Adrien Brody in December 2025
Getty Images for The Red Sea International Film Festival
Adrien Brody’s follow-up to his critically acclaimed performance in The Brutalist probably isn’t what people would expect.
Brody, known for his roles in The Pianist and The Brutalist, takes a comedic turn as the star of TurboTax’s new spot for the Super Bowl. The 45-second ad, which will air just before halftime on February 8, follows Brody’s preparation for his latest role as a TurboTax expert. As the two-time Oscar winner rehearses for the part, he taps into his signature intensity, only to learn that being on the TurboTax team is actually a drama-free job.
The spot, directed by I, Tonya filmmaker Craig Gillespie, is a cheeky nod to Brody’s reputation for gravitating toward dramatic, taxing roles.
“It was such a joy to work with the TurboTax team and their creative ideas for this,” Brody, who’s promoting his partnership with TurboTax, said. “I literally laughed out loud when it was presented to me.”
“I just got such a kick out of the humor in it,” he continued. “And getting to play in that space, coming off of a film that was very dramatic and wonderful and enriching, to get to do something that’s really overtly comedic and share it with everybody, it’s really great.”
Brody said that the keys to an impressive comedic performance are timing, set-up and delivery — and the TurboTax commercial checks off those boxes. The ad also marks TurboTax’s 13th consecutive in-game spot at the Super Bowl.
“The setup is a lifetime of being perceived as a very intense, dramatic person and actor related to my work, which is very funny to me because I laugh at myself all day long and I constantly yearn to do comedic work,” Brody said. “With the exception of Wes Anderson, Rian Johnson and a few directors, I’m mostly offered very dramatic roles.”
Brody has infused some of his past performances with touches of comedy, but he reveled in the opportunity to go all-in on the craft and channel his real-life sense of humor.
“Comedy is a real part of my daily life,” the Asteroid City star said. “Even if things are not so funny around, I usually can find a way of laughing at it. Absurdity is everywhere, so if you’re keyed into it and can find the joy in the absurdity, even if it’s really not funny and not a great situation, you get through life much better.”
Adrien Brody in “The Brutalist.”
A24
In addition to his upcoming game-day spot, Brody is gearing up to make his Broadway debut alongside Tessa Thompson this March in The Fear of 13.
The play is based on a documentary film of the same name about Nick Yarris, who served 22 years on death row for a crime he didn’t commit. Brody, who portrayed Yarris in a London stage production in 2024, said that the story is both heartbreaking and uplifting.
“His ability for his spirit to prevail through all of that is remarkable,” Brody said of Yarris’ journey. “But it also speaks to systematic injustice, and there’s a lot of that in this world. And I think the more we can share those stories and hopefully gain some empathy for those who have been victimized is really meaningful.”
“Broadway is very exciting,” Brody added. “I was very much looking for something that would be a big challenge. I’m very grateful for The Brutalist and the success of the film, and I was trying to find something that would continue to push me and challenge me as an actor, and to get to share that intimacy with an audience on Broadway is something I’m really very much looking forward to doing.”
Watch the teaser for Brody’s TurboTax ad below.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/oliviasingh/2026/01/26/adrien-brody-on-tapping-into-his-intensity-for-a-super-bowl-ad-with-turbotax-and-his-upcoming-broadway-debut/
