The original cast ofThe Brutalist, initially announced way back in 2020, was made up of very different actors — and it would’ve made for a very different movie.Director Brady Corbetbegan developingThe Brutalistas his next project after his previous movie,Vox Lux, was released in 2018. But it took a really long time for the film to come together. Since it’s a slow-paced three-and-a-half-hour Holocaust drama with an intermission (in other words, not mainstream commercial entertainment),The Brutalistwas a risky investment for studios and producers, so it was tough for Corbet to get the financing together.
The risk ended up paying off, sinceThe Brutalistultimately made a sizable profit at the box office and scored 10 Oscar nominations.Adrien Brody won Best Actorfor his portrayal of visionary architect László Tóth. But László was almost played by someone else entirely. Over the course of its six-year development,The Brutalist’s castchanged drastically. All the actors who were initially lined up for the film ended up dropping out and being replaced. If Corbet had stuck with his original cast,The Brutalistwould’ve been a radically different film.
The Brutalist Originally Was Going To Star Joel Edgerton, Marion Cotillard, Sebastian Stan, & More
The Brutalist Set Its First Cast In 2020
An oldDeadlinereport from June 09, 2025, announced a very different cast forThe Brutalist.This original line-up had Joel Edgerton playing the lead role of László, which ended up going to Brody. Marion Cotillard would’ve played his wife, Erzsébet, who was later played by Felicity Jones, andMark Rylance would’ve played wealthy industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren, who was later played by Guy Pearce. The report also claims that Sebastian Stan and Vanessa Kirby would’ve joined the cast in undisclosed roles, presumably taking Joe Alwyn and Stacy Martin’s roles as Harrison’s son and daughter.
The Brutalist True Story: The Very Different Real Laszlo Toth & The Movie’s Actual Inspirations
While The Brutalist may not be a biopic, there is still a lot of history behind the film. From vandalism to architecture, The Brutalist was inspired.
This original casting announcement includes a couple of the actors who would appear in the final movie, like Raffey Cassidy as László’s orphaned niece Zsófia and Alessandro Nivola as his cousin Attila. It even mentioned Martin, who may have been given a smaller role to begin with before being promoted when Kirby’s casting fell through. Most of the original actors ended up being replaced. Coincidentally, after dropping out ofThe Brutalist,Stan wound up competing with Brody in the Best Actor categorywith his turn as young Donald Trump inThe Apprentice.
Why The Brutalist’s Cast Changed So Drastically
The Exact Reason Why Hasn’t Been Confirmed
The exact reason whyThe Brutalistlost all its stars and had to recast its main roles hasn’t been confirmed. The original cast was announced in 2020, then there was no news about the film untilthe new cast was announced in 2023. All that we know for sure is that, by the time the movie started shooting, all the stars that were initially announced were no longer attached to the project. Based on speculation alone, there are a few possible explanations for why Edgerton, Cotillard, and co. dropped out ofThe Brutalist.
Pay was probably a major factor, since The Brutalist was made on a slim budget and stars like Cotillard and Rylance can command a significant payday.
Pay was probably a major factor, sinceThe Brutalistwas made on a slim budgetand stars like Cotillard and Rylance can command a significant payday. By the time the financing was secure enough to set a definitive shoot date,Corbet likely had to compromise for a smaller figure and could no longer afford his first-pick actors. If Kirby is being offered scale forThe Brutalistand millions forMission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, the choice is pretty easy.A movie likeThe Brutalistoften requires actors to take a pay cut for the sake of the art.
Why The Brutalist Recast Zsófia Twice For The Final Scene
Raffey Cassidy, who plays Zsófia in The Brutalist, plays a different character at the end of the movie, while her character is played by a new actor.
Scheduling was probably a big issue, too. The initialDeadlinereport claimed that filming was due to begin in January 2021. The original actors will have carved out time in their schedules to make the shoot at that time. But due to various behind-the-scenes setbacks,production onThe Brutalistwas delayed by more than two years, and the cameras didn’t start rolling until March 2023. By then, the actors had signed on to other projects and might not have been able to make it. Stan has long-term commitments to Marvel that have to be met.
The Brutalist Would’ve Been Completely Different If The Original Cast Stayed
Edgerton Was Totally Wrong For László
IfThe Brutalisthad been able to keep its original cast, then it would’ve been a completely different movie. Edgerton is a really fine actor who’s given some brilliantly nuanced and understated performances, so he’d be capable of carrying a movie with the scope and depth ofThe Brutalist, but he’s totally wrong for the role of László.Brody shares László’s Hungarian and Jewish heritage, but Edgerton is of Dutch descent. Brody has an old-school movie-star style that fits perfectly with the old-timey feel ofThe Brutalist; Edgerton is a great actor, but his style is too modern.
Brody has an old-school movie-star style that fits perfectly with the old-timey feel of The Brutalist; Edgerton is a great actor, but his style is too modern.
Rylance played a creep inBones and All, so he could’ve captured Harrison’s sinister side towardthe end ofThe Brutalist, but he might not have had the bravado to play Harrison’s rich-guy arrogance as effectively as Pearce did. Harry is supposed to be young and green, trying to copy his dad, soStan might’ve been too old to pull it off as well as Alwyn. Cotillard could’ve been a terrific Erzsébet — she’s a native European, an Oscar winner, and a subtle dramatic performer — but Jones ended up being unforgettable in that role.
After Seeing The Brutalist, I Can’t Imagine The Cast Being Any Different
The Brutalist Ended Up With The Right Actors
The original cast ofThe Brutalistcould’ve been solid — they’re all great actors with a proven track record of powerful performances — but the version of the cast we got in the final film is perfect. After being entranced by their performances for a whopping three-and-a-half hours, I can’t imagine anyone else playing those roles as well. Brody is László, Jones is Erzsébet, and Pearce is Harrison.
The Brutalistis dedicated to the memory of Scott Walker, who scored Brady Corbet’s previous movies and passed away in 2019.
When it comes to casting a movie,getting the relationships right is just as important as getting the individual characters right. They don’t just have to find the right actor for each role; those actors need to share on-screen chemistry. Who knows if Edgerton and Rylance would’ve shared the same spot-on mix of mutual respect and mutual resentment that Brody and Pearce brought to László and Harrison? It would’ve been interesting to see howThe Brutalistwould turn out with its original cast, but the right actors ended up playing these roles.
