Brendan Fraser’s emotional comeback surprised even The Whale director Darren Aronofsky. Penned by playwright Samuel D. Hunter and directed by Aronofsky, The Whale stars Fraser as a reclusive, morbidly obese online English professor who, after discovering he is dying from congestive heart failure, decides to reconnect with his estranged daughter, played by Stranger Things star Sadie Sink. After disappearing from film for much of the 2010s due to various personal reasons, Fraser’s emotional and empathetic performance in The Whale has signified his return to movie stardom and the true start of his Hollywood comeback, which has been dubbed “The Brenaissance.”
During a recent interview with Total Film (via GamesRadar), Darren Aronofsky reflected on the making of The Whale, as well as some of the surprising feedback the film has received. Aronofsky – known for powerful, character-driven dramas like Requiem For A Dream, Black Swan, and The Wrestler – had no idea that Fraser had a huge fanbase and that casting him would spark the star’s comeback story for the ages. Read what Aronofsky said below:
I had no clue. I really had no clue. Of course, I knew he had done a lot of work, but I didn’t know that there was this whole fan base that was insane and it’s been incredibly rewarding because it’s like extra credit, that was not at all planned.
Will Brendan Fraser Win The Oscar To Top Off His Comeback Story?
Ever since The Whale received a six-minute standing ovation after the film’s premiere at the Venice Film Festival, which prompted an emotional reaction from Fraser that went viral online, the actor’s comeback story and as a result, his Oscar campaign, was ignited. Fraser’s once-in-a-lifetime performance in The Whale has received widespread critical acclaim, including a win at the Critics Choice Awards which came with a powerful acceptance speech from Fraser. The moving performance also earned Fraser one of the most prestigious awards in Hollywood – his first Academy Award nomination.
The final chapter in Fraser’s comeback story will be whether he can win an Oscar to top it all off. At the Academy Awards, which will be televised on March 12, Fraser will be going up against fellow frontrunners Austin Butler (Elvis) and Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin). While the Oscar race is incredibly close, Fraser is arguably the favorite due to how much his transformative performance in The Whale has moved audiences, which should be enough to endear Academy voters to a win.
What’s Next For Brendan Fraser In 2023?
After 2022 was a huge year for Fraser’s career, he will look to continue his comeback into 2023. He has another anticipated role coming up as the real-life lawyer W.S. Hamilton alongside Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, which is expected to premiere in 2023 at a prestigious film festival like Cannes or Venice. With The Whale behind him, it will be interesting to see how Brendan Fraser’s comeback continues with such a high-profile role.
Source: Total Film (via GamesRadar)