The Whale star Brendan Fraser defends the film from criticisms of "exploitation" and "fatphobia."
"I respect those who don’t see eye to eye with the aims of this film," Fraser told the LA Times. "I don’t agree with them because I know that there’s no ill intent. I know I want to know if I — me, Brendan — have done any harm. But the answer I got from the [Obesity Action Coalition] was, 'Keep doing what you’re doing.' We made the movie we wanted to make, and we made it correctly. And I stand by that."
The Whale, which has generated significant Oscar buzz for Fraser, tells the story of Charlie, a 600-pound, reclusive English teacher desperate to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Ellie, portrayed by Sadie Sink. Fraser has previously addressed the design of his character, saying that it "obeyed the laws of physics and gravity," and refused to refer to the prosthetics he wore for the film as a "fat suit."
Brendan Fraser Refuses to Use the Term 'Fat Suit'
"Putting an actor in a costume and apparatus to emulate weight gain for the character has, in years, cut the corner on authenticity," he said. "It's normally the silhouette of a costume that's worn by a fairly athletic actor and it's in service of a cheap joke or to vilify a character." According to Fraser, it was his goal to approach his role in The Whale with "skill, care and preparation." Fraser has previously cited his relationship with the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), an advocacy group with whom he collaborated on his role to further understand bias and societal attitudes towards obese people.
"It's evident to me that the way that we speak about one another with regard to obesity has to change because it's the last domain of accepted bigotry and prejudice," he said. "It's time to retire that, so long as we're doing so much and making such good progress in so many areas of our culture that I think that it is hopefully the last one we can tick off the box."
The Whale was released in US theaters on Dec. 9, 2022, though premiered at the 2022 Venice Film Festival, earning Fraser a six-minute standing ovation that reduced the actor to tears. His performance as Charlie earned Fraser a nomination for Best Actor at the 95th Academy Awards in March. Directed by Darren Aronofsky, The Whale also stars Ty Simpkins (Jurassic World), Hong Chau and Academy Award-nominated actor Samantha Morton.
The Whale is currently playing in theaters.
Source: LA Times