Brendan Fraser Sucks At Remembering Lines (& He's Not Afraid To Admit It)
It's no secret that Brendan Fraser is a great actor — after all, he is now officially an Oscar winner after taking home the best actor trophy for his performance in Darren Aronofsky's drama film, "The Whale." But before his Oscar win, Fraser had already proven that he belonged on the big screen with his performances in films such as "Gods and Monsters," "Journey to the Center of the Earth," and "Crash." Plus, that's not to mention his most iconic role to date thus far: Rick O'Connell in "The Mummy" trilogy.
But just because Fraser belongs on the screen doesn't mean that all aspects of acting come easy for him. In fact, while promoting the very film that would eventually earn him the Oscar, the actor wasn't afraid to admit in an interview that he isn't so good at a crucial part of acting: remembering the lines. While discussing how difficult it is for him to memorize the lines he's supposed to say, Fraser quipped, "Sometimes I make them up!"
Fraser discussed his difficulties learning lines
During a panel for "The Whale," an audience member asked Brendan Fraser if he had any strategy for memorizing his lines. Right away, Fraser was honest about the fact that he has difficulty remembering his lines by heart, leading him to admit that he sometimes makes up his lines in the moment while doing a take. However, the movie crew members don't exactly approve of his method. Fraser explained, "Then somebody [the script supervisor] with a long face shows up with an iPad or a big book and goes, 'No, that's not what it says. Do the script, it's easier, that way we all know what's gonna happen.'" With that in mind, it's a good thing that Fraser starred in the film adaptation rather than the stage play of the same name, which "The Whale" is based on.
Fraser then went on to talk about how he sees himself as terrible at learning lines, mentioning that, with "The Whale," he even tried to hide reminders around the set with his lines on it. However, the actor did note that remembering lines is a bit easier when the project is well-written, which is how he felt about "The Whale."
Fraser said, "I think that when something is really well written, it just stands to reason that you understand what's gonna come next, what you're gonna say next. So I guess, just like everything else, I just trust in the process and, you know, hope for the best."