Brendan Fraser gets emotional over Whale awards victory, his first trophy 'since grade 4'
After three decades in Hollywood, Brendan Fraser is finally feeling the love for his inarguable talent on the big screen.
The 53-year-old actor got emotional while accepting his TIFF Tribute Award statuette — a major pre-Oscars accolade on the circuit — Sunday night at the Toronto International Film Festival, where he was honored for his lead performance in Darren Aronofsky's upcoming drama The Whale.
"This is new for me. Normally I'm the guy who hands these things out, and I got really good at it. The trick is: Left hand, hold; right hand, shake," he joked, noting that the closest he's come was a Screen Actors Guild Award win he shared with the cast of the 2004 film Crash.
"Apart from being a part of some impressive and talented ensemble casts, I think the last time that I waited to hear my name called aloud to receive an award was in grade 4, and it was from the peewee bowling league... My mom said it was a major award. Also, engraved on the plaque was the name 'Brian Fusher,' so, Brian, if you're in the house, you can pick up your trophy after the show. This one's mine."
A24 Brendan Fraser in 'The Whale.'
Fraser's Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor costar (and fellow TIFF honoree) Michelle Yeoh wiped away tears during Fraser's segment, which she watched while seated at a table in the audience. Earlier in the evening, the pair held a mini Mummy franchise reunion and embraced while sitting next to each other at the event.
The Whale held its North American premiere at TIFF 2022, where Fraser received a sustained standing ovation and became visibly emotional on stage. As he joined Aronofsky and fellow cast members Ty Simpkins and Sadie Sink for a post-screening Q&A, he gave the event moderator a tissue, as many attendees were still wiping away tears as the film's credits rolled.
Brendan Fraser brought the moderator a tissue during his standing ovation because literally everyone at The Whale premiere can’t stop crying. #TIFF #TIFF22 pic.twitter.com/4bJlorur9J
— Joey Nolfi (@joeynolfi) September 12, 2022
The Whale follows Fraser as Charlie, a man affected by obesity, congestive heart failure, and deep bouts of grief as he grapples with mending his relationship with his estranged daughter (Sink) and the memory of his deceased partner, Alan.
"Art is about taking a risk, and [Aronofsky and writer Samuel D. Hunter] took a chance on me, and I'm grateful to them," Fraser said of his collaborators at the TIFF gala. "The Whale is a redemption story... he's gone through significant life changes and has forgotten about who he is and the ones he loves, and he's running out of time to tell them that — if he can at all. But, he has a superpower: Charlie sees the good in others when they can't see that in themselves, and he can bring that out in them. I'm a firm believer that we need more of that in this world. It's the audience that gives cinema life, so I must thank you for keeping me in the job that I love because it's nice work if you can get it."
In addition to winning one of the 2022 TIFF Tribute accolades — which have gone to eventual Oscar-winning performances like Joaquin Phoenix (Joker) and Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye) in years past — Fraser also received standout praise for the project at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival.
A24 will release The Whale on Dec. 9.
Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.
Related content:
