Richard Brody Presents the 2026 Brody Awards

0:02This is the New Yorker Radio Hour, a co-production of WNYC Studios and The New Yorker.

0:14I'm David Remnick and you're listening to the New Yorker Radio Hour. Now, this program doesn't have many rituals, but here's one that we observe every year, the Brody Awards. When Oscars night is around the corner, I sit down with two of our illustrious critics to discuss the year in movies. The ones that didn't get enough credit, according to them, or maybe the ones that got a little too much. And maybe not to mention the films that you should see and you might have missed so far. I'm joined by New Yorker staff writer and co-host of our podcast, Critics at Large, Alexandra Schwartz. Alex, how are you?

0:46Hello. And one of the New Yorker's film critics, Richard Brody. Hello, David. Hello, Alex. When we've done this in the past, Richard, your picks for the year's best movies, usually, let's just say they wildly differ from what we usually see from the Academy. But this year, I don't know what's happening. Either you've gotten more conservative or somehow the Academy has finally caught up to you. What's going on here? Yeah, I think that the Academy has gotten better and the movies have gotten better. On the one hand, ever since the Oscar So White campaign that was launched in, I think, 2015 by April Rain, The Academy has responded by greatly increasing its membership, diversifying its membership, internationalizing its membership, and the result is, by and large, better nominations.

1:30And also the Academy told everybody that they've got to actually watch the movies. They have to watch all five films in each category. And no student does all the homework. That means that they have to press play and watch to the end, but they can eat their dinner while they're, unless their eyeballs are being monitored. Why would they do that? to be able to vote on the film. The joy of participation. That's it? It's like soccer? Well, or probably more to the point, this is why things like Oscar campaigns actually have traction, because if you need a shortcut or if pressure works on you, then okay, you know who you're going to vote for.

2:05You may not have to see everything in contention. I would imagine. I'm crushed. I, of course, am not a member of the Academy myself. And Richard, there's a new category this year, casting. A very good category, although I think it's a slight misnomer. I think that actually what it really means is best ensemble cast. On the other hand, I'm very happy that casting directors are in fact being named and honored. But by and large, this is something that's been missing for many years. Why was it missing and why did somebody suddenly have this revelation to do it? Well, I think that first of all, there are many movies which are dominated not by one or two main roles, but by an ensemble.

2:47and those ensembles are put together by a very skilled person. There are many people whose work goes into making films who deserve to be acknowledged. Now, according to a new deal with YouTube, in a few years, the Oscars are going to be streamed online by YouTube and not by ABC. Is that going to affect things at all, you think, Alex? I mean, I think it's probably for the best. This just reflects the reality of how most people consume television or big programming. You know, you're not... I'm a cord cutter. I cut my cord so long ago, I don't even remember what it was. So I think they're meeting the people where they are.

3:25Yeah, yeah. Exactly, especially younger people where they are and people around the world where they are because the Oscars are an international event, but American broadcast television is not. Now, let's get to our awards now. The hell with the Academy. Let's get to the Brodies. These are the awards we've all been waiting for. Alex Schwartz is here with the official Brody envelopes. Let me see those envelopes. Russell, Russell, Russell. I believe you. Now, to be clear, these nominations and awards aren't chosen by any august voting body. It's just all one person, Richard Brody. So we're going to start, Alex, with Best Actor.

4:00Who was nominated? And the nominees for the Brody Award for Best Actor are Timothy Chalamet for Marty Supreme, Michael B. Jordan for Sinners, Wagner Moura for The Secret Agent, Josh O 'Connor for The Mastermind and Denzel Washington for Highest to Lowest. And Richard, the winner is? The winner is Michael B. Jordan and Michael B. Jordan in the dual role of Smoke and Stack in Sinners. This was a very hard choice because I find hard. Really hard. I find all five actors brilliant in different ways. But one of the things that really struck me about Jordan's performance in Sinners is that although he's playing two vibrant roles in a, or it's really an action film, there's an extraordinary intimacy to his performance.

4:48It's almost as if he seems to be whispering his role throughout, that he's, instead of pushing outward, he's drawing viewers in. Look at that, Scott. That's a mighty fine day to be free, ain't it? Our own juke joint. For us and by us, just like we always wanted.

5:13Only chance we got if we split up. Well, who gonna watch the truck when I'm in there talking to the child? Let them see as you. We've been gone a long time, Stat. Seven years ain't long enough to forget about us. Who is your close second? Wagner Mora. Wagner Mora of The Secret Agent. I agree. I love that movie. Yeah, it's a great movie. And it's a very elusive role because he's actually playing a multiple role, too. He's playing a character who's in hiding. Alex, did you have a winner? I like the Timothy of Marty Supreme. I actually think he's going to take the Oscar. Certainly the momentum is with him.

