Headliner of blockbusters like “The Mummy” or “Journey to the Center of the Earth”, Brendan Fraser gradually left the front of the stage from 2003. But at 53, the actor sees his career relaunched. Unrecognizable, he is back with “The Whale” directed by Darren Aronofsky.
Comedian who loves stunts, it was in 1997 that Brendan Fraser had his first big hit with the animated film adaptation george of the jungle by the Disney studio. On the strength of this box office triumph, and following Leonardo DiCaprio’s withdrawal, Brendan Fraser was hired the following year to star in the adventure comedy. The Mummy. Thanks to the performance of the actor playing the character of Rick O’Connell, the film grossed over $43.4 million in its first weekend in theaters. A record that led Brendan Fraser to resume the role two years later. But behind the scenes, the star of the big screen is at its worst. Already weakened by health problems, he was sexually assaulted in the summer of 2003 by Philip Berk, former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. “His left hand came up, grabbed my buttock and one of his fingers touched my perineum. And he started moving it. I felt like a little child. I had a lump in my throat. I felt like I was going to cry”explained Brendan Fraser to QG in February 2018. Long years of depression followed. But at 53, the idol of a whole generation sees his career relaunched. Unrecognizable, he is back with The Whale directed by Darren Aronofsky. The opportunity for Brendan Fraser to return to the front of the stage, far from the young first to the advantageous plastic. And for good reason, he embodies a man suffering from morbid obesity, Charlie. Due to his condition, Charlie lives as a recluse at home, “eating to death deep in his Idaho apartment”, explains the synopsis. To play this character, Brendan Fraser told Newsweek he had use of prostheses and make-up.
Brendan Franser: a strong comeback
Selected in Competition at the Venice Film Festival, the film The Whale by Darren Aronofsky marks the return of Brendan Fraser in a leading role. When the project was announced in October 2021, Brendan Fraser told the site Unilad : “This is something you’ve never seen before. That’s really all I can tell you… The wardrobe and costumes were extensive. It’s a far cry from anything I’ve done so far.”
Determined to regain control of his career, the actor will also appear in the casting of Martin Scorsese’s latest work, Killers of the Flower Moon. In this feature film, he will play the role of a lawyer. Finally, Brendan Fraser will also play one of Batman’s enemies in Batgirl for HBO. Multiple adventures!