Brendan Fraser has won the Best Actor gong at the Critics Choice Awards for his role in The Whale.

It’s Fraser’s first major award for the 2022 movie, which has been praised around the world for its heavy and heartbreaking storyline.

The Whale tells the tale of a reclusive overweight teacher Charlie (Fraser), who tries to reconnect with his 17-year-old daughter (Sadie Sink).

The film, which has been directed by Darren Aronofsky, copped two standing ovations at the Venice and Toronto film festivals and there has been a lot of awards buzz since it premiered.

 

Other notable wins a the Critics Choice Awards include Cate Blanchett taking out Best Actress for Tár and Everything Everywhere All at Once winning Best Picture.

Ke Huy Quan kept the good times rolling from the Golden Globes by taking out Best Supporting Actor for Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Angela Bassett did the same by winning Best Supporting Actress award for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

The Best Acting Ensemble and Best Comedy awards were given to Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story.

Brendan Fraser’s performance in The Whale has been called one to look out for during awards season.

When the film to London critics in October, Fraser was labelled the ‘performance of the year’ and ‘a force of nature’ by the British press.

One critic said: “If Brendan Fraser, Hong Chau and Sadie Sink don’t get Oscar-nominations for The Whale then I’ll be mad. Their performances are as fantastic as they are devastating. Highly recommend checking out this film as soon as you can.”

While he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, he famously snubbed the glitzy event.

The reason stems back to a 2018 profile with GQ magazine, in which The Mummy star said Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) president Philip Berk groped him in 2003.

An internal investigation was launched and, according to Fraser, tried to explain Berk’s alleged actions were intended as ‘a joke’.

The HFPA released a statement which read: “The HFPA stands firmly against sexual harassment and the type of behaviour described in this article.

“Over the years we’ve continued a positive working relationship with Brendan, which includes announcing Golden Globe nominees, attending the ceremony and participating in press conferences.

“This report includes alleged information that the HFPA was previously unaware of and at this time we are investigating further details surrounding the incident.”

Fraser explained in an interview to GQ how this meant he wouldn’t attend a future Golden Globes ceremony.

“I have more history with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association than I have respect for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association,” he said.

Fraser added: “It’s because of the history that I have with them. And my mother didn’t raise a hypocrite. You can call me a lot of things, but not that.”

Topics: Brendan Fraser, Celebrity
Stewart Perrie
Brendan Fraser delivers emotional acceptance speech after winning Best Actor at Critics Choice Awards
Stewart Perrie

 

Brendan Fraser delivers emotional acceptance speech after winning Best Actor at Critics Choice Awards
Featured Image Credit: CW. A24

Brendan Fraser has delivered an incredibly moving and emotional acceptance speech after winning Best Actor at the Critics Choice Awards.

 

The star was recognised for his incredible performance in A24’s The Whale.

He beat out some stiff competition, including Austin Butler for Elvis, Tom Cruise for Top Gun: Maverick, Colin Farrell for The Banshees of Inisherin, Paul Mescal for Aftersun, and Bill Nighy for Living.

There has been a lot of awards buzz for Fraser after The Whale debuted last year and he’s copped his first big gong.

It’s clear the moment was a big deal for the 54-year-old as he makes his big Hollywood comeback following years of being out of the spotlight.

When he got on stage, he was overcome with emotion.

“This movie, The Whale, it’s about love, it’s about redemption,” he said.

“It’s about finding the light in a dark place and I’m so lucky to have worked with an ensemble that is incredible.”

He gave a huge shoutout to his costars Hong Chau and Sadie Sink before praising director Darren Aronofsky for helping bring the story to life.

“Darren Aronofsky, I was in the wilderness, and I probably should have left a trail of breadcrumbs, but you’ve found me,” he added.

“And like all the best directors, you merely just showed me where to go to get to where I needed to be.”

The Whale sees Fraser play Charlie, a reclusive 600lb English teacher, who attempts to reconnect with his 17-year-old daughter (portrayed by Sink).

