Brendan Fraser Receives Standing Ovation At Venice Film Festival

Brendan Fraser has returned to the world of acting in a big way, and he’s already receiving rave reviews. His new film, The Whale, earned him a standing ovation at its festival premiere. Fraser’s story is pretty tragic, but it seems like he’s finally made it back to Hollywood to do the thing he loves most.

Brendan Fraser arrived in the industry to great fanfare, starring in films like The Mummy and George of the Jungle. Unfortunately, a number of factors contributed to his departure from the big screen. Fraser underwent a messy divorce and was unable to pay his alimony, in combination with the child support bills the judge decided he was responsible for. He also had to undergo a series of surgeries following his primarily physical roles.

In 2018, Fraser also alleged that he was sexually assaulted by Phillip Berk of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Between the fallout from the allegations, his divorce, his injuries, and the death of his mother, Fraser fell into a deep depression which caused him to pull out of the industry for a long time. The powers that be in Hollywood sought to protect Berk, making it extremely difficult to find work.

That all changed with his casting in The Whale, as a character named Charlie. Charlie is an overweight gay man who left his family to be with his lover, who tragically passed away. After this, Charlie does his best to reconnect with his daughter. The death of his lover caused Charlie to binge eat, which eventually lead to major health problems. Darren Aronofsky had been working on the film for a long time but struggled to find his lead. That’s when Fraser came along and committed to the film.

The movie premiered on September 4 at the Venice Film Festival. Upon finishing the film, the whole crowd showered Fraser in applause, giving him a standing ovation that lasted a whopping six minutes.

You can watch Fraser’s reaction below. The Whale is scheduled for release in theaters on December 9.