What happened

"Brutalist" director Dávid Jancsó disclosed that AI-powered voice cloning technology was employed to recreate the voices of actors Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones in order to refine their Hungarian accents and make their dialogue sound more authentic.

The AI was used to refine specific vowel sounds and letters, blending the actors' performances with Jancsó's own voice for greater accuracy.

Jancsó also revealed that generative AI was used in the final sequence of “The Brutalist” to create a “series of architectural drawings and finished buildings” in the style of Brody’s character, László Tóth.

However, the revelation sparked accusations that AI undermines the real authenticity of the actors' performances and could mislead audiences regarding their linguistic capabilities. 

Some people called for the film to be disqualified from the Academy Awards nominations.

Why it happened

The decision to use AI arose from challenges associated with accurately pronouncing Hungarian, a language known for its complexity. 

Despite coaching, the filmmakers sought to ensure that even native speakers would not detect discrepancies in the actors' performances. 

Jancsó emphasised that while Brody and Jones performed admirably, AI was used to achieve a level of perfection in their accents that would be difficult to attain otherwise.