Hollywood star Brendan Fraser suffered from a career break for several years. Private problems are also to blame. Now he could return brilliantly with the strip "The Whale". The fact that he was celebrated frenetically at the Venice Film Festival moved the actor to tears.
"The Whale" is one of the most promising works to be shown at this year's Venice Film Festival. The world premiere of Darren Aronofsky's drama on Sunday night was a resounding success. Brendan Fraser in particular earned a lot of applause as the main actor. He should not only have heralded his return to Hollywood. He is already being hotly traded for an Oscar.
The audience applauded the 53-year-old for a full six minutes. Videos circulating on social media show Fraser struggling to keep his composure at the standing ovation and fighting back tears of emotion. However, he was not the only one in the room who was overwhelmed by his emotions, reports "Variety". Rather, during the last scenes of "The Whale" many moviegoers would have needed a handkerchief.
The role demanded a lot from Fraser: To embody the depressed English teacher Charlie, the actor transformed into a 270-kilo man. For this he wore a special suit that was "not exactly comfortable", as he revealed in a "Variety" interview. The actor spent up to six hours a day in the mask.
"I developed muscles I didn't know I had," Fraser joked. When he took off his suit, he felt dizzy at the end of each day of shooting. "It made me sensitive to those whose bodies are similar. You have to be an incredibly strong person, mentally and physically, to inhabit that physical being," he explained.
"The Whale" is about English teacher Charlie, who has become obese after the death of his partner and sees his last chance to reconcile with his estranged daughter slip by. The flick marks Fraser's impressive comeback to the big screen. It's his first starring role in a film since 2013's Breakout.
Fraser began his film and television career in the early 1990s. With films like "Airheads" (1994), "The Mummy" (1999) or "The Still American" (2002) he managed to establish himself in Hollywood. In 2007, after nine years of marriage, Fraser separated from his wife Afton Smith, with whom he has three sons. The War of the Roses, but also health problems, the death of his mother and the experience of sexual assault in 2003 drove Fraser into depression. With "The Whale" the career break could finally be overcome.
It is not yet known when the drama will start in German cinemas. In the US, the strip should be seen from December 9th.
