Adrien Brody on Finding Growth in His Broadway Debut, The Fear of 13: 'It's Reminded Me How Precarious Life Is'

Adrien Brody may have two Oscars under his belt, but he admits to being "quite apprehensive" about returning to the stage for the first time since he was a young boy. "It's a vastly different process from my normal routine of doing my work," he tells The Broadway Show host Tamsen Fadal of making his Broadway debut in The Fear of 13. "Movies aren't easy, but you have a lot at your disposal to assist when things don't flow. I think the joy and pain of doing theater is your own physical, emotional, intellectual being has to carry the responsibility of remaining present and editing; being aware of timing, humor, depth, relationships with the other characters, pacing of the play. You have to carry that responsibility night after night and be present in the shoes of the person you're playing."

This responsibility is heightened enormously in Brody's case. Not only does he play a real person, Nick Yarris, but more often than not, Yarris himself is watching from the balcony as Brody recounts the excruciating, intimate story of injustice. "I'm sure it must be very hard, no matter how many times you've dissected your own circumstances, to hear it and have it be invoked; to have someone channeling you to channel aspects of your youth and of mistakes, of loss and longing and love, and all of these things that are deeply personal that you've been brave enough to share," Brody acknowledges. "But it is quite wonderful having him as a beacon. There are elements of the play and moments that I will address towards him."

Since premiering the play in London in 2024, Brody has spent a significant amount of time with the man he embodies on stage. "In spite of all of these horrific circumstances in his life, he has this remarkable quality of someone who's very conscious of the value of time and the preciousness of every moment," Brody adds of Yarris. "We could all learn from that, because he has perspective that we don't have."

Another person Brody has partnered with from the start is playwright Lindsey Ferrentino, whose script is what convinced him to tackle theater. "I was so moved by it that I couldn't read it without crying—weeping," he recalls. "It touched me on many levels. It's beautifully written, and there's a lot of joy within it as well. Nick's story is so complex and tragic and yet full of hope and redemption. How eloquently Lindsey portrayed this nuanced journey of telling Nick's life really spoke to me."

While it's exhausting work, it's also exhilarating. The experience has inspired Brody, and the lessons he's learned stay with him long after the lights come up. "To find a play like this to speak to me has provided tremendous personal growth in an artistic way, and maybe even as a man, reminded of how precarious life is. That's what you want. So when you have those moments in life, you really have to harness the joy of that and the rarity."

He shouts out the production's "lovely cast," calling his co-star Tessa Thompson "amazing" and adding, "To have someone to connect with and listen to, that you really enjoy listening to and watching their work unfold, is quite helpful." Brody has also been welcomed with open arms by the Broadway community at large, a group he's long admired for their devotion and connection to audiences. "I really do cherish this. Broadway has always been a dream in a sense, as a young actor, and to finally be at a place in my life where I am able to do it, I'm really grateful for that."

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