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Brendan Fraser has an emotional moment after fans thank him for 'making my childhood awesome'

What a genuine guy.

via Wikimedia Commons

Brendan Fraser at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival.

Actor Brendan Fraser was one of the most popular and beloved comedy and action stars of the late ’90s and 2000s. He catapulted to fame behind blockbusters like "The Mummy" franchise, "George of the Jungle," "Looney Tunes: Back in Action" and the Oscar-winning film "Crash."

However, a confluence of events led him to put his career as a leading man on the backburner in the late 2000s.

Over the course of a decade, he would go through an ugly divorce with the wife of his three children. He suffered serious injuries doing stunts throughout his career and would undergo surgeries on his knee and vocal cords. In 2016, he lost his mother and in 2018, he alleged he was sexually assaulted by Philip Berk, the then-president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, in 2003.

The series of setbacks pushed Fraser into a deep depression that further hampered his career.

Over the past few years, Fraser has experienced an upswing in his career. He currently stars in the HBO Max action series “Doom Patrol” and has upcoming roles in films by two A-list directors, Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale” and Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon.”

Over the weekend, Fraser made an appearance at the Calgary Expo where he did a Q&A with fans who seemed primarily interested in talking about some of the stranger films in his catalog; namely, “George of the Jungle,” “Encino Man,” “Bedazzled'' and “Monkeybone.”

He also signed autographs at the event which led to a heartwarming exchange with two fans. A TikTok user with the user name imani.goulet posted a video of the interaction on Sunday, April 24, and it went viral with more than 2.4 million views. During the exchange, Fraser signs a Funko doll of himself for Imani and they bond over a common problem, an uncommon name.

"I've had a lifetime of people mispronouncing my name. I know what it feels like," he tells the two women. As the girls leave the table, one says something that clearly touched Fraser’s heart.

@imani.goulet

#brendanfraser #brendanfraserappreciation #brenaissance i love this man 🥹 my photo op with him and my signed funko are on my instagram: imani.goulet • everyone always says to never meet your heroes, i met mine and we almost burst into tears talking to eachother. thank you for everything brendan! ♥️

"Thank you for making my childhood awesome,” she says. "And mine too," Imani adds. According to Imani, the words almost made Fraser “burst into tears.” The “George of the Jungle” star responded to the compliment with a fist bump.

“You can tell that last comment really meant SO much to him and I am HERE FOR IT,” a commenter named Kim wrote.

“Everyone always says to never meet your heroes, I met mine and we almost burst into tears talking to each other. Thank you for everything Brendan!” Imani captioned her video. “I hope he knows just how loved he is,” BV added.

The exchange shows that even though Fraser has been famous for four decades, he hasn’t become jaded and cynical and still enjoys it when a fan shows their appreciation. It’s that type of sincere reaction that has encouraged many people to root for Fraser over the last few years as he rebuilds his career.


This article originally appeared on 4.26.22

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Brendan Fraser's emotional awards speech about hope left audience in tears

'If you too can have the strength to just get to your feet and go to the light, good things will happen.'

Discussing Film/Twitter

Brendan Fraser took home Best Actor from the Critics Choice Awards.

Like the rest of the world, we at Upworthy have found Brendan Fraser’s glorious return to the Hollywood spotlight to be inspiring. After a multiyear hiatus, his role in Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale” has been a career milestone—both catapulting him back onto the big screen and gaining widespread accolades for his incredible performance. Seriously, if you haven’t seen it yet, do. And bring tissues … it’s beautifully heartbreaking.

At long last, it seems this beloved actor and genuinely decent guy is getting the comeback he deserves. Since “The Whale” released to theaters, Fraser has been a frontrunner for the coveted Best Actor title, and scored his first win (of probably many) at the 2023 Critics Choice Awards.


As you can probably imagine, this full-circle moment meant a lot to Fraser. The video below captures his initial reaction to hearing his name being announced and taking his triumphant march to the stage.

And as he delivered a moving acceptance speech, there wasn’t a dry eye left in the house.

Because Brendan Fraser wouldn’t be Brendan Fraser without a charming sense of humor, he began by making the audience laugh. “Where were you for ‘Furry Vengeance’?” he quipped, harkening back to his comedy heyday.

He continued by praising his cast and crew members—including Aronofsky, who essentially plucked the actor out of obscurity. “I was in the wilderness and I probably should have left a trail of breadcrumbs, but you found me. And like all the best directors, you merely just showed me where to go to get to where I needed to be,” he told the director.

Then, with his voice trembling with emotion, Fraser declared, "If you, like a guy like Charlie, who I played in this movie, in any way struggle with obesity or you just feel like you’re in a dark sea, I want you to know that if you too can have the strength to just get to your feet and go to the light, good things will happen."

In “The Whale,” Fraser plays a 600-pound man who uses his final days to reconcile with his estranged daughter (played by Sadie Sink). Whether or not obesity is a mental illness has been a subject of debate, however it has been closely linked with mood disorders like depression—which, let’s face it, can make anyone feel hopeless and inert, overweight or not. Above all, the big theme of the film is about having the strength to hold onto hope, regardless of circumstances. Or as Fraser put it, “finding the light in a dark place.”

Fraser's words touched many who have found themselves in similar situations:

Time will tell if this moment foreshadows an Oscar win, but in our hearts, Fraser is already a winner. Thank you for giving us all a masterclass in emotional resilience and compassion.

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Hollywood icons Brendan Fraser and Adam Sandler sat down for an epic chat with each other

Best. Interview. Ever.

Variety/YouTube

Adam Sandler and Brendan Fraser for Variety's "Actors on Actors."

There are few actors in this world as universally loved as Brendan Fraser and Adam Sandler. So when the two sign on to interview one another, you can bet that people are going to be thrilled.

During one of Variety's “Actors on Actors” segments, the two swapped stories of being in the entertainment business—from the movie “Airheads," which they both starred in, to more recent projects like Sandler’s “Hustle” and Fraser’s “The Whale.”

It’s clear that these two respect and admire each other’s work. Sandler applauded Fraser’s career-long stride of making bold and interesting choices, and especially commended him for his starring role in Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale,” which has been hailed as a major comeback for the “Mummy” franchise star.

Similarly Fraser—which he lightheartedly confirmed is pronounced “Fray-zur,’ like a razor—praised an often ignored layer of nuance in Sandler’s roles, saying, “He doesn’t play underdogs, he plays champions that are overlooked.”

But what’s even better than any of that is seeing a couple of really good guys enjoying each other’s company. From bonding over surgeries to making playful jabs about Sandler’s beard, the wholesome dad vibes were at an 11.

“Finally an interview using a language we can all fully appreciate and understand, the language of true friendship,” commented one person.

One person wrote, “This is the first ‘Actors on Actors’ that I watched in full and lost track of the time. Their chemistry as friends is so genuine.”

Another added, “OMG!!! This video could have been 12+ hours and I would still be sitting here enjoying every second with these two sharing stories and experiences through the entertainment business and you can tell they have a great history together as friends throughout their careers and that is such an amazing thing to witness.”

Fraser and Sandler likely gave us some of the best sources of delight and laughter throughout our childhoods. It’s great to see that some things never change.

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‘My mother didn’t raise a hypocrite’: Why Brendan Fraser won’t be at the Golden Globes if nominated

He’s an Academy Award frontrunner for his performance in ‘The Whale.’

via Montclair Film/Flickr

Brendan Fraser at the Montclair Film Festival, 2022.

Actor Brendan Fraser is being hailed as the comeback kid after his performance in Darren Aronofsky's “The Whale” has made him an Oscar frontrunner. Variety, Indie Wire and Awards Daily all have Fraser near the top of their lists for Best Actor alongside Austin Butler for his performance as the King of Rock ’n’ Roll in “Elvis” and Colin Farrell for his role in “The Banshees of Inisherin.”

“The Whale” is a film about a 600-pound writing teacher in failing health who desperately wants to reconnect with his daughter. “With ‘The Whale,’ Aronofsky and Fraser have taken substantive risks, in the name of an insistent empathy. I think, and my tear ducts agree, that those risks paid off,” Glenn Kenny writes for Roger Ebert.com.

Usually, when people are frontrunners for the Academy Award they are also likely to receive a nod from the Golden Globes. However, if Fraser is nominated, he won’t be attending.

“I have more history with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association than I have respect for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association,” Fraser told GQ in an intimate interview. “No, I will not participate.”

“It’s because of the history that I have with them,” Fraser continued. “And my mother didn’t raise a hypocrite. You can call me a lot of things, but not that.”

Fraser claims that in 2003, Philip Berk, the former president and member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), groped and sexually assaulted Fraser at a luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel. "I felt ill. I felt like a little kid," he told GQ. "I felt like there was a ball in my throat. I thought I was going to cry."

When Fraser made the allegation public in 2018, it resulted in an outpouring of support for the actor at a time when health problems and trauma from the assault forced him to retreat from the limelight. Berk disputes Fraser's claim and reached out to him but he admitted no wrongdoing.

Berk denied the allegation in a statement: “Mr. Fraser’s version is a total fabrication.”

via Montclair Film

The HFPA wrote a joint statement to be signed by Fraser but he refused because he felt it downplayed Berk’s behavior. Berk was expelled from the HFPA last year but not for his behavior toward Fraser. He was thrown out after writing an email to HFPA members that called Black Lives Matter a "racist hate group.”

Fraser’s critical acclaim for his performance in “The Whale” is a welcome comeback for the actor and his fans who see him as part of their childhood. He delighted a lot of younger Gen Xers and millennials with his performances in the 1990s and 2000s, including in “School Ties,” “Encino Man,” “The Mummy” franchise and “Looney Tunes: Back in Action.”

Fraser told GQ that he’s excited to do the press rounds to campaign for an Oscar nod this awards season. But he won’t put his own dignity ahead of his career by attending an awards ceremony held by a group that he believes neglected his humanity.

In a town where there is no higher honor than a nod during award season, Fraser shows that he has even higher standards to uphold.

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