The first photo of Brendan Fraser in the upcoming film “The Whale” has arrived. The movie, directed by Darren Aronofsky, is based on the play of the same name by Samuel D. Hunter, who also wrote the screenplay.
“A reclusive English teacher suffering from severe obesity attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption,” A24 says in a description of the movie. In the film’s source material, Fraser’s Charlie left his family for his gay lover, who died. He used binge eating as a way to deal with his grief.
Fraser told Newsweek in 2021 that he used prosthetics and makeup in order to portray Charlie. “The wardrobe and costume was extensive, seamless, cumbersome,” he told the outlet. “This is certainly far removed from anything I’ve ever done but not to be coy, I haven’t seen any of it yet but I do know it’s going to make a lasting impression.”
Fraser is also set to appear in HBO Max’s “Batgirl” movie later this year. He’ll also star in Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” initially scheduled for a 2022 release but pushed back to 2023.
In a 2018 interview with GQ, Fraser reflected on why his movie career got derailed for some time. Fraser made a name for himself in action flicks like “The Mummy” and “George of the Jungle,” but he told the outlet that all the stunts took a huge toll on his body. “I believe I probably was trying too hard, in a way that’s destructive,” he told GQ. He had to have many surgeries, including a partial knee replacement and multiple back surgeries. His injuries were part of the reason why he took a step back from the Hollywood spotlight.
Read on for everything we know about “The Whale” so far.
“The Whale” Cast
Joining Fraser in “The Whale” are Sadie Sink as Charlie’s daughter Ellie, Hong Chau, Samantha Morton, Ty Simpkins, and Sathya Sridharan.
“The Whale” Release Date
“The Whale” will premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September. A24 has not announced a release date for theatres yet.
