Brendan Fraser: How a Forgotten Star Regained His Glory

After a decade-long hiatus from acting, Brendan Fraser has returned to Hollywood in an unexpected yet welcome career comeback. In the 90’s Fraser was known for his roles in notable comedy and adventure films such as The Mummy and Airheads, and after a two decade dip in his career, he earned his first golden globe nomination for his standout role in The Whale. 

Originally from Indiana, Fraser and his family moved between a variety of places over the course of his childhood, ranging from California to the Netherlands. Fraser was introduced to the world of acting through a theater performance he viewed while on vacation in England. From then on, Fraser dedicated his life to acting, graduating from Seattle's Cornish College of The Arts in 1990. 

Fraser’s climb up the ladder of Hollywood began with his minor role in the 1991 coming of age film Dogfight. While Fraser had proven himself as a competent actor in his first role, he wouldn’t be recognized by the film industry at large until his role in 1992’s School Ties. The film, which dealt with themes of intolerance and anti-semitism, proved that Fraser had the ability to excel in more serious roles. While the film failed financially, it served as a strong launching point for Fraser’s career, allowing him to star in much bigger movies. Throughout the remainder of the decade, Fraser would rise in popularity, reaching his peak in 1999 with the hit adventure movie The Mummy. Fraser’s roles in lighthearted movies aimed towards families made him into an emblem of 90’s nostalgia, and he is still revered today for his unique presence in those films.

Fraser’s momentum from the 90’s was halted by an onset of severe mental and physical hardships. As someone who performed many of his own stunts, Fraser had to undergo several surgeries throughout this stretch of his career, meaning he was no longer physically able to perform certain roles. In one case, Fraser was almost choked to death while filming his first scene of The Mummy, which proved to be just one in a long series of injuries Fraser would sustain on set.

In 2018, Fraser revealed that he had been sexually assaulted by the former president of the Golden Globes association, Philip Berk. Fraser’s accusations were met with complete dismissal by Hollywood. Fraser struggled to find any substantial roles for the next two decades, leading him to suspect he had been "blacklisted" by Hollywood. This incident, coupled with a rough divorce and loss of his mother, put Fraser into a long depression in which he admits that he felt “miserable” and “reclusive” for a substantial portion of his life. For 2 decades, Fraser played very few roles, and he doubted that his career would ever recover.

Fraser’s career has been marked with extreme hardship, but has made a comeback that nobody could have predicted. In 2019, Fraser starred in the superhero comedy show Doom Patrol, earning newfound praise for his role as the aloof cyborg Cliff Steele. From there, Fraser was lauded with praise for his leading role in The Whale, in which he plays an estranged English teacher as he attempts to reconnect with his daughter. The film was nominated for a golden globe, however, Fraser refused to accept the award due to the sexual assault by a member of the awards committee. In a moment of thankfulness, Fraser tearfully received the Critic’s Choice for best actor of 2022.

Along with his well received roles, Fraser’s character and personality has become a point of praise for him. GC’s Zach Baron, during an interview with Fraser in 2018, was surprised by his “compulsive honesty.” Fraser’s forward personality and mindset have given him a reputation of being unusually down to Earth in a business populated by people of extreme wealth and fame.

After a tumultuous 20 year dip in his mental and physical wellbeing, Fraser has once more found himself at the center of attention in Hollywood. At the awards ceremony for his role as the film’s main character, Charlie, Fraser received a standing ovation, solidifying his career renaissance. In an interview with StyleCaster after the ceremony, Fraser said that the applause helped him feel more "affirmed" than he had been in the last 20 years. Fraser’s future in acting looks bright, with him planning to star in Martin Scorceses upcoming film Killers of The Flower Moon.

By Christopher Eckl