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Adrien Brody made history at the 97th Academy Awards by delivering the longest acceptance speech in Oscars history. The actor, who won Best Actor for his performance in The Brutalist, spoke for an astonishing five minutes and 40 seconds, surpassing the previous record held for over 80 years.
British actress Greer Garson had held the record since 1943 when she gave a five-minute and 30-second speech after winning Best Actress for Mrs. Miniver, as noted by Guinness World Records.
Despite repeatedly assuring the audience that he would be “brief,” Brody went on to exceed his planned remarks by 90 seconds. When the orchestra attempted to play him off, he quickly stopped them.
“Please, turn the music off. I’ve done this before,” Brody said, referencing his 2003 Oscar win for The Pianist. “It’s not my first rodeo, but I will be brief. I will not be egregious, I promise,” he added—before continuing for over a minute.
Adrien Brody had the longest acceptance speech in Oscars history at 5 mins & 40 secs. pic.twitter.com/hPUQQQOJNE
— cinesthetic. (@TheCinesthetic) March 3, 2025
Mixed Reviews for the Oscars Ceremony
The 97th Academy Awards received mostly positive feedback from critics.
Variety called it “successful in more ways than not” and praised host Conan O’Brien for striking the right balance of humor and charm.
The Los Angeles Times found it “generally navigable” but criticized an unnecessary dance tribute to James Bond films.
Indiewire labeled it “one of the best Oscars telecasts in years.”
However, The Hollywood Reporter found the show “unstable” and “uneven.”
Adrien Brody’s Speech Reflects His Film’s Lengthy Runtime
It seems fitting that Brody’s speech would be unusually long, given that The Brutalist—a three-and-a-half-hour drama with an intermission—was the longest of this year’s Best Picture nominees.
In the film, Brody portrays a talented architect haunted by the Holocaust, who immigrates to the U.S. after World War II to start a new life.
Personal Acknowledgments and a Bizarre Moment
During his speech, Brody took time to thank numerous individuals, including his parents, director Brady Corbet, co-stars Guy Pearce and Felicity Jones, and his girlfriend, Georgina Chapman.
One of the night’s most unusual moments came when Brody, mid-stride to the stage, casually spit out his chewing gum and tossed it to Chapman—who effortlessly caught it.
Later, on Live with Kelly and Mark, Brody laughed about the moment:
“I forgot I was chewing gum… I thought, ‘I’ve got to get rid of this somehow!’”
Brody closed his speech with a thought-provoking statement, emphasizing the importance of learning from history, “If the past can teach us anything, it’s a reminder to not let hate go unchecked.”
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