Brendan Fraser's Performance In 'The Whale' Is Causing Major Oscar Buzz

Actor Brendan Fraser recently received praise from fans for his amazing performance in "The Whale." Renowned director and producer Darren Aronofsky directed this film, which premiered on September 4th, 2022. It featured several fan-favorite stars like Sadie Sink, who played Fraser's daughter.

The actor is known for his performances in critically acclaimed films like "George of the Jungle" in 1997 and the "Mummy" film series "The Mummy" in 1999, "The Mummy Returns" in 2001, and "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" in 2008.

Apart from his performance in "The Whale," fans were also shocked by Fraser's weight gain to portray a 600-pound obese man in the psychological drama. The actor's groundbreaking performance is buzzed to likely land him an Oscar nomination and maybe even a win.

Keep reading to find out more.

The film follows Charlie, a gay man who attempts to reunite with Ellie, his 17-year-old daughter, after abandoning the family to follow his boyfriend. He also struggles with severe obesity, which interferes with his chance to fix things with his daughter and wife.

The movie was inspired by a Samuel D. Hunter play of the same name and plot. During its premiere in Venice, a viral clip showed Fraser tearing up as fellow stars stood up to applaud him. The standing ovation lasted for six whole minutes and had the actor in tears throughout.

Per Variety, he stands a chance to join other A-listers like Colin Farrell for his performance in "The Banshees of Inisherin" and Hugh Jackman for "The Son" in the actor of the year category at the Oscars. In an interview with Deadline, Samuel D. Hunter revealed how grateful he was to Aronofsky for turning his play into a screenplay.

Hunter said in his statement to Deadline, "Adapting my play into a screenplay has been a real labor of love for me. This story is deeply personal, and I'm very thankful it will have the chance to reach a wider audience."

He also revealed that he had been a fan of Aronofsky's work since he started writing plays in college. "I'm so grateful that he's bringing his singular talent and vision to this film," he continued.

Critics also commented on Charlie's behavior in the movie. Rolling Stone's Jerry Portwood once wrote about the uniqueness of the characters. He expected the character to be "neutered," but he is seen "masturbating to internet porn at his computer" at one point. He also referred to the character as "one of the strangest gay characters" written by a playwright.

Hunter explained that while he had always created Charlie as a gay person, he didn't want to focus on his sexuality or obesity. He explained that he wanted the character to "remain idiosyncratic."

About the character from the play, Portwood wrote, "It's also one of the most emotionally moving, intellectually engaging, and well-constructed plays I've seen in recent memory. You won't forget these characters anytime soon."

Fraser isn't the only one that stands a chance to win an Oscar with "The Whale." Aronofsky, who has been previously nominated for his work in "Black Swan," could earn a second nomination with the critically acclaimed film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByKhfjRyymg

Fans have also praised the much calmer mood of "The Whale" compared to his typically dark and disturbing movie themes. Some of his previous dark-themed films include the 2010 psychological horror "Black Swan" and the 2017 thriller "Mother" starring Jennifer Lawrence.

As per Variety, "The Whale" has been compared to his 2000 psychological thriller "Requiem for Dream" as they both showed how the characters' physical health affected their mental health. The movie follows a retired widow's obsession with losing weight.

"Stranger Things" star Sadie Sink has also received praise for her performance in the film.