During Brady Corbet’s acceptance speech for his Best Director award for The Brutalist At Sunday’s 2025 Golden Globes, he took a moment to pay tribute to independent writer-director and husband of Aubrey Plaza, Jeff Baena, who died by suicide Friday at the age of 47.
“My heart goes out to Aubrey Plaza and Jeff’s family,” Corbet said at the end of his speech.
Michael Keaton presented the award to Corbet, who this year received his first nomination and first win for the film which was seven years in the making.
“Sincere thanks to the Golden Globes for giving our film greater visibility with such recognition,” Corbet said in his speech. “This is extraordinarily significant for a film like this which, a few months ago, had every chance of thwarting it. I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention that I’m honored to be in such excellent company, with filmmakers I sincerely admire. Hundreds of very dedicated people worked on this film for years before, during and after its making. »
He also paid tribute to three people he lost while making the film: his grandfather, his grandfather’s brother and his friend, producer Kevin Turen. “I wouldn’t be here tonight without their influence.”
Corbet was nominated alongside Jacques Audiard (Emilie Pérez), Sean Baker (Anora), Édouard Berger (Conclave), Coralie Fargeat (The bottom) and Payal Kapadia (Everything we imagine as light). The Brutalist also won Best Drama later in the evening, as well as Best Actor in a Drama for Adrien Brody.
While this year there were two women nominated in this category, so far in Globes history only three women have won Best Director. Barbra Streisand, Chloé Zhao and Jane Campion are the only women to win the award, while Kathryn Bigelow, Ava DuVernay, Regina King, Emerald Fennell, Greta Gerwig and Celine Song received nominations.
Golden Globes producer Dick Clark Productions is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Penske Media Corporation and Eldridge which also owns The Hollywood Reporter.
