Adrien Brody Makes a Smart Self-Roast in His First Super Bowl Ad in 15 Years
After 15 years off the Super Bowl stage, Adrien Brody returns with a spot that leans into his brooding persona—then flips it into a sharp, crowd-pleasing comic twist.
Adrien Brody doing a Super Bowl ad again? Yep, 15 years later. And instead of going full brooding leading man, he leans right into that image and then flips it for a laugh. Yes, it is a tax ad. Stay with me.
The teaser: Brody vs. a lamp
Intuit just dropped a 15-second TurboTax teaser called 'The Expert' on YouTube, and it plays like a deadpan character study with a punchline.
Brody, styled as a TurboTax agent, paces through different reads of one very ordinary line: 'I can handle that for you.' He tries it in multiple tones and accents, gets way too into it, and then delivers it with full conviction to... a lamp on the wall while he irons his shirt. It is silly, precise, and exactly the kind of self-aware bit you want from a guy best known for mood-heavy roles.
The spot is directed by Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya), which explains the crisp, slightly skewed comic edge. It is also just the opening move in a much bigger rollout.
Where and when you will see it
- Now: a 15-second teaser ('The Expert') on YouTube
- Pre-game: a second 30-second teaser on TV
- Right before kickoff: an additional 15-second spot
- Before halftime: the main 45-second Super Bowl TurboTax ad
- After: a full two-minute version on Intuit's social channels and in theaters worldwide
Brody on sending up his 'serious actor' vibe
Brody, an Academy Award winner and yes, the guy from Asteroid City, told PEOPLE he was into the idea because it treats tax season like a melodrama... and then undercuts it. He likes that the bit confronts the perception of him as the go-to dramatic guy and lets him poke fun at that straight on. He calls the tone 'fun,' 'liberating,' and something people can actually relate to during a stressful time of year. Working with Gillespie was 'enjoyable,' and he thinks audiences will get a kick out of the whole thing.
'TurboTax makes it drama-free and easy.'
As far as Super Bowl casting swings go, this one makes sense: take the most intense guy in the room and hand him the calmest line possible. Watching him rehearse it to a household fixture seals the joke. And after a 15-year break from the Big Game, Brody returns with a wink instead of a scowl, which is probably the smarter play.