Brendan Fraser’s massive popularity has helped play a role in revitalizing the 54-year-old actor’s career. That includes Fraser’s first ever Best Actor Oscar nomination, via his commanding performance in Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale.”
For this week’s video episode of Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, we sat down with Brendan Fraser to discuss ‘The Brenaissance’ and what this past year has meant to him. We also play a game called “Whose Babe Is It Anyway?” — where Fraser guesses which of his former co-stars said a particular line.
Watch the full video above. The podcast, featuring an interview with Oscar-nominated “Tár” star Cate Blanchett, will be released on Friday.
“The Whale” is a stark, austere examination of regret and addiction, wrapped in screenplay written by Samuel D. Hunter, who adapted his play of the same name. Distributed by A24, “The Whale” tells the story of Charlie, an obese gay man who reunites with his 17-year-old daughter Ellie (played by Sadie Sink) after leaving her and her mother for her young lover. In addition to Fraser’s nod for Best Actor, Hong Chau is nominated for Best Supporting Actress.
As we wait to see if Fraser’s name will be called from the Dolby Theater stage on March 12, one point shouldn’t be lost: he’s always been a gifted actor and bona fide movie star.
Some of the star’s most memorable films and roles include the ’90s comedy “Encino Man” (1992), the coming-of-age drama “School Ties” (1992) and infectious romantic comedies like “Blast From the Past” (1998) and “Dazzled” (2000). And then there was his adventurer Rick O’Connell of “The Mummy” franchise. “I love these movies,” he says. Fraser is even ready to do more. “I love popcorn movies. I’m not ruling anything out.”
Next, Fraser will star alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Jesse Plemons and Lily Gladstone in “The Killers of the Flower Moon,” directed by Martin Scorsese, which will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this year.
He is also set to star alongside Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage in Max Barbakow’s “Brothers” (“Palm Springs”). The plot has been kept secret, but Fraser reveals exclusively to Variety that it’s a “robbery movie”, in which he plays a jailer. “There are jewels in play, which have been mysteriously buried, possibly inside a corpse. And fraternal twins Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage are very funny together.
Although Warner Bros. pulled “Batgirl” from release, Fraser isn’t necessarily done with the DCEU. He says he’s open to returning for other projects if asked by DC Studios chiefs James Gunn and Peter Sarfan. “I’m an actor,” says Fraser. “I want to work.”
Variety’s “Awards Circuit” podcast, produced by Michael Schneider, who also co-hosts with Clayton Davis, is your one-stop-shop for lively conversations about the best in film and TV. Each week, “Awards Circuit” features interviews with top film and TV talent and creatives; discussions and debates about awards races and industry headlines; and much more. Subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you download podcasts. New episodes released every week.