anyone attending next year’s Oscars—maybe bring a snack.
