Brendan Fraser's The Whale Character Was The Challenge He Had Been Seeking In His Career
Brendan Fraser has played some pretty wild roles throughout his career, but arguably none of them compare to his turn in "The Whale." The critically acclaimed feature (via Rotten Tomatoes) received an extended standing ovation from audiences at the Venice Film Festival, causing an emotional reaction from the seasoned Hollywood player — Fraser firmly believes playing the role of Charlie in this film was the ultimate test of his abilities as an actor.
Fraser at one point was a big star headlining many movies like "The Mummy," "George of the Jungle," "Blast from the Past," and "Journey to the Center of the Earth." And then, after a bit of a hiatus from the spotlight, Fraser started making his presence known on the small screen in shows like "Trust," "Condor," and, most notably, the DC series "Doom Patrol" (via IMDb). But there is no denying he has gotten people's attention with "The Whale."
There has been a considerable amount of buzz surrounding the Darren Aronofsky-directed "The Whale," which boasts an impressive cast of exceptionally talented individuals, including "Stranger Things" star Sadie Sink, "Watchmen" standout Hong Chau, and Brendan Fraser. As for the latter, some outlets like the Daily Telegraph are saying "The Whale" verifies that Fraser has indeed made a triumphant return to film. The actor himself believes that the unique character of Charlie has been the type of part he has been hoping to experience his entire career.
Playing Charlie was a rewarding experience for Fraser
From watching the first trailer, it becomes abundantly clear that "The Whale" is unlike anything Brendan Fraser has ever embarked on during his time in the industry, and he talked about the impact that portraying Charlie onscreen had on him overall. "My journey to where I am now has been to explore as many characters as I can, and this [role] presented the biggest challenge I wanted," Brendan Fraser said during a Q&A session with the cast and director at the Venice Film Festival (via ET Canada on YouTube). "By far and away, I think that Charlie is the most heroic man I have ever played because his superpower is to see the good in others and bring that out in him."
Fraser is no stranger to playing the hero, but by his accounts, Charlie could be a solid contender for one of the most powerful personas he has ever played, resulting in a truly worthwhile performance that stands out as one of his greatest accomplishments.
It didn't take long for the movie's distinguished director Darren Aronofsky to determine that Fraser was the perfect individual to take on the role, and he seems to have made an excellent decision, as the actor and many others believe that his turn in "The Whale" could very well eclipse every other role he has played. In his review, David Gonzalez from ReelTalkinc.com wrote, "Brendan Fraser is nothing short of transcendent in this devastating and career-defining performance."
Whether or not people think "The Whale" is his best performance overall, it undoubtedly proves that Brendan Fraser is still a powerhouse, with some even dubbing his powerful performance as Oscar-worthy (via Gold Derby).