‘The Brutalist’ Director Brady Corbet Says He Made ‘Zero Dollars’ From the Oscar-Nominated Epic: ‘You’re Not Paid to Promote a Film’

Brady Corbet, the BAFTA-winning filmmaker behind “The Brutalist,” has revealed that he and his wife and creative partner Mona Fastvold made “zero dollars” from their last two films, despite being a major Oscar contender this year. Speaking on “WTF With Marc Maron,” Corbet described the financial strain that came with making the ambitious epic.

“This is the first time I’ve made any money in years,” Corbet said, explaining that his first real paycheck in a long time came from directing three advertisements in Portugal. “Both my partner and I made zero dollars on the last two films we made. Yes, actually zero. So we had to just live off of a paycheck from three years ago and and obviously, the timing during an awards campaign and travel every two or three days was less than ideal, but it was an opportunity that landed in my lap, and I jumped at it.”

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Corbet, whose work includes “Vox Lux” and “The Childhood of a Leader,” has built a reputation as a fiercely independent director working outside the traditional studio system. His latest film, “The Brutalist,” has earned 10 Academy Award nominations, including best director, best original screenplay, and best picture. But despite its critical and awards success, Corbet said the promotional grind has left him unable to work for months.

“I’ve spoken to many filmmakers with films nominated this year who can’t pay their rent,” Corbet said. “You’re not paid to promote a film.”

The film, which premiered in September 2024 at Venice, where it won several prizes including best director, has required nearly six months of relentless press and travel. “It’s seven days a week. You’re doing Japanese press, Swiss press, all at the same time,” Corbet said, describing the demands of an international awards campaign. “I haven’t had a day off since the Christmas break, and that was only four days.”

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