Brendan Fraser has been in Hollywood obscurity for years, but the past several years have seen him starring in a number of prominent projects. The success that’s followed from his comeback is one that all actors would kill for, and among the ways the Brenaissance is continuing is through A24’s The Whale. The public is still a ways off from seeing this upcoming movie, but it’s been announced that Fraser will be receiving a major award for his new role in The Whale.
Things are coming up in the Brenaissance! As reported by Deadline, Fraser will be going back to his college town in Canada to be the recipient of the Toronto International Film Festival’s TIFF Tribute Award for his stellar performance in The Whale. Ever since the prize was first given out in 2019, recipients of this award at the festival’s annual gala have gone on to win or be nominated for Oscars, such as Benedict Cumberbatch for Power of the Dog, Jessica Chastain for The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Anthony Hopkins in The Father and Joaquin Phoenix in The Joker. Let’s cross our fingers that Brendan Fraser will join this list as the 2023 Oscar nominations surface. Here’s what TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey had to say about his decision to award Fraser:
Brendan Fraser gives a performance of staggering depth, power, and nuance in The Whale. This former Torontonian has been an action star, a screen comic, and a romantic lead. We’re thrilled to welcome him home as the actor behind one of the finest performances of the year.
Based on the play of the same name, The Whale is about a 600-pound, middle-aged man who tries to reconnect with his 17-year-old daughter, played by Stranger Things‘ Sadie Sink. While Brendan Fraser did put on weight for the role, he did not have to go for the full 600. His transformation involved the use of makeup, prosthetics, a body suit and a little CGI in order to make his character’s appearance look as real as possible. Based on the first look at The Whale, fans already think an Oscar is guaranteed for The Mummy actor’s future.
The Brenaissance came about when a whole community of fans was eagerly awaiting Brendan Fraser’s comeback. He was known for starring as Rick O’Connell in The Mummy trilogy, as well as Airheads, George of the Jungle, School Ties, Journey to the Center of the Earth and more. But it’d been years since we’ve seen Fraser have a prominent role in a film. His straying away from Hollywood had a lot to do with personal tragedies he was working through, like the death of his mother and the sexual assault allegations against an HFPA member who groped him in 2013. Then, a bonding moment with his rescue horse helped Fraser come to the realization that he was ready to come back to Hollywood.
Once Brendan Fraser decided to step foot back into his acting roots, good luck followed him. He was cast in DC’s Doom Patrol as Cliff Steele, who has his brain implanted in a robotic body after surviving a terrible car crash, and he also appeared in Steven Soderbergh’s No Sudden Move. Along with The Whale, another film that is sure to follow his successful streak is Martin Scorsese’s latest flick Killers of the Flower Moon, as well as the upcoming comedy film Brothers co-starring Josh Brolin, Peter Dinklage and Glenn Close. It looks like the Indiana native is going nowhere but up.
A deserving congratulations go to Brendan Fraser for receiving the TIFF Tribute Award. His honor for The Whale will be held at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival on September 11. Let’s keep the Brenaissance train rolling for as long as possible!