Brendan Fraser Had an Emotional Response for How His Family Helped Him Prepare for ‘The Whale’
A24’s The Whale earned hype on the film festival circuit, especially as it related to actor Brendan Fraser. He played an incredibly difficult role in the Darren Aronofsky-directed movie written by Samuel D. Hunter. However, Fraser credited his own family for his ability to star in The Whale in an emotional interview that rings incredibly genuine. The star’s infectious charm and sincerity continue to draw audiences in.
Brendan Fraser plays Charlie in ‘The Whale’
The Whale follows Charlie (Fraser), who’s a 600-pound English teacher working remotely. He left his daughter, Ellie (Sadie Sink), and his wife, Mary (Samantha Morton), for a man. However, Charlie became a recluse after his partner later died. His health goes into a rapid decline, forcing him to face his own mortality.
A nurse named Liz (Hong Chau) is Charlie’s best friend, who does her best to take care of him. However, his world becomes increasingly complicated when he tries to reconnect with Ellie, who’s now a 17-year-old girl with a lot of resentment toward the father that abandoned her.
‘The Whale’ actor Brendan Fraser said he turned to his family for help
According to Interview Magazine, Fraser spoke with Freddie Prinze Jr. about his experience working on The Whale. Prinze asked him if he could have pulled this role off in his younger years or if he needed the maturity to dig into this heavy subject matter. Fraser referred to how his family helped him in crafting his performance in The Whale.
The actor explained that he has three kids, but specifically mentioned his oldest son, named Griffin.
“He’s autistic,” Fraser said. “He just turned 20. He’s a big kid. He’s 6’5″, He’s got big hands and feet, a big body. I understand intimately what it is to be close to a person who lives with obesity. And because of the beauty of his spectrum—call it a disorder if you will, I disagree with you—he knows nothing of irony. He doesn’t know what cynicism is. You can’t insult him. He can’t insult you. He’s the happiest person and is, in my life and many others’, also the manifestation of love.”
However, Griffin wasn’t the only person in Fraser’s family to help him get through the most dramatically heavy moments of The Whale. As a result, he didn’t feel lost in the content.
Fraser continued: “Being with my kids and their mom and our family has given me such love that if ever I needed to hold something of value up to try and translate that to what was important to Charlie, I didn’t have to look far.”
The actor is getting Oscar buzz
Fraser instantly started getting Oscar buzz for playing Charlie in The Whale upon its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, where he earned a standing ovation. The film itself earned divisive reactions from critics, but his performance earned high marks across the board.
However, some audiences took offense to The Whale‘s subject matter and the subtext it has surrounding larger bodies. It could potentially stand in the way of his Oscar chances if the Academy feels the same way.
How to get help: In the U.S. call the National Eating Disorders Association helpline at 1-800-931-2237.
