Director Darren Aronofsky's The Whale recently premiered and received a long standing ovation. Present at the screening was star Brendan Fraser, who was moved by the applause and brought to tears.
Captured by Variety co-editor-in-chief Ramin Setoodeh, the moment saw Fraser attempt to leave the theater following the screening at the Venice Film Festival, "but the crowd's applause made him stay." The applause lasted a full six minutes, according to reports from the event.
The Whale sees Fraser plays Charlie, an English teacher confined to a wheelchair due to severe obesity, who abandoned his family for his gay lover. The film follows his experience as he attempts to reconnect with his 17-year-old daughter, Ellie, played by Stranger Things star Sadie Sink. Critics generally provided positive reviews for the Aronofsky film, with particular praise going to Fraser for his performance.
Known for hits such as George of the Jungle, Monkeybone and The Mummy; The Whale also marks Fraser's return to the big screen in a major role since 2008's The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. Since the action-adventure film's release, Fraser has appeared on television in a variety of roles, including Cliff Steel in the ongoing Doom Patrol.
Most notably, he was also set to appear in DC's Batgirl and had filmed scenes for what many believed to be the antagonist, Firefly. However, following the Warner Bros. Discovery merger, the project was scrapped. At the time of its cancellation, the film is estimated to have cost between $70 and $100 million and would have premiered exclusively on HBO Max.