In The Pianist, which actor played Polish-Jewish pianist Władysław Szpilman?

Adrien Brody played Władysław Szpilman in The Pianist.

Roman Polanski’s 2002 film adapts Szpilman’s memoir about surviving the Holocaust in German-occupied Warsaw. Brody portrays Szpilman from his career as a celebrated pianist through the destruction of the Warsaw Jewish community and his years in hiding.

Brody’s performance earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor at the 2003 ceremony. At age 29, he became the youngest winner in that category at the time. He also prepared for the role by learning piano music and losing significant weight.

The film is sometimes confused with a documentary account because it is based on a real person’s memoir, but it is a dramatic feature film. Szpilman himself survived the war and later worked as a composer and pianist in Poland.