Thomas Pierce is on the pulse of this season’s most talked about films. As a co-executive producer of the Oscar-winning film The Brutalist, Pierce is also one of the executive producers of the much-anticipated Olivier Assayas film, The Wizard of the Kremlin.
As the founder of Pierce Capital Entertainment, Children’s Oncology Support Fund (COSF) and founding chairman of their annual Aspen Snow Ball Gala.
When it comes to film, however, getting a film funded is always a process. Pierce was surprised how hard it was for The Brutalist to get the final funding to complete the film. Pierce recalls first getting on board with The Brutalist in 2022. “The film almost didn’t happen,” he said.
“My company helped get it across the line, we came in to close the gap,” said Pierce. “Production was halfway through, and the team was really struggling with finding that partner. It was a surprise to me, considering how necessary the film is.”
It was well worth it, as The Brutalist went on to win three Oscars, for Best Actor (Adrien Brody), Best Cinematography (Lol Crawley), and Best Film Score (Daniel Blumberg).
“It really is a year of independent cinema,” said Pierce. “The Oscars winners this year are all independent films. Taking home three Oscars is a huge honor. It’s very exciting, as it was a very challenging film to make. Many people passed on helping finance the film.”
After the Oscars, Pierce made his way to the most VIP Oscar afterparties, from the Governor’s Ball to the A24 party and Madonna’s party, which she hosted with talent manager, Guy Oseary. Madonna’s afterparty is being called the most exclusive of all Oscars afterparties, with a VIP list that included Demi Moore, Zoe Saldaña, Julia Garner, Maria Bakalova, Kieran Culkin and Olivia Wilde, among others.
The entry protocol was strict. “Every car was checked before entering the property, official IDs were checked in the car. “Your name gets checked three times before you could access the event and then your phone is zipped in a locked bag and unlocks as you walk out, ” said Pierce.
One memorable moment Pierce recalls was when Madonna was hugging Emilia Perez actress Karla Sofía Gascón. “Madonna was telling her how much she loved Karla, that it’s such a shame that we live in a society that people get excited to tear people down, and that was a beautiful moment,” he said.
“Julia Garner and Demi Moore were dancing on tables having a good old time,” said Pierce. “Everyone was just in a good mood. It was an exciting year, as the independent filmmakers took awards home.”
For his first Oscars, Pierce decided on a Giorgio Armani suit paired up with a vintage gold Tiffany’s brooch of a snake, and a Bulgari serpent ring as a nod to the Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake. “I also wanted to pay homage to all the snakes in Hollywood,” he laughs.
Pierce noticed this year’s menswear looks had brooches all over the Oscars. Adrien Brody is known for wearing extravagant brooches by jewelry designer Elsa Jin, while brooches were worn by Jeff Goldblum, Joe Alwyn and Robert Downey Jr. Though we are just three months into 2025, brooches have been called the menswear accessory of 2025, as they were all over the red carpet.
“I think almost every guy had an oversized brooch or some form or fashion accessory,” said Pierce. “It adds a touch of playfulness to a suit.”
Though the after parties might feel like an opportunity to dress more casually late into the night, it was the opposite. “It felt like the afterparties turned up the style,” he said.
“It was almost better fashion than what you saw on the red carpet. I think that talent is willing to take more risks and have a little bit more fun and show a little bit more skin at an afterparty. Overall, it felt much more fashionable.”
It wasn’t just women changing outfits, but male actors, like Colman Domingo, and Timothée Chamalet, who changed outfits throughout the night. “I saw the same talent at each party change up to three times over,” he said.
“Colman Domingo had three powerful looks.” The Brutalist was made on a $9.6 million budget, and it grossed $42.5 million in the box office. “It’s really great to see that independent cinema is thriving,” said Pierce, who is heading off to Riga, Latvia, where director Olivier Assayas is shooting the Wizard of the Kremlin, a political thriller about the rise of Vladimir Putin. It’s based on a 2022 book written by Giuliano da Empoli.
The cast of the film includes Paul Dano, Alicia Vikander, Jude Law, Jeffrey Wright, and Tom Sturridge. “We really think that this film could be a big one for Olivier Assayas,” said Pierce.
He’s excited to visit Latvia, which is filled with Soviet-style architecture, the perfect backdrop for this political thriller about Russia. “Paul Dano plays a TV producer who essentially creates propaganda, brainwashes Russia to help put the leader in power and it’s his origin story. This film really matters and that’s why I got involved. I think the timing is perfect.”
He recently hosted the Aspen Snow Ball Gala on February 8 at the St. Regis in Aspen, which was hosted by Jay Leno and honored Christie Brinkley. Next up, Pierce will host a fundraiser for the Children’s Oncology Support Fund on 16th August, alongside an intimate Night Before VIP Benefactor Dinner.
“This year we really hit the full vision of what Aspen Snow Ball Week is, we had more support this year. The gala raised $3.5 million dollars, and saw models like Brooke Burke, Christie Brinkley, Renée Blythwood, musicians Robin Thicke, Luke K, Chloe Jane, and Hollywood actors like Jackie Cruz, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Nolan Funk and Hunter Doohan walk the red carpet.
“It really is a massive fashion moment in this tiny ski town, even the locals get dressed up and let the theme inspire your look,” he said. “There was a lot of Oscar De la Renta, and Valentino; it’s where art, fashion, and entertainment work together to really make an impact for a cause.”