'Limited' Engagement: Q&A With Adrien Brody

By Kevin Polowy

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Adrien Brody became an instant A-lister when he shocked Jack Nicholson, Daniel Day-Lewis and the rest of the world by winning Best Actor at the 2003 Academy Awards, then capitalizing on the moment by locking lips with presenter Halle Berry. But the Queens, New York, native has neither suffered the effects of the infamous post-Oscar curse nor flourished with $25 million paychecks. Instead he's balanced major (if not leading) roles in high-profile projects like 'The Village' and 'King Kong' with the sort of edgier or artier films ('The Jacket,' 'Hollywoodland') he was making for more than a decade before his Oscar triumph for 'The Pianist.' His latest film, 'The Darjeeling Limited,' about three brothers (Brody, Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman) attempting to bond across Indian railways, falls somewhere in between. It's a high-profile arthouse film from the writer-director behind 'Rushmore' and 'The Royal Tenenbaums,' and Brody appears perfectly suited for the auteur's famously quirky sensibilities. Moviefone chatted with the star about adventures in 'Darjeeling' and more.

Moviefone: So how is it being the new guy in the wacky world of Wes Anderson?
Adrien Brody: It's pretty great. It's exciting. I'm really honored because I'm a big fan of Wes' work. I've been looking to find a comedy with something that has some depth to it, something that's not just entertainment but will allow me to just be broader and have a chance to play a more out-there character. [And have] less of the responsibility of something like 'The Pianist.' So this was that. This was exactly what I was looking for.

MF: What's your impression of Wes as a filmmaker?
AB: Well, I love his work. And this film was probably one of the most original films I've seen. It's touching but it's really funny and strange. You can identify with all the odd qualities in the movie, the characters' qualities. They don't feel that abnormal. He does that very well. He creates these kinds of characters who aren't cool but end up being very cool and endearing in a way.

MF: Do you have a personal favorite of his previous films?
AB: 'The Royal Tenenbaums' is my favorite, and this is probably there neck-and-neck. I love that movie. I would watch it anytime. I think this is an amazing movie, too. I'm really happy to be a part of it. When I saw it, I was really blown away by it. Not only is it a great film, but I think it really represents India and our experience in India as individuals very well. It's such an amazing place. People are so full of life and all your senses are constantly being overwhelmed. You have to be very Zen there. You really do. You have to just roll with things. Otherwise, it just doesn't work because you can't resist it.

MF: Was this your first time in India?
AB: I went the year prior to doing this movie, and I don't know if it was me being in a more open state of mind or not but this trip affected me in a much more positive way. There is a lot of poverty and tragedy there and that may have been too hard on me initially. I couldn't see as much of the beauty. I was too overwhelmed with that. In this last trip, I really saw how open people were. I connected more on a spiritual level. The first time, I resisted more. So maybe it takes a few trips.

MF: Did you have any strange experiences or comic misadventures of your own?
AB: Yeah, I bought a motorcycle and I was there with my girlfriend and we were riding around a lot. I was passing a took-took, one of those little rickshaws, so I moved to the side, and there was a cow there. I jammed on the breaks and we skidded and I almost went head first into the rear end of this cow [laughs]. I was laughing as I almost died because it was so absurd to me. I was thinking, 'This is going to be the way I'm going to be remembered.' All the hard work down the drain and this is it. I saw the headline instantly.

MF: Do you get recognized over there?
AB: It's funny. I didn't get recognized for most of the time we were there. And about two weeks before we left, 'King Kong' aired on TV ... It had been like, 'Yes, I'm completely anonymous.' It was really funny, actually. Then it played on TV and suddenly I was the guy in 'King Kong.'

MF: Do you consider yourself a comic actor or did you find it very challenging to go headfirst into this sort of role in 'Darjeeling'?
AB: It's different. It's all challenging. Acting is difficult. It looks easy. That's why so many people want to be actors. It may be easy for some people, but it's not easy for me. It's something that I love and there are different things involved with comedy that I really appreciate and I think it's important that I mix it up for myself. Although I'm attracted to very dramatic material, it weighs me down. A lot. It lingers with me longer. You can only do that so often without it affecting you. So I think with comedy I can let go more easily and it's fun. When it's flowing, its one of the most fun things. You are really trying not to laugh because the damn situation is so ridiculous and so funny, but you gotta be inside the joke. You can't react to the joke. And when you shoot with Wes, most of the shots are on moving masters, so it's all done on one take. So if Owen says something hilarious, I gotta respond. And if he thinks I said something funny, neither of us can react that way. We have to keep it together.

MF: Did you guys do anything to establish that brotherly dynamic?
AB: We beat each other up off camera. He had his damn cane so he had the upper hand. He would whack me in the foot with his cane if we started. But I was pretty mischievous. I gave him a hot seat with a lighter, so he took the cane to my foot. And then we had to shoot the scene and act like that never happened.

MF: Have you talked to Owen? Is he doing okay?
AB: Yeah, I saw him. He's great. He's doing good.

MF: How do you feel winning an Oscar has affected your career?
AB: Well, it has definitely affected it in a positive way. There are just more opportunities. I think it's easier for people to cast me in a movie. I do a lot of independent movies still. The Oscar made me famous. Being an actor for 17 years didn't make me famous. I mean it made me known within the filmmaking community and among people who appreciate smaller movies but in general, I wasn't famous. I didn't live a life that felt famous. And that single moment affected my life profoundly. It's great and difficult but the more options you have, the better you can find material that is new and exciting. It doesn't mean that there's much more brilliant material available, but it means that if the other famous guys or more-famous guys pass, I get a shot at that before it goes down the ranks, which is the case for most working actors. Unless they are really looking for someone anonymous, they will always try and go with someone who has established themselves to either better sell the film or get investors' confidence. So it's been a big help. I'm really grateful that I received the recognition that I got for that movie because it was the one. It was the most profound experience I've had and a lot of actors don't quite get [that chance].

MF: You get a lot of props for still seeking out smaller movies.
AB: It was very important for me to not change in general. I think the big feedback I got from everyone was, "Don't change." It was something that I was scared of. Along with all of those opportunities, there are opportunities to become incredibly corrupt, easily. I don't come from a wealthy background and I didn't know what would present itself to me. But it became very clear to me early on that I knew what made me happy. I still am very much satisfied in finding material that moves me and will be a journey that I want to take. I'm also lucky that I had a chance to know what I wanted from my career, I had opportunities to find material and to work with really great, creative people, wonderful directors and actors who I admired before the fame kicked in. I'd like to be acting for a long time and maybe do other things but at least not burn myself out or burn other people out on my work. So I think it's important to keep it real.