The Brutalist cast: All the stars in the Oscar-tipped drama
Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce have all been hugely acclaimed for their roles in Brady Corbet's epic.
Brady Corbet's epic drama The Brutalist has marked itself out as one to watch ever since it opened to glowing reviews at last year's Venice Film Festival – and the hype has only increased in recent days after its impressive showing at the Golden Globe Awards.
The film took home a handful of major awards including Best Film – Drama, which will boost its chances ahead of the upcoming Oscars where it is very much expected to compete for the top prizes.
Corbet's third-film after The Childhood of a Leader and Vox Lux, the film is a masterfully told, emotionally complex tale of a fictional Hungarian-Jewish architect who escapes post-war Europe to seek a new life in America, where he is eventually taken under the wing of an influential industrialist.
The two go on to form an uneasy partnership as the film unfolds over a period of 30 years, with the narrative on everything from the challenges of the immigrant experience in the US to the knotty relationship between art and commerce.
It's a film which boasts several outstanding performances, with Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce and Felicity Jones all excelling.
So, while we wait for its UK release on Friday 24th January, read on for everything you need to know about the cast, including details about their characters and where you might have seen them before.
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
The Brutalist cast: All the stars in the Oscar-tipped drama
You can find the full cast list below – scroll further for more information about the main players.
- Adrien Brody as László Tóth
- Felicity Jones as Erzsébet Tóth
- Guy Pearce as Harrison Lee Van Buren
- Joe Alwyn as Harry Lee Van Buren
- Raffey Cassidy as Zsófia
- Ariane Labed as adult Zsófia
- Stacy Martin as Maggie Van Buren
- Alessandro Nivola as Attila
- Emma Laird as Audrey
- Isaach de Bankolé as Gordon
- Michael Epp as Jim Simpson
- Jonathan Hyde as Leslie Woodrow
- Peter Polycarpou as Michael Hoffman
- Maria Sand as Michelle Hoffman
- Salvatore Sansone as Orazio
Adrien Brody plays László Tóth
Who is László Tóth? A visionary Hungarian-Jewish architect who escapes post-war Europe to seek a new life in America, where he initially struggles before his talent is discovered by wealthy and prominent industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren – leading to an uneasy collaboration.
What else has Adrien Brody been in? Brody is the youngest man ever to win a Best Actor Oscar for his lead role in The Pianist, while other major film credits include The Thin Red Line, The Village, King Kong, Predators, Midnight in Paris, Blonde, and See How They Run.
He is also a Wes Anderson regular, having appeared in The Darjeeling Limited, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The French Dispatch, and Asteroid City while he starred as villain Luca Changretta in the fourth season of Peaky Blinders.
Felicity Jones plays Erzsébet Tóth
Who is Erzsébet Tóth? László's wife, who was separated from her husband during the war and must initially stay in Europe when he leaves for the US, before later joining him.
What else has Felicity Jones been in? Jones is known for her Oscar-nominated turn in The Theory of Everything, playing Jyn Erso in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and roles in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, A Monster Calls, On the Basis of Sex, and The Aeronauts.
Guy Pearce plays Harrison Lee Van Buren
Who is Harrison Lee Van Buren? The wealthy industrialist who spots László's gift and employs him on an ambitious new project after they initially get off on the wrong foot.
What else has Guy Pearce been in? Pearce first became known for his role in Neighbours, while he has since appeared in several major films such as such as The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, LA Confidential, Memento, The Hurt Locker, The King's Speech, Prometheus and Iron Man 3. TV credits include Jack Irish, A Christmas Carol, Mare of Easttown and The Clearing, and A Spy Among Friends.
Joe Alwyn plays Harry Lee Van Buren
Who is Harry Lee Van Buren? Harrison's son, who was responsible for first hiring László to redesign his father's study.
What else has Joe Alwyn been in? Alwyn is known for his work in films such as The Favourite, Mary Queen of Scots and Kinds of Kindness, and TV shows such as Conversations with Friends and Steven Knight's version of A Christmas Carol (as Bob Cratchit).
Raffey Cassidy plays Zsófia
Who is Zsófia? László's niece who stays behind with Erzsébet and who is mute when she first arrives in the US.
What else has Raffey Cassidy been in? Cassidy had a dual role in Brady Corbet's previous film Vox Lux, while other key credits include Tomorrowland, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and White Noise.
Alessandro Nivola plays Attila
Who is Attila? László's friend from Hungary who puts him up when he first arrives in the US and appears to have assimilated well to American life.
What else has Alessandro Nivola been in? Nivola has appeared in several major films since making his big screen debut in Face/Off in 1997, with key credits including Jurassic Park 3, Junebug, American Hustle, A Most Violent Year, The Neon Demon, You Were Never Really Here, The Many Saints of Newark and Amsterdam.
On the small screen he's been seen in Black Narcissus and The Big Cigar while he will have a role in the upcoming third Downton Abbey movie.
Emma Laird plays Audrey
Who is Audrey? Attila's American wife who is introduced to László upon his arrival in America.
What else has Emma Laird been in? Laird is best known for her role as Iris in Mayor of Kingstown and a recurring role in The Crowded Room, while her only previous film credit was in A Haunting in Venice.
Isaach de Bankolé plays Gordon
Who is Gordon? A man whom László befriends in the US before he is introduced to Harrison.
What else has Isaach de Bankolé been in? Previous film credits for de Bankolé include Claire Denis's Chocolat, Casino Royale, Black Panther and several films by Jim Jarmusch. On the small screen, he played President Ule Matobo in six episodes of 24.
Stacy Martin plays Maggie Van Buren
Who is Maggie Van Buren? Harrison's daughter and Harry's twin sister.
What else has Stacy Martin been in? Martin previously starred in Brady Corbert's other film The Childhood Leader and Vox Lux, after breaking through with a role in Lars Von Trier's Nymphomaniac. Other credits include The Night House, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain and TV series The Serpent.
The Brutalist is released in UK cinemas on Friday 24th January 2025.
If you're looking for something to watch tonight, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide or visit our Film hub for all the latest news. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
