AceShowbiz - Adrien Brody, the youngest actor to win an Oscar for Best Actor at 29, recently opened up about the lasting impact of his role in Roman Polanski's 2002 drama "The Pianist," where he played Holocaust survivor Władysław Szpilman. In his interview with New York Magazine, Brody revealed that he is still dealing with PTSD from his intense preparation for the role.

Brody's commitment to embodying Szpilman involved a near-starvation diet that brought his weight to a mere 129 pounds. "By the time they started filming, I was barely drinking water," he told the magazine.

This grueling experience, he explained, not only transformed him physically but also gave him an emotional understanding of emptiness and hunger. When asked if he suffers from PTSD because of it, Brody responded, "I do, yeah."

This role wasn't the only time Brody pushed himself to the limits for authenticity. While filming "The Jacket," a sci-fi thriller, he requested to be left in a straitjacket to better understand the experience.

He also sustained a broken nose on the set of "Summer of Sam," which left him with a permanent dent, and opted for real metal braces instead of prosthetics for his role in "Oxygen," enduring the painful removal process. For "Wrecked," he even ate ants and worms to stay true to his character, who wakes up alone in the woods.

Brody's extreme methods, however, have not come without consequences. "I definitely had an eating disorder for at least a year," he admitted, and acknowledged bouts of depression that followed. Reflecting on this, he jested about his struggles, saying it lasted "if not a lifetime. I'm kidding, I'm kidding."

The actor also touched on past controversies, particularly his 2003 "Saturday Night Live" hosting stint where he donned dreadlocks and a Jamaican accent. While it sparked rumors of a ban from "SNL," Brody clarified, "I have never been invited back on. So I don't know what to tell you." Despite this, he firmly believes he was in a safe space to explore such creative risks at that moment.

Today, Brody is once again garnering critical acclaim, this time for his role in Brady Corbet's "The Brutalist." After winning an acting prize from the New York Film Critics Circle, the film is currently playing in select theaters, reigniting Oscar buzz around him.

For more insights into Brody's intense career and personal reflections, visit New York Magazine's website to read his latest profile in full.