Adrien Brody Breaks Longest Oscars Speech Record

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Adrien Brody, the longest-ever Oscar acceptance speech recipient, did so on Sunday, when the lengthy gala attracted only a small drop in ratings, reaching about 18 million viewers on ABC and Hulu in the US.

Despite making numerous promises to be “brief” during his marathon monologue, “The Brutalist” actor Brody overcame a massive five and a half hours and 40 seconds on stage, breaking a ten-decade-old record.

On March 2, 2025, at the 97th Annual Academy Awards Governors Ball at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, US actor Adrien Brody, who won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for “The Brutalist,” poses with his father Elliot Brody. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP)

The ceremony itself spanned nearly four hours, with the low-budget indie “Anora” winning five Oscars, including best picture.

Greer Garson, the best actress for “Mrs. Miniver” in 1943, had held the record for the longest five-minutes-and-30-second speech, according to the Guinness World Records website.

Following Garson’s speech, the Academy established time limits and the game of “playing off” winners with music. However, Brody had issued a stop order for the orchestra on Sunday.

“Please, stop playing music,” the request. Brody, who won the 2003 Oscar for “The Pianist,” said, “I’ve done this before.

“I won’t be as big of a rodeo as I am,” I said. Brody remarked, “I promise I won’t be egregious,” before moving on for another 90 seconds.

At the 97th Annual Academy Awards held on March 2, 2025, US actor Adrien Brody congratulates US director Brady Corbet (R). (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon/AFP)

Hulu is included in the preliminary 18.1 million US audience figure, which ABC shared on Monday. Some online viewers missed the Oscars’ final prizes after the ceremony went live on streaming for the first time due to technical issues.

This signifies the end of a long-running trend of higher Oscar ratings.

For a gala where Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster “Oppenheimer” won prizes and featured live musical performances from the smash hit “Barbie,” the comparable early ratings figure was 19.5 million.

Oscars received as little as 10.4 million in the Covid-19 pandemic.

Just ten years ago, the Academy Awards telecast had a monthly viewership of 40 million.

On March 2, 2025, during the 97th Annual Academy Awards at the Hollywood, California venue, Adrien Brody, the lead actor for “The Brutalist” leaves the press room. (Frederic J. ‘s photo) AFP/Brown

“Acid and affection”

The show on Sunday night received generally positive reviews.

Conan O’Brien “absolutely rocked his debut at host, walking the perfect line between acid and affection,” according to Variety, who described the 97th Academy Awards as “successful in more ways than one.

Despite being a pointless dance-singing salute to James Bond movies, the Los Angeles Times claimed the show was “generally navigable.”

The Hollywood Reporter called it “unstable” and “uneven,” despite Indiewire calling it “one of the best Oscars telecasts in years.”

The Brutalist, a three and a half hour drama with an intermission, might have benefited from Brody’s extended speech.

Brody portrays a brilliant architect who is haunted by the Holocaust and relocates to the United States to start fresh.

The actor thanked more than a dozen people in his address, including his girlfriend Georgina Chapman, “Brutalist” director Brady Corbet, and Guy Pearce and Felicity Jones, both of whom he co-starred with in his speech.

(L to R) Best Actor in a Leading Role US Actor, Mikey Madison, Best Actress in a Supporting Role US Actor, and Best Actor in a Supporting Role US Actor, Kieran Culkin, pictured in the press room during the 97th Annual Academy Awards held on March 2, 2025 at the Hollywood, California venue. (Frederic J. ‘s photo) AFP/Brown

(L to R) Best Actor in a Leading Role US Actor Mikey Madison, Best Actress in a Supporting Role US Actor Zoe Saldana, and Best Actor in a Supporting Role US Actor Kieran Culkin pose in the audience’s photo booth at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, on March 2, 2025. (Frederic J. ‘s photo) AFP/Brown

Brody paused and chewed gum before giving it to Chapman, who was able to take it out in an odd situation as he approached the stage.

“I forgot I was chewing gum,” I thought, “I have to get rid of this someway!” Later, Brody explained in a “Live with Kelly and Mark” post-victory interview on Monday.

Brody’s speech ended with a more serious note.