Brendan Fraser Replaced Leonardo DiCaprio in a Cult-Favorite ’90s Movie
Before his career and personal life were thrown off course, Brendan Fraser was a promising leading man throughout the 1990s. Now, Fraser is back where he should’ve been all along, sharing the screen and the spotlight with other big-name actors. His small role in the cult classic Now and Then isn’t his most memorable performance, but Fraser’s presence in the movie is noteworthy because of who he replaced for the character. Leonardo DiCaprio was set to be in Now and Then before dropping out. Nearly three decades later and after wildly different trajectories, Fraser and DiCaprio will share screen time in one of 2023’s most highly anticipated films.
Brendan Fraser was a bonafide movie star before multiple traumas derailed him
Fraser displayed his talent in enough projects to convince most viewers that he would be a significant performer for most of his career. He broke through in 1992 with roles in Encino Man and School Ties.
A few years later, he carved out a lane as the leading man in action-adventure flicks like George of the Jungle and the Mummy movies, which were big hits at the box office. Fraser also showcased his range in more adult dramas like Gods and Monsters and The Quiet American.
A sustained run of stardom seemed inevitable, but Fraser’s life went off the rails in ways no one would have predicted. A lengthy divorce from his ex Afton Smith, injuries from repeated stunt work, and the fallout from accusing HFPA president Phillip Berk of sexual assault brought Fraser’s career to a standstill. (Berk denies the claims.)
He found the resolve to pursue meaningful work again in the 2010s after a five-year absence from the industry. The fact that he could do so in any capacity is a triumph. But the fact that he performed so well that he created the “Brennaisance” is miraculous.
Brendan Fraser joined the ‘Now and Then’ cast after Leonardo DiCaprio left the project
One of Fraser’s early roles was in the 1995 coming-of-age drama Now and Then. Fraser plays an unnamed Vietnam vet the movie’s core four characters (played as kids by Gaby Hoffmann, Christina Ricci, Ashleigh Aston Moore, and Thora Birch) meet while riding their bikes.
Now and Then received mediocre reviews when it was released, but has since developed a following thanks to its fully realized depiction of pre-teen girls and their complex journey through adolescence.
In recognition of the film’s 20th anniversary, Entertainment Tonight spoke to screenwriter Marlene King about the production. She revealed that they got their first choice for every role — except for Fraser, who was a replacement for another young star.
“The one role that originally was different was Leonardo DiCaprio was going to play the Vietnam vet, but something happened and he had a conflict,” King said. “I know, it’s crazy!”
While Fraser wasn’t who King and director Lesli Linka Glatter wanted, they were ultimately happy with his performance. “Brendan Fraser was a last-minute swap for him, but Brendan did such a good job, so it was all good,” King summarized.
Brendan Fraser and Leonardo DiCaprio will appear together in ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’
A key part of Fraser’s comeback is his work with established filmmakers. He played a supporting role in Steven Soderbergh’s No Sudden Move in 2021 and just won the Best Actor Oscar for his work in The Whale. Fraser’s next part is in Martin Scorsese’s Western crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon.
DiCaprio is also in the film, and Fraser admitted in an interview with SiriusXM that working with the actor was a deeply emotional experience for him.
Fraser first met DiCaprio at a screening of What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, for which the latter became one of the youngest Best Supporting Actor nominees at the Academy Awards. Leo’s star power was already transforming his life, but he appreciated Fraser treating him like a peer rather than a celebrity.
“[DiCaprio] told me I was the first person that didn’t treat him like a little kid because when I met him I didn’t see a little kid. I saw a really formidable actor who was a young person of course, but a force to be reckoned with,” Fraser told SiriusXM. “And man, I was lucky to go on that quick journey with them to work with Scorsese.”