5:46Is it? I kind of think it is after the Golden Globes. What do you think, Richard? Yeah, I think the same thing. Yeah, we may be surprised, but I'm happy for the Brodies' win because I think Michael B. Jordan gives a fantastic dual performance with very subtle distinctions between these two twin brothers.

6:07The New Yorker's Alexandra Schwartz will continue in a moment.

6:20The New Yorker Radio Hour is supported by Goldfish Swim School, a premier parent-trusted learn-to-swim brand designed intentionally for both kids and parents with a focus on confidence, safety, and progress, not just swim skills. One thing experts and parents tend to agree on is that learning to swim isn't just about strokes. It's about confidence, safety, and consistency. Goldfish Swim School takes a really thoughtful approach to swim lessons, combining research-based teaching with a warm, kid-friendly environment that actually helps kids thrive in the water. If you're ready to take the next step, Goldfish Swim School has a special offer just for listeners.

6:57Wave membership and your first lesson free of participating locations. Head to goldfishswimschool.com slash free. Find your local school and use promo code free to enroll. It's an easy way to get started with lessons that focus on safety, confidence, and real progress in the water.

7:17The headlines never stop and it's harder than ever to tell what's real, what matters, and what's just noise. That's where Pod Save America comes in. I'm Tommy Vitor, and every week I'm joined by fellow former Obama aides Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, and Dan Pfeiffer to break down the biggest stories, unpack what they mean for the future of our democracy, and add just enough humor to stay sane along the way. You'll also hear honest, in-depth conversations with big voices in politics, media, and culture like Rachel Maddow, Gavin Newsom, and Mark Cuban that you won't find anywhere else. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday with deep dives every other weekend.

7:47Listen wherever you get your podcasts, watch on YouTube, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts for ad-free episodes.

8:00Okay, let's move to the next category. All right. The Brody nominees for Best Actress are Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You, Susan Chardy for On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, Callie Hernandez for Invention, Dakota Johnson for Materialist. We're going to come back to that. And Tessa Thompson for Hedda. And the Brody goes too. It goes to Tessa Thompson for Hedda. Aha. You can write your books with them and teach with them at the university and you might even be able to get jobs alongside them. But they'll never really respect you if they think you can't do it like the boys do. Hedda, please. You saw Greenwood's face earlier when you asked for a soft drink, like a soft woman.

8:41What did you see? Condemned. People didn't see Hedda, unfortunately. It was released by Amazon. It spent very little time in theaters and I think that that counts seriously against it in the Academy. So who's probably going to get it? Rose Byrne. Rose Byrne, probably. It's a very good performance. Richard, Dakota Johnson has not been universally adored for her performance in Materialist, and I'm putting this case lightly. On the movie. What made her a standout performer for you? I'm very surprised to see her on this list. Oh, I like Dakota Johnson as a performer in general. I think she is a dialectical actress.

9:16I think she has an exquisite way with dialogue and that materialists gives her a great deal of dialogue of a very practical nature to spin on the end of her finger like a basketball. Oh, my God. She's going to treasure that. Now, for our third category, here are the nominees for The Best Director Brody. Wes Anderson for The Phoenician Scheme. Ryan Coogler for Sinners. Kleber Mendonca Filio for The Secret Agent. Kelly Reichardt for The Mastermind. and Josh Safdie for Marty Supreme. And Richard, the Brody goes to? It goes to Kelly Reichert for The Mastermind. I love this movie too! And it's an odd thing to say because, by definition, the best movie of the year is directed by the best director, Ryan Coogler, for Sinners.

10:01But I wanted to divide things up a little bit here because I wanted to look at direction in a kind of classical, artisanal way. The Mastermind is a really dramatic movie, but it's kind of small scale. It has very long takes with very careful physicality. It's a heist movie set in 1970 starring Josh O 'Connor as an unemployed cabinetmaker who decides to break with his bourgeois life and become an art thief. The pain has come off the wall, go into the cases, go down to the waiting card. But it will be interesting to me if Ryan Coogler wins, in part because he insisted and got total creative control in Sinners.

10:42And he really pushed the studios in a direction that, you know, we all know they are not comfortable being pushed, where he got final cut and he got to retain ownership over Sinner. So that would be an interesting win. I should say Jelani Cobb had a terrific interview with Kugler on this program when that film came out. This is actually one of the reasons why Hollywood films are so good right now. I think one of the positive effects of Barbenheimer is that studios have come to realize that one way of actually doing well, both with money and with awards, is to give good directors a great deal of freedom.