It tackles a lot of heavy topics and Brendan has spoken about the work he did to accurately play someone like that.

During his acceptance speech, he said anyone can pull themselves out of a rut if they put their mind to it.

“If you, like a guy like Charlie, who I played in this movie, in any way, struggle with obesity, or you just feel like you’re in a dark sea,” he said.

“I want you to know that if you too, can have the strength to just get to your feet and go to the light. Good things will happen.”

He did his best to hold back tears during the end of the speech and loads of people in the audience leapt to their feet to give him a standing ovation.

According to Deadline, Fraser said the award means ‘more than I know how to say with words’.

“We all approached this piece as if it were the first and last time we would ever have a chance to do this kind of work…I think that this movie can help do a lot of good,” he said.

Topics: Brendan Fraser, Celebrity
Stewart Perrie
Brendan Fraser jokes he’s never been this famous and unsalaried at the same time
Jess Hardiman

 

Brendan Fraser has joked he’s never been ‘this famous and unsalaried at the same time’, having been thrust back into the limelight thanks to his first leading role in some time.

Fraser stars in Darren Aronofsky’s forthcoming drama The Whale, which is released in the UK next month.

 

Also featuring Stranger Things star Sadie Sink, it follows a 600lb man called Charlie as he tries to reconnect with his teenage daughter, having left his family for a gay lover – who later died, sparking a spiral of guilt-induced binge eating for the reclusive protagonist.

While Fraser had a supporting credit in Steven Soderbergh’s No Sudden Move, this latest role marks his first leading role in years.

It has seen him brought back into the public eye, with many fans dubbing this career resurgence the ‘Brenaissance’.

Of course, while the film hasn’t even been released yet, fans are already wondering what his next move will be.

In an interview with Deadline, he was asked if he would consider reprising his role as Rick O’Connell from The Mummy franchise one day – and it wasn’t a no.

“Gosh, I don’t know any juicy details about it, but it’s kinda been an open-ended question for some time now,” Fraser said.

“I’m not opposed to it. I don’t know an actor who doesn’t want a job.”

He added: “I don’t think I’ve been this famous and unsalaried at the same time in my professional life, so sign me up.

“We’ve all got to start somewhere.”

While a new Mummy film isn’t something that’s on the cards just yet, you will be seeing more of Fraser soon (well, soonish) in Martin Scorsese’s Killer of the Flower Moon, a Western crime drama expected to premiere at a film festival later this year.

And it’s not long before he hits screens in The Whale, a project that was by no means an easy feat for the star.

Speaking about his transformation into a 600lb widow with Newsweek in 2021, he said: “It’s gonna be like something you haven’t seen before. That’s really all I can tell you…The wardrobe and costume was extensive, seamless, cumbersome.

“This is certainly far removed from anything I’ve ever done but not to be coy… I do know it’s going to make a lasting impression.”

It’s been an inevitably emotional gig, too.

In a recent interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers, the actor opened up about the movie’s response – in particular the six-minute standing ovation it received at the Venice Film Festival.

“I just broke out crying. That solved all the problems,” he said.

“I feel like I’m still waiting for someone to walk in and tell me that the jig is up, you know,” he added.

Fraser told Meyers it was essential to be highly ‘authentic’ in the role.

He explained: “Very often when obesity is portrayed in films [it] has been unfair, it’s been a silhouette of a costume, inside an actor who’s quite fit, [it] just seems to reorient the way we believe that someone can actually move and exist.”

The Whale is released in UK cinemas on 2 February.

 

Brendan Fraser has revealed exactly how he transformed into a 600lbs man called Charlie for his upcoming role in The Whale, which has already sparked Oscars buzz.

During an appearance at GalaxyCon Raleigh late last month, Fraser explained that Charlie was created using ‘prosthetics, CGI and makeup’.

Fraser told the audience: “The real task was to authentically create this character with all the tools we have with makeup, prosthetics, suit building, and a little bit of CGI to ensure that the shape of this man’s body obeys the laws of physics and gravity.”

 

He added: “I can attest that this project was made by artisans in each and every category.”

The Whale, directed by Darren Aronofsky, follows Charlie on his mission to reconnect with his teenage daughter after leaving his family for a gay lover.

After Charlie’s lover dies, he falls into a spiral of guilt-induced binge eating and becomes reclusive.

The movie – which also features the likes of Stranger Things star Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, Samantha Morton and Ty Simpkins – will premiere at this month’s 2022 Venice Film Festival.

Fraser also spoke candidly about his transformation into Charlie last year during a Newsweek interview.

The actor shared: “It’s gonna be like something you haven’t seen before. That’s really all I can tell you…The wardrobe and costume was extensive, seamless, cumbersome.

“This is certainly far removed from anything I’ve ever done but not to be coy… I do know it’s going to make a lasting impression.”

Sink plays Charlie’s 17-year-old daughter Ellie in the flick, and recently said that Fraser was her ‘favourite human’.

The Stranger Things star told Vanity Fair: “I don’t think I’d ever done a project that had that much character work.

“[Director] Darren Aronofsky is obviously brilliant, and working with him was a really formative experience, and Brendan is so incredible in it, and also just probably my favourite human on the planet.

“It was so amazing having that experience with him. I learned a lot about myself as an actress, and tapped into a side of things that I hadn’t really explored before.”

This role marks Fraser’s first time back as a leading man since 2013’s Breakout, which went straight to DVD.

Brendan Fraser Has Massive Transformation In First Look At New Film The Whale
Jess Hardiman

 

A first look at Brendan Fraser’s new film shows the ‘extensive’ transformation he underwent for the role, having previously admitted his makeover from the wardrobe and costume department was a ‘cumbersome’ process.

Fraser stars in Darren Aronofsky’s forthcoming drama The Whale, which follows a 600lb man called Charlie as he tries to reconnect with his teenage daughter, having left his family for a gay lover – who later died, sparking a spiral of guilt-induced binge eating for the reclusive protagonist.

The movie – which also features the likes of Stranger Things star Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, Samantha Morton and Ty Simpkins – is due to have its world premiere at the 2022 Venice Film Festival, with an announcement today accompanied by a first look image of Fraser in character.

Premiering at the 79th Venice Film Festival 🇮🇹
• Darren Aronofsky's THE WHALE starring Brendan Fraser and Sadie Sink
• Joanna Hogg's THE ETERNAL DAUGHTER starring Tilda Swinton
• Ti West's PEARL starring Mia Goth pic.twitter.com/AxlAbhWDRo

— A24 (@A24) July 26, 2022

Responding to the news on Twitter, one fan wrote: “LET’S GO BRENDAN.”

Someone else said: “Get that man an Oscar now!” as a third added: “I am so glad he’s back! We did it internet.”

While Fraser had a supporting role recently in Steven Soderbergh’s No Sudden Move, this latest role marks his first leading role in years.

Speaking about the project last year, Fraser revealed the transformation into a 600lb widow was by no means straightforward.

He told Newsweek: “It’s gonna be like something you haven’t seen before. That’s really all I can tell you…The wardrobe and costume was extensive, seamless, cumbersome.

“This is certainly far removed from anything I’ve ever done but not to be coy… I do know it’s going to make a lasting impression.”

Meanwhile, Sadie Sink – who plays his 17-year-old daughter Ellie – recently said Fraser was her ‘favourite human’ after working with him on The Whale.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, she said: “I don’t think I’d ever done a project that had that much character work.

“[Director] Darren Aronofsky is obviously brilliant, and working with him was a really formative experience, and Brendan is so incredible in it, and also just probably my favourite human on the planet.

“It was so amazing having that experience with him. I learned a lot about myself as an actress, and tapped into a side of things that I hadn’t really explored before.”

The Whale will have its world premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival in September 2022.