‘School Ties’: Brendan Fraser Says Matt Damon Made Him ‘Better’
Brendan Fraser is experiencing a major career resurgence. For fans who have long followed the beleaguered actor’s career, it’s not a moment too soon. The actor first rose to fame in the ’90s for his breakneck action roles and parts in raucous comedies. He stepped back from the spotlight for a while, choosing to put the focus on his family in the wake of personal struggles. These days, however, Fraser is acting again. And he’s opening up about his career in a way that he never has before. In a recent interview with GQ, Fraser spoke about one of his first roles, in the 1992 dramatic film School Ties. He revealed his respect for co-star Matt Damon by admitting that working with the star made him “better.”
One of Brendan Fraser’s early roles was in the movie ‘School Ties’
Fraser was still a newcomer to the movie business when he was cast in School Ties. The 1992 drama featured a cast full of future superstars, including Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Chris O’Donnell, Cole Hauser, and Fraser. The film tells the story of a young Jewish high school student, played by Fraser, who struggles to conceal his religious affiliation after he is awarded a scholarship to an exclusive preparatory school.
According to IMDb, School Ties wasn’t a huge hit at the box office when it was released. Still, it has gained a following in the years since. Many praised Fraser’s performance and the work of his many talented co-stars.
What did Brendan Fraser say about working with Matt Damon in ‘School Ties’?
In a recent interview with GQ, Fraser broke down some of his most notable roles. “School Ties was my first feature film and I thought it was also gonna be my last one for all I knew,” Fraser recalled. “So each day is one that I can remember something unique about. And all the time that I’ve been lucky enough to be making movies, so much of it becomes a blur. But because it was such an opportunity for a 22-, 23-year-old actor, the gravity of it, none of it was lost on me.”
Fraser also reminisced about how it was working with Damon, who was also an up-and-coming young star at the time. “My screen test for it was with Matt and I knew that I needed to match pitch with him,” Fraser noted. “I wasn’t really certain how working for camera differentiated from what I was accustomed to, having just, at that time of my life, come out of training in a conservatory. I knew that I needed to size things down.”
Fraser praised Damon. “And I also knew that if I just listened to what Matt was saying, I was getting across what needed to be acted and conveyed,” he continued. “And I think that’s because he’s such a good actor. He makes you better.” The veteran actor felt his chemistry with Damon was part of why he landed the role in School Ties.
Brendan Fraser expressed his appreciation for ‘School Ties’
School Ties is a serious film that deals with important issues like intolerance and bigotry. For Fraser, it is those deep themes that have given the movie such staying power. “It’s a film about wanting to belong,” Fraser told GQ. “Sooner or later we’ve all felt like we’ve had our nose pressed up against the glass and we’ve wanted to be a part of what was on the inside and there was something keeping us out.”
