Brendan Fraser Thought School Ties Would Be His First And Last Feature Film
Plenty of people would agree that saying Brendan Fraser has had a unique career in Hollywood is probably a huge understatement. It's not too often that a highly sought-after leading actor is able to step away from the spotlight for the majority of fifteen years, then jump right back into the industry's open arms. Fraser kicked off his feature film career three decades ago, which continued steadily with favorites such as "Bedazzled," "With Honors," and of course, "The Mummy" franchise. Variety reports that despite his success on the big screen, Fraser took his extra-extended break due to both medical issues and his need for more family time following his divorce from Afton Smith.
But, that's all in the past now as Fraser has resurrected his career, largely thanks to his recent incredible performance in "The Whale," where he plays a 600-pound gay man, hoping to jumpstart a relationship with his estranged daughter. This fascinating portrayal is the first one Fraser has taken on in twelve years, and in no way is comparable to the role that started it all, back in 1992. Then, he snagged his first leading role as David Green in "School Ties." And although this Hollywood score would have usually been a solid ego boost for any 22-year-old actor, Fraser explains that it pushed him to stay humble.
Brendan Fraser embraced what could've been his last leading role experience
In 1992, Brendan Fraser starred in the movie "School Ties," which follows his character, David Greene, a 17-year-old Jewish student holding a football scholarship to a prestigious Catholic boarding school. Fraser reflects on the experience in an interview with GQ, explaining the mature way he began working on the production. "'School Ties' was my first feature film," he recalled, "and I thought it was going to be my last one, for all I knew." Fraser refers to the fact that he knew that this was a highly unique opportunity for an actor. "The gravity of it, none of it was lost on me." Knowing that this could very well be a make or break moment in his career, the "Airheads" actor attributes this first film to his incredible supporting cast.
Not only did "School Ties" give Fraser his first leading role of what was to become a long career, the film also featured a few more up-and-coming names such as Chris O'Donnell, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon. Fraser goes on to explain how he believes the audition/screen-test with Damon helped him land the role. "I think that's because he's such a good actor, he makes you better. And I'm pretty sure that has a lot to do with why I got the job." Well, be it thanks to his supporting cast or his own excellent performance, "School Ties" would not be his last feature film, by a long shot. And now today, with his new Oscar-buzzing movie, "The Whale," the 53 year old actor continues on with the journey.