11:15So, I'll make no secret, I love The Secret Agent. I thought that was the best movie I saw this year, and I know you guys both liked it as well. Does the director of a foreign film, or does a foreign film, ever take the big awards? Parasite. Parasite. But that was a complete outlier, right? And remember, Life is Beautiful from the 90s. There was the whole Roberto Benigni jumping on chairs moment. That was a mistake. Well, it was the 90s. A lot then was a mistake. All right. Let's move on to the Big Big Award, the Best Picture. Alex, who are the Brody nominees for Best Picture? The Brody nominees are Afternoons of Solitude, Hedda, Highest to Lowest, Marty Supreme, The Mastermind, Misericordia, One Battle After Another, and Sinners.

12:07And the Brody goes to? It goes to Sinners, one of the most comprehensively imaginative films that I've seen in a long time. Thrilling, I mean, visually, emotionally, historically exciting. it starts out like a historical drama with a great deal of detail including practical material detail about life under Jim Crow in Mississippi in 1932 it veers into becoming a vampire film but as a vampire film it isn't just a vampire film it's vampires as metaphor and the metaphor is a brilliant metaphor for cultural appropriation for the way that white artists will go down south both literally and metaphorically take over the blues and turn them into something of their own, along with whatever devastating effect they may have on the artists themselves.

12:56Richard, you know, one battle after another, did that film not do it for you? I read your review. I think you liked it, but you didn't think it rose to the level? It's in my top 10. I mean, I think it's a very good movie. I think its tone is all over the place. For instance, I happen to love Leonardo DiCaprio as an actor, but I think that his performance is completely out of tune, just discordant with the movie, that it's a comic performance, just like Sean Penn's. I think he's a brilliant actor, but I think that he's completely misdirected. One of the... It's the ensemble cast that's so good, actually.

13:31And Benicio del Toro, especially. I think Benicio del Toro gives that movie its moral and tonal essence. But, I mean, one of the things about talking about acting is that I actually think it's very much talking about directing, because the actors don't simply present themselves as they see fit. I don't think Leonardo DiCaprio had necessarily the idea to perform like that. This was the tone that Paul Thomas Anderson brought to the film. And I think it was a mistake. Is there a Schwartz this year, Alex? Ooh, a Schwartz. How exciting. After a dozen years, I've been elevated. Yeah. Ooh, what would I do?

14:08You know, I have said, I guess I have to stand by it. I also love Sinners, and I very much enjoyed Margie Supreme. The Mastermind might have been my favorite movie last year. You know what I loved? And it really surprised me. I loved the kind of the you think it's going to be a very small bore kind of movie. It takes place in a small Massachusetts town. The theft itself is kind of small. It's from a small local art gallery. And then what Kelly Reichardt does is very subtly bring in the bigger world of politics and tensions that were going on in mid-70s U.S. But rather than make a huge P.T. Anderson thing of it, she lets them leak in around the background so you can see what the kind of solipsistic lead is missing.

14:53And everything about it was dark, beautiful, and multilayered. So mainly, I'm not even saying it needs an award, but I hope more people see it because it's really worthwhile. Alex Schwartz, Richard Brody, as always, it's a great pleasure. You can find Richard Brody's column on film at the front row, and Alex's writing at newyorker.com. And you can hear her co-hosting the New Yorker podcast, Critics at Large. Thanks so much, guys. Thank you. Alex, David, thanks very much. And along with all the cultural uplift that you can find at newyorker.com, you can subscribe to everything at The New Yorker at newyorker.com.

15:33I'm David Remnick. That's our program for today. Thanks for listening. See you next time. The New Yorker Radio Hour is a co-production of WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Our theme music was composed and performed by Meryl Garbus of Tune Yards, with additional music by Louis Mitchell and Jared Paul. This episode was produced by Max Balton, Adam Howard, David Krasnow, Mike Kutchman, Jeffrey Masters, Louis Mitchell, Jared Paul, and Ursula Sommer. with guidance from Emily Botin and assistance from Michael May, David Gable, Alex Barge, Victor Guan, and Alejandra Deckett. The New Yorker Radio Hour is supported in part by the Cherena Endowment Fund.

16:18I'm Erlon Woods. I'm Nigel Poore. We're the hosts and creators of Ear Hustle from PRX's Radiotopia. When we met, I was doing time at San Quentin State Prison in California. And I was coming in as a volunteer. The stories we tell are probably not what people expect from a prison podcast. Like cooking meals in a prison cell, keeping little pets, prison nicknames, and trying to be a parent from inside. Stories about life on the inside, shared by those who live it. Find Ear Hustle wherever you get your podcasts.