You may note Brendan Fraser for his iconic roles in George of the Jungle (1997) and The Mummy (2000-2008), and later his return to the small screen in Doompatrol (2019) and The Affair (2014-2019). More recently, Brendan is making a complete comeback to the big screen in The Whale.
Brendan will be portraying a 600-pound man struggling to reconnect with his 17-year-old daughter. Joining Fraser is a cast that includes Sadie Sink from Stranger Things, Hong Chau from Downsizing, Samantha Morton, best known for Minority Report, and Ty Simpkins from Insidious and Avengers. The film is directed by Darren Aronofsky, who has most notably directed Requiem of a Dream (2000), Black Swan (2010), and Mother! (2017) to name a few.
Speaking to Unilad earlier this year, Brendan said, “It’s gonna be like something you haven’t seen before. The wardrobe and costume were extensive, seamless, and 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.”
Brendan’s prior disappearance from the public and general turn-down from roles left his fanbase wondering where he had been all these years until it was revealed in 2018 that Brendan had experienced sexual assault involving the then-president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Philip Berk. Upon coming forward, fans have shown their support and made it apparent that they want to see him take on future projects.
In August 2021, Brendan went viral on TikTok from an interview with Lindley Key, allowing him to know that his fans had never forgotten him and that they continue to grow in support of him and his film projects. Upon hearing from supportive fans, Brendan was visibly emotional and tearing up. He thanked Lindley and shared how much his fans have contributed to him taking on projects again. Since that interview, Brendan’s popularity and support have continued to grow. The interview can be found on Lindley’s TikTok page, @littlelottiecosplay.
The Whale will have its world premiere at the 79th Venice Film Festival (August 31st-September 10th). This bodes well for Fraser and The Whale. The Venice Film Festival has its roots in the 1930s at a time when there was much Italian interest in film. It was an American film that kicked it all off; the festival commenced with a screening of the film Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at the Excelsior Palace Hotel. It was on the night of August 6th, 1932, and the fledgling festival saw a total of nine countries participating in the 15-day run.
The festival has gone through many changes, challenges, and re-imaginings over the years. In the past decade, under the direction of Alberto Barbera, the festival has debuted some noteworthy films. Not only have there been more American films at the Venice Film Festival, but they even hosted the world premieres of some Academy Award-winning films. These include Gravity (2013), Birdman (2014), Spotlight (2015), La La Land (2016), The Shape of Water (2017), The Favourite (2018), Roma (2018), Joker (2019), and Nomadland (2020). Fans of Brendan Fraser undoubtedly welcome any venue that returns his entertaining assets to the big screen, but it can’t hurt that this festival seems to have carved out a reputation for showcasing excellence.