Podcast Summary: The New Yorker Radio Hour – Richard Brody Presents the 2026 Brody Awards

Date: February 17, 2026
Host: David Remnick
Guests: Richard Brody, Alexandra Schwartz
Produced by: WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

Episode Overview

This episode features the much-anticipated annual "Brody Awards," the alternative Oscars presented solely by The New Yorker film critic Richard Brody. Host David Remnick, joined by co-host Alexandra Schwartz and Brody himself, dives into the films, performances, and directorial achievements of the year—highlighting overlooked standouts, critiquing Oscar trends, and celebrating cinema beyond what the Academy typically spotlights. The conversation is lively, insightful, and peppered with signature New Yorker wit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Changing Culture at the Oscars

• Greater Diversity and Inclusion:

  • Richard Brody notes significant positive changes at the Academy since the #OscarsSoWhite campaign in 2015, citing a push for greater diversity and international representation.
    • “Ever since the OscarsSoWhite campaign... the Academy has responded by greatly increasing its membership, diversifying its membership, internationalizing its membership. And the result is by and large better nominations.” (Richard Brody, 01:10)

• Viewing Rules and Industry Practices:

  • Discussion of new Academy requirements for voting members to watch all nominated films—skeptically described, with jokes about shortcuts and campaign influence.
    • “No student does all the homework. That means that they have to press play and watch to the end. But they can eat their dinner unless their eyeballs are being monitored.” (Richard Brody, 01:38)
    • “This is why things like Oscar campaigns actually have traction. Because if you're going, if you need a shortcut or if pressure works on you, then okay, you know who you're gonna vote for…” (Alexandra Schwartz, 01:53)

2. New Oscar Category: Casting

• Brody welcomes the addition of a casting/ensemble category, noting it's overdue recognition for a key aspect of filmmaking.

  • “I'm very happy that casting directors are in fact being named and honored. But by and large, this is something that's been missing for many years.” (Richard Brody, 02:17)

3. Oscars to Stream Online

• Transition from TV to YouTube:
  • Discussion of the Oscars shifting from ABC to YouTube streaming in a few years, seen as practical for reaching a younger, global audience.
    • “I think it's probably for the best. This just reflects the reality of how most people consume television or big programming. ...They're meeting the people where they are.” (Alexandra Schwartz, 03:09)

"Brody Awards" Ceremony

(All picks are chosen by Richard Brody; the discussion is lively, passionate, and diverges at points as Remnick and Schwartz interject their views.)

Best Actor

Nominees:

• Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme
• Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
• Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent
• Josh O'Connor – The Mastermind
• Denzel Washington – Highest to Lowest

Winner: Michael B. Jordan for Sinners

• Brody praises Jordan’s nuanced, dual-role performance, noting the intimacy and subtlety within an action film.
  • “Although he's playing two vibrant roles ... there's an extraordinary intimacy to his performance. ... Instead of pushing outward, he's drawing viewers in.” (Richard Brody, 04:23)
• Wagner Moura receives special mention as a close second for his elusive, multilayered role.

Notable Exchange:

• Alexandra Schwartz picks Timothée Chalamet as her favorite, predicting he’ll win the Oscar due to Golden Globe momentum.
  • “I like the Timothy of Marty Supreme. I actually think he's going to take the Oscar. Certainly the momentum is with him.” (Alexandra Schwartz, 05:39)

Best Actress

Nominees:

• Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You
• Susan Chardy – On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
• Callie Hernandez – Invention
• Dakota Johnson – Materialists
• Tessa Thompson – Hedda

Winner: Tessa Thompson for Hedda

• Brody laments that few saw the film due to limited release but calls Thompson’s performance outstanding.
  • “People didn't see Hedda, unfortunately. It was released by Amazon. It spent very little time in theaters, and I think that counts seriously against it.” (Richard Brody, 08:29)
• Discussion surfaces about Dakota Johnson’s inclusion; Brody calls her “a dialectical actress” for her agile use of dialogue.
  • “I think she is a dialectical actress. I think she has an exquisite way with dialogue…” (Richard Brody, 08:58)

Best Director

Nominees:

• Wes Anderson – The Phoenician Scheme
• Ryan Coogler – Sinners
• Kleber Mendonça Filho – The Secret Agent
• Kelly Reichardt – The Mastermind
• Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme

Winner: Kelly Reichardt for The Mastermind

• Brody wanted to honor classical, artisanal filmmaking in a small-scale, carefully wrought heist drama. He describes long takes and meticulously staged scenes.
  • “The Mastermind is a really dramatic movie, but it's kind of small scale. It has very long takes with very careful physicality...” (Richard Brody, 09:40)
• Schwartz remarks on Ryan Coogler’s total creative control on Sinners: a rarity in studio films.
  • “He really pushed the studios in a direction that we all know they are not comfortable being pushed, where he got Final Cut and he got to retain ownership over Sinners.” (Alexandra Schwartz, 10:21)
• Brody links increased director autonomy to recent studio successes (“Barbenheimer” effect).
  • “One way of actually doing well, both with money and with awards, is to give good directors a great deal of freedom.” (Richard Brody, 10:47)

Best Picture

Nominees:

• Afternoons of Solitude
• Hedda
• Highest to Lowest
• Marty Supreme
• The Mastermind
• Misericordia
• One Battle After Another
• Sinners

Winner: Sinners

• Brody calls it “one of the most comprehensively imaginative films” he’s seen, blending historical drama with vampire genre and using vampires as a metaphor for cultural appropriation—especially of Southern Black musical traditions.
  • “Thrilling. I mean, visually, emotionally, historically exciting.... It's vampires as metaphor. And the metaphor is a brilliant metaphor for cultural appropriation, for the way that white artists will go down south ... take over the blues and turn them into something of their own, along with whatever devastating effect that may have on the artists themselves.” (Richard Brody, 11:57)
• Follow-up discussions critique nominees not selected, phrasing of performances/directing, and international film Oscar potential (Parasite, Life Is Beautiful get referenced).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Criticism and Tastes:

  • “In the past, Richard, your picks for the year’s best movies, let’s just say, they wildly differ from what we usually see from the Academy. But this year … Either you’ve gotten more conservative or the Academy has finally caught up.” (David Remnick, 00:52)

• Iconic Movie Awards Moments:

  • “Remember, Life Is Beautiful from the 90s. There was the whole Roberto Benigni jumping on chairs moment.” (Alexandra Schwartz, 11:17)
  • “That was a mistake.” (David Remnick, 11:26)

• On Kelly Reichardt’s The Mastermind:

  • “What Kelly Reichardt does is very subtly bring in the bigger world of politics and tensions that were going on in mid-70s US. But rather than make a huge PT Anderson thing of it, she lets them leak in around the background so you can see what the kind of solipsistic lead is missing. And everything about it was dark, beautiful and multilayered.” (Alexandra Schwartz, 13:54)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:14 – Introduction to the Brody Awards tradition
• 01:10 – Discussion of Oscar reforms post-#OscarsSoWhite
• 02:13 – New Oscar category for casting
• 03:09 – Oscars move to YouTube, generational media shifts
• 04:02 – Best Actor nominees and winner
• 05:26 – Runner-up debate and Oscar predictions for Best Actor
• 07:47 – Best Actress nominees and winner
• 09:16 – Best Director nominees and winner
• 11:40 – Best Picture nominees and winner
• 13:47 – Reflections on ensemble casts, directing, and standout films
• 13:54 – Alexandra Schwartz’s personal pick and in-depth praise for The Mastermind

Tone & Style

The conversation is playful yet incisive, balancing film-critic rigor with humor and accessibility. The trio swaps insider knowledge for relatable observations, offering both cinephile insight and guidance for curious listeners interested in the year's essential films.

Conclusion

This episode provides a lively, unscripted take on the cinematic year, featuring the distinctive voice of Richard Brody and the sharp perspectives of Alexandra Schwartz and David Remnick. Even listeners unfamiliar with the Oscars or these particular movies will find approachable criticism, recommendations for overlooked gems, and vibrant commentary on the evolving culture of film.

For further reading:

• Richard Brody’s “The Front Row” column at NewYorker.com
• Alexandra Schwartz’s writing and podcast "Critics at Large"