Adrien Brody on His Super Bowl Advert, Broadway Debut, Timothee Chalamet

Adrien Brody could also be identified for his intense, emotionally heavy performances, however he’s keen to point out he doesn’t take himself too severely.

The Oscar-winning actor — who most lately portrayed the tortured architect László Tóth in “The Brutalist” — pokes enjoyable at his status for brooding roles in a brand new Super Bowl spot for TurboTax. In the 45-second advert, which can air through the Big Game subsequent month, he performs a tax knowledgeable as a satirized model of himself, practising his traces in a trailer (“I can handle that for you!”) with dramatic gravitas.

“I loved the idea of making fun of myself as this very serious dramatic actor, and to play on this concept of me,” Brody tells Variety. While he jumped on the possibility for this comedic position, nevertheless, he’s fast so as to add that “he loves doing dramatic work and has no intention of not doing it.”

His subsequent dramatic position comes within the fall when he makes his Broadway debut in “Fear of 13,” alongside Tessa Thompson. The play, which he initially starred in on the West End, tells the true story of Nick Yarris (Brody), a Pennsylvania native who spends greater than 20 years on loss of life row for a rape and homicide he insists he didn’t commit. Through a collection of jail visits with a volunteer named Jackie (Thompson), Nick shares the impulses and penalties that formed his life. 

Ahead of “Fear of 13” and his Super Bowl advert, Variety caught up with Brody to speak about making his Broadway debut, working with Thompson and what he and Timothée Chalamet talked about throughout their heated Oscars race final yr:

It’s been 15 years since your final Super Bowl advert look. How did you become involved with TurboTax for this spot?

When TurboTax offered this idea to me, I actually laughed out loud. There’s simply so many nice bits and the thought of constructing enjoyable of myself as this very severe dramatic actor who takes on the accountability of taking part in a personality as a TurboTax knowledgeable and assuming that there’s a ton of drama and anguish, however actually the gag is that there’s no drama with TurboTax, and it’s simply actually enjoyable. I like doing dramatic work and don’t have any intention of not doing it however I love to do humorous, comedic work as effectively.

What are your Game Day plans?

I can’t wait to see it and I hope to be within the room with associates when it surprises them. I haven’t informed anyone actually inside my group that I bought this spot coming as a result of really need them to get a kick out of it simply popping up. But hopefully they’re paying consideration and never consuming a slice of pizza or one thing.

In the spot, the director tells you to be much less severe. Have you ever gotten a notice like that on an actual set? 

No, however I don’t often take roles the place much less intense is absolutely the path. Sometimes it’s even, ‘Can you go further in the intensity?’ It’s actually necessary to have the ability to giggle, not solely at your individual qualities however life is filled with complexity and also you bought to search out humor in that. 

You haven’t signed on to your subsequent movie undertaking since ‘The Brutalist’ Are we going to see you in a comedy subsequent? 

Well, positively not. I stay as much as my status. As you most likely know I signed on to do ‘The Fear of 13’ on Broadway. I had been ready to search out one thing that felt deeply difficult and significant. 

What was the method like speaking to Nick Yarris in getting ready on your position in ‘Fear of 13’? 

I carried out a rendition of this on the West End a few yr and a half in the past. I spent numerous time with Nick. He’s had a really difficult life, it’s a narrative of his enduring greater than 20 years on loss of life row. But additionally it speaks to pervasive injustice, and even when we have now programs in place which are there to guard us all, there’s nice tragedy and misuse of it. I discover with the ability to characterize characters which have skilled these hardships, and hopefully assist shed some mild on that, is actually necessary. 

It is each your and Tessa Thompson’s Broadway debut. What was it like working along with her? 

I like Tessa’s work, and she’s simply gonna be nice. And I can’t wait. We each can’t wait. 

We’re within the midst of one other awards season. Last yr, you beat Timothée Chalamet for greatest actor – which was significantly ironic since he would have damaged your document for the youngest winner if he had received. Did you speak to Timothée in any respect throughout that race or after your win? 

Yeah, all of us interacted fairly a bit. I imply it was a stunning time and we have been all very immersed in our work. We all had duties to assist our movies. And it was thrilling. It was a really thrilling time.