Brendan Fraser
Jade Small
Jade Small
September 10, 2022 ·  4 min read

Brendan Fraser Breaks Down in Tears When His New Movie ‘The Whale’ Gets 6-Minute Standing Ovation At The Venice Film Festival

In the early ’90s, through to the 2000s, Brendan Fraser’s poster was stuck up on many bedroom walls all over the world. His gorgeous face and heartthrob body, not to mention his acting skills, made him the ideal young actor sporting a lot of potential. Then, all of a sudden, his name dropped from the headlines, as Brendan disappeared limelight of Hollywood. His silence in the scene did not go unnoticed, but he has recently made a great comeback. So great, that his performance in his latest movie, “The Whale” received a standing ovation that lasted roughly six minutes.

Brendan Fraser makes his return

The 4th of September was an auspicious occasion. Those who attended the Venice Film Festival had the blessed opportunity to witness and appreciate a great actor returning to the limelight after many years of hiding in the shadows. Brendan Fraser, well known for his comedic and dramatic roles in many blockbuster films from the early 90s and 2000s, has resurfaced. He played a supporting role in Darren Aronofsky’s latest film, “The Whale“. His performance received a standing ovation that lasted six minutes. Brendan could not help but weep from the applause. He even threw in a bow for good measure.

The movie is definitely a tear-jerker and had many people sniffling and wiping their eyes and noses nearing the end. Brendan reportedly tried to leave the cinema at one stage, but the applause kept him there. He also received a lot of love online, with many tweets from his fans showing their love for his return. Moreover, they are calling for Brendan to be nominated for an award even though the movie is still to be released.

The Whale” explained

Brendan Fraser’s role in “The Whale” has captured the hearts of everyone who viewed it during its premiere at the Venice Film Festival. Brendan plays the role of a gay man who was severely overweight. and confined to a wheelchair. His daughter in the movie was played by Sadie Sink, well known for her role in “Stranger Things“. In the film, the father, Brendan, is trying his best to reconcile his relationship with his teenage daughter. He had abandoned his family years before and was now trying to make up for the lost time.

The movie’s production was no joke. Brendan had to spend six hours every day in the makeup and wardrobe section while they plastered him into a prosthetic suit that added 300lbs onto his physique. Brendan described this suit as “cumbersome and not exactly comfortable.”

During a Press conference, Fraser said, “My journey to where I am now has been to explore as many characters as I can and this presented the biggest challenge to me that I wanted. By far and away, I think that Charlie is the most heroic man I have ever played because his super power is to see the good in others and bring that out in him and, in that process, he’s on his journey of salvation.”

Read: The Love Story of Enrique Iglesias and Anna Kournikova Who Don’t Show Off Their Relationship and Have Lived Happily Together Without Marriage for 21 Years

Where did Brendan go?

You might be wondering what happened to Brendan to make him shrink away from Hollywood. Some might say that he did not leave because he wanted to. But rather he was squeezed out of the industry. At least, that is how Brendan feels. But, why? With big movies like “George of the Jungle” and “The Mummy” it is a curiosity that his career ended so suddenly.

In 2018, Brendan Fraser was interviewed with GQ, he revealed a secret he had been holding onto for years. He claimed that Philip Berk, the former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association had sexually assaulted him back in 2003. According to Brendan, Berk had “squeezed his butt” and “sexually assaulted” him at a HFPA luncheon event. “I felt like a little kid,” said Brendan in the interview. “I felt like there was a ball in my throat, and I thought I was going to cry… In my mind, at least, something had been taken away from me.”

Brendan Fraser in The Whale
Brendan Fraser in The Whale. Image Credit: A24

Brendan went on to say his career “withered on a vine” after the incident. He apparently received a letter of apology from Berk, but he still felt that he was pushed out of the industry as an aftereffect of speaking up for himself. Berk made a statement to GQ himself. He said, while referring to Brendan Fraser, “his career declined through no fault of ours.”

Keep Reading: ‘Friends’ Star Matthew Perry Shares Exciting Life Update That Has Fans Eager For November

Sources

  1. Brendan Fraser breaks down in tears as ‘The Whale’ gets 6-minute standing ovation in Venice.” Variety. September 4, 2022
  2. The Reason Why Brendan Fraser Was ‘Blacklisted’ From Hollywood For Years.Lad Bible. Niamh Spence. July 27, 2022
  3. Brendan Fraser says he felt ‘a sense of vertigo’ after removing 300-pound fat suit for ‘The Whale’.” Insider. Ayomikun Adekaiyero. Sep 5, 2022