 Over 1,400 actors auditioned for the role of Wladyslaw Szpilman at a  casting call in London. Unsatisfied with all who tried, director  Roman Polanski (qv) sought to cast Adrien Brody (qv), who he saw  as ideal for the role during their first meeting in Paris, around  the time Brody was shooting  _Affair of the Necklace, The (2001)_ (qv).