From "Mummy" to "Whale". How Brendan Fraser got to the Oscars

March 13, 54-year-old Brendan Fraser received an Oscar for his lead role in the film The Whale. In the late nineties and early 2000s, he was one of the most sought-after and highly paid actors in Hollywood. But the resounding success gave way to a lull - in the middle of the 2000s, Fraser seemed to disappear. A series of troubles put an end to his career. At least, that's how it seemed before the release of the film "The Whale".

First success

Brendan Fraser became a star in 1997, after the release of the film "George of the jungle». An uncomplicated comedy with a cheerful big man (Fraser's height is 191 centimeters) was warmly received by the audience. The story of Tarzan, who ended up in San Francisco, grossed over $170 million at the box office.

Already in 1999, The Mummy was released - a cult adventure comedy that is still associated with the actor. The film grossed over $400 million worldwide. And it seems that the Mummy cassette was in the collection of almost every Russian.

After the release of the tape "Blinded by desires" and the continuation of "The Mummy" Fraser became a real superstar. He starred in dramas, but the audience loved him for his roles in family comedies.

The characters played by the actor were funny, but with a touch of sadness. Funny blunderer in "Blinded by Desires", stupid rocker in "Empty Heads" or not adapted to life guy in "Blast from the Past" - Frazier portrayed naive and sensitive people whom he laughed at viewer.

In 2003, the film Looney Tunes: Back in Business was released, after which the actor's career began to decline. Only years later did it become known what happened to Fraser.

Health problems

In 2018, Brendan Fraser said he was harassed in 2003 by Philip Burke, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. This event affected the actor, made him doubt himself. Divorce and the death of her mother only exacerbated the situation. The actor fell into depression.

Yes, and Fraser's physical health has noticeably deteriorated after several years of filming in adventure films.

Frazier had knee and spinal surgeries. In total, the actor spent in hospital for seven years.

Own problems coincided with changes in the industry. In the 2000s, comedies began to change, and the genre of family comedy almost disappeared. And many actors of the genre began to change roles - Jim carrey got to filming a thriller, Adam Sandler switched to dramas, and Rob Schneider just disappeared. Fraser also tried to find his place in the industry, but not too successfully.

After the successful third part of The Mummy, there were Furry Revenge, Extreme Measures, Inkheart - the actor participated in dubious projects that failed. The studios stopped offering him big roles, and the whole generation that grew up on the Mummies simply forgot about Fraser.

Career continued to stagnate. In 2014, Brendan Fraser voiced one of the characters in the cartoon Real Squirrel. After that, he did not act in films for several years, accepting roles in not the most successful series.

Career restart

That all changed after Darren Aronofsky decided to cast Frasier in The Whale. The story of a man who suffers from obesity and has difficulty reconnecting with his daughter, liked the actor.

During filming, Brendan wore fat prostheses that weighed up to 136 kilograms. It's no surprise that he can hardly move in the frame. Fraser admitted that after removing the makeup, he felt dizzy.

Probably, his own problems allowed Fraser to feel his hero. After all, the actor suffered for many years due to the inability to put up with with his weaknesses and fears, losing people close to him because of this.

One way or another, Fraser, who played sad clowns in his best years, successfully coped with the dramatic role and received an award from the Guild of American Actors. And the audience of the Venice Film Festival greeted the premiere of "The Whale" with a six-minute standing ovation. And in general, it is not surprising that all this was followed by the presentation of "Oscar».

"Oscar" is not only a recognition of Fraser's skill, but also a signal of his return to big cinema. The actor managed to cope with his problems and find a new role. Perhaps in dramatic roles, Fraser will regain the crowds of fans who loved him for comedies.