Oscar Profile #640: Brendan Fraser

Born December 3, 1968 in Indianapolis, Indiana to traveling Canadian parents, Brendan Fraser holds dual American-Canadian citizenship. He grew up in Ottawa, Detroit, Seattle, London, and Rome as his parents who were in the travel business, frequently moved. His early exposure to theatre, especially in London, led him to Seattle’s Cornish Institute where he perfected his craft.

Graduating from the Cornish Institute in 1990, Fraser immediately found work as Sailor #1 in Nancy Savoca’s 1991 film, Dogfight starring River Phoenix and Lili Taylor. The following year he had starring roles in Les Mayfield’s Encino Man in which he played the title role opposite Sean Astin and Pauley Shore, and Robert Mandel’s School Ties in which he led a cast that included Matt Damon, Chris O’Donnell, and Ben Affleck. He received a Chicago Film Critics award for Most Promising Actor for both films.

For the next five years, Fraser alternated between starring roles in minor films and supporting roles in other actors’ films. His first major box-office success was as George of the Jungle in Sam Weisman’s 1997 film of that name for which he received a Blockbuster Entertainment nomination for Best Favorite Actor – Family. The following year he was in the conversation for an Oscar nomination for Bill Condon’s Gods and Monsters in support of Ian McKellen. The only major nominations he received, however, was for a Chlotrudis Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, which he lost to Billy Bob Thornton in A Simple Plan. That same year he married actress Afton Smith with whom he has three sons.

Fraser had three hits in 1999, Hugh Hudson’s Blast from the Past opposite Alicia Silverstone, Stephen Sommers’ hugely successful The Mummy opposite Rachel Weisz, and Hudson’s Dudley Do-Right opposite Sarah Jessica Parker.

In 2001, Fraser starred in Sommers’ equally successful The Mummy Returns and in 2002, starred opposite Michael Caine in Phillip Noyce’s remake of The Quiet American in which he and Caine had the roles played by Audie Murphy and Michael Redgrave, respectively, in Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s first version of Graham Green’s novel.

In 2004, Afton Fraser published Hollywood Picks the Classics which featured a forward by Esther Williams and lists of their favorite films by famous actors. Brendan’s picks were The Bride of Frankenstein, Citizen Kane, Duck Soup, East of Eden, High Noon, It’s a Wonderful Life, Paths of Glory, The Philadelphia Story, Tarzan and His Mate, Umberto D., and The Wizard of Oz.

As one of the stars of Paul Haggis’ 2005 Oscar winner, Crash, Fraser received mention in several ensemble cast nominations for the film. His Mummy co-star, Rachel Weitz received that year’s Oscar for The Constant Gardener.

The Frasers divorced in 2007. Financial issues, health problems, and lack of good offers stymied the actor’s career until Darren Aronofsky’s 2022 film, The Whale restored his bankability and brought him numerous awards including an Oscar.

Brendan Fraser is finally at the apex of his career at 54.

ESSENTIAL FILMS

SCHOOL TIES (1992), directed by Robert Mandel

Based on a story by TV producer Dick Wolf (Law & Order) with a screenplay by Wolf and Darryl Ponicsan (The Last Detail), this mix of Dead Poets Society and Gentleman’s Agreement was based on Wolf’s real-life reminiscences. It was the first major film for Fraser in the lead role as well as Matt Damon as the young villain, Chris O’Donnell as Fraser’s roommate, Randall Batinkoff as Damon’s roommate, Cole Houser, Anthony Rapp and others. Amy Locane has the lead female role as the girl who comes between Fraser and Damon. Ben Affleck has a minor role.

GODS AND MONSTERS (1998), directed by Bill Condon

Fraser received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the musclebound gardener urned model for legendary director James Whale (Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Bride of Frankenstein, Show Boat) in his last days. Condon won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. Ian McKellen was nominated for his portrayal of Whale with Lynn Redgrave also receiving a nomination for her portrayal of Whale’s housekeeper, a Hungarian Una O’Connor. All three stars are superb.

BLAST FROM THE PAST (1999), directed by Hugh Wilson

Fraser had one of his best lead roles in this sweet comedy-drama about a young man named Adam who lived in a bomb shelter built by his parents (Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek) for 35 years before emerging into the real world. Raised on Jackie Gleason reruns and Perry Como records, he is ill-prepared for the world as it had become in the intervening years. Alicia Silverstone plays his love interest, a young woman named Eve who helps him adjust to his new life. Fraser’s next film would be the same year’s megahit, The Mummy but this is by far the better film.

THE QUIET AMERICAN (2002), directed by Phillip Noyce

Michael Caine was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of the old British reporter opposite Fraser as the young American doctor, both of whom are in love with the same Vietnamese girl in the second film version of Graham Greene’s 1954 novel in the roles played in the earlier version by Michael Redgrave and Audie Murphy. Heath ledger had been Noyce’s choice for the title character but he was extremely happy with the performance that Fraser gave in the role. It would be the actor’s last major film until the 2005 Oscar winner, Crash, which would be his last until his re-emergence in 2022’s The Whale.

THE WHALE (2022), directed by Darren Aronofsky

Critics were mixed on the overall quality of this film version of Samuel D. Hunter’s play, but they were fairly unanimous in their praise for Fraser as the morbidly obese professor eating himself to death and Hong Chao as his caregiver. Both were nominated for Oscars, and Fraser who was up against four other first-time nominees, Colin Farrell in The Banshees of Inisherin, Austin Butler in Elvis, Paul Mescal in Aftersun, and Bill Nighy in Living, won in what was generally acknowledged as the most competitive race in this category in years. The film also won for Best Hair and Makeup.