The Brutalist director Brady Corbet said during his 2025 Golden Globes acceptance speech that his heart was with Aubrey Plaza in the wake of her filmmaker husband Jeff Baena’s sudden death.
Brady Corbet used his winning moment in the spotlight to remember what the film community just lost so tragically.
The 2025 Golden Globe winner for Best Director paid tribute to several people he lost from his personal life while making his three-hour-plus period drama The Brutalist, and then closed his speech with a tribute to Aubrey Plaza‘s late husband, filmmaker Jeff Baena, who was found dead on Jan. 3. Authorities have said he died by suicide.
And his speech—which he read from his phone to ensure he didn’t miss a word–was already a tear-jerker long before he got to his devastating coda.
In addition to thanking his “beautiful cast,” including Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama, nominee Adrien Brody (who later won the honor), his “extraordinary producers,” a crew who “I also hope will have me back,” and friends “who have supported us through thick and thin,” he shouted out his “creative partner and muse” Mona Fastvold and “incomparable mother” Mary Corbet.”
And then things got really emotional.
Corbet directed all eyes toward daughter Ada, “who looks so stunning in that dress of hers tonight,” he said, “that I’m thinking that this fiasco I got us all into may have very well been worth it.”
Cut to Ada at the family’s table, gushing happy tears and dolled up in layers of princess-worthy, ballet-pink shimmering tulle.
“I love you so much, Ada James,” Corbet continued. “I’d like to thank the opportunity to acknowledge three people that I lost while making this picture: My grandfather, James, his brother Jerry, and my dear friend [producer] Kevin Turen, who I miss every day. I wouldn’t be standing here tonight if it were not for their influence.”
“And finally,” he concluded, “tonight my heart is with Aubrey Plaza and Jeff’s family. Good night.”
A speech to remember for so many reasons. Plaza, who was previously scheduled to present at the Jan. 5 ceremony but did not attend, acted in a number of her late husband’s films, including Life After Beth and The Little Hours. She confirmed in May 2021 that they’d married after a decade together.
See all of the winners from the 2025 Golden Globes:
Best Motion Picture—Drama
WINNER: The Brutalist
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Nickel Boys
September 5
Best Motion Picture—Musical or Comedy
Anora
Challengers
WINNER: Emilia Pérez
A Real Pain
The Substance
Wicked
Best Actress in a Motion Picture—Musical or Comedy
Amy Adams, Nightbitch
Cynthia Erivo, Wicked
Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez
Mikey Madison, Anora
WINNER: Demi Moore, The Substance
Zendaya, Challengers
Best Actress in a Motion Picture—Drama
Pamela Anderson, The Last Showgirl
Angelina Jolie, Maria
Nicole Kidman, Babygirl
Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door
WINNER: Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here
Kate Winslet, Lee
Best Actor in a Motion Picture—Drama
WINNER: Adrien Brody, The Brutalist
Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown
Daniel Craig, Queer
Colman Domingo, Sing Sing
Ralph Fiennes, Conclave
Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice
Best Supporting Actress—Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Liza Colón-Zayas, The Bear
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
Dakota Fanning, Ripley
WINNER: Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer
Allison Janney, The Diplomat
Kali Reis, True Detective: Night Country
Best Actress in a Television Series—Drama
Kathy Bates, Matlock
Emma D’Arcy, House of the Dragon
Maya Erskine, Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Keira Knightley, Black Doves
Keri Russell, The Diplomat
WINNER: Anna Sawai, Shogun
Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture
Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez
Ariana Grande, Wicked
Felicity Jones, The Brutalist
Margaret Qualley, The Substance
Isabella Rossellini, Conclave
WINNER: Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez
Best Television Series—Musical or Comedy
Abbott Elementary
The Bear
The Gentlemen
WINNER: Hacks
Nobody Wants This
Only Murders in the Building
Best Miniseries or Motion Picture—Television
WINNER: Baby Reindeer
Disclaimer
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
The Penguin
Ripley
True Detective
Best Television Series—Drama
The Day of the Jackal
The Diplomat
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
WINNER: Shogun
Slow Horses
Squid Game
Best Supporting Actor—Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
WINNER: Tadanobu Asano, Shogun
Javier Bardem, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
Harrison Ford, Shrinking
Jack Lowden, Slow Horses
Diego Luna, La Máquina
Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear
Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture—Television
WINNER: Colin Farrell, The Penguin
Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer
Kevin Kline, Disclaimer
Cooper Koch, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
Ewan McGregor, A Gentleman in Moscow
Andrew Scott, Ripley
Best Actor in a Television Series—Drama
Donald Glover, Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Jake Gyllenhaal, Presumed Innocent
Gary Oldman, Slow Horses
Eddie Redmayne, The Day of the Jackal
WINNER: Hiroyuki Sanada, Shogun
Billy Bob Thornton, Landman
Best Supporting Actor—Motion Picture
Yura Borisov, Anora
WINNER: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain
Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown
Guy Pearce, The Brutalist
Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice
Denzel Washington, Gladiator II
Best Actor in a Motion Picture—Musical or Comedy
Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain
Hugh Grant, Heretic
Gabriel LaBelle, Saturday Night
Jesse Plemons, Kinds of Kindness
Glen Powell, Hit Man
WINNER: Sebastian Stan, A Different Man
Best Actress in a Television Series—Musical or Comedy
Kristen Bell, Nobody Wants This
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building
Kathryn Hahn, Agatha All Along
WINNER: Jean Smart, Hacks
Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture—Television
Cate Blanchett, Disclaimer
WINNER: Jodie Foster, True Detective: Night Country
Cristin Milioti, The Penguin
Sofía Vergara, Griselda
Naomi Watts, Feud Capote vs. the Swans
Kate Winslet, The Regime
Best Actor in a Television Series—Musical or Comedy
Adam Brody, Nobody Wants This
Ted Danson, A Man on the Inside
Steve Martin, Only Murders in The Building
Jason Segel, Shrinking
Martin Short, Only Murders in The Building
WINNER: Jeremy Allen White, The Bear
Best Motion Picture—Animated
WINNER: Flow
Inside Out 2
Memoir of a Snail
Moana 2
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
The Wild Robot
Best Original Song—Motion Picture
“Beautiful That Way,” The Last Showgirl
“Compress/Repress,” Challengers
WINNER: “El Mal,“ Emilia Pérez
“Forbidden Road,” Better Man
“Kiss the Sky,” The Wild Robot
“Mi Camino,” Emilia Pérez
Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement—Motion Picture
Alien: Romulus
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Deadpool & Wolverine
Gladiator 2
Inside Out 2
Twisters
WINNER: Wicked
The Wild Robot
Source: www.eonline.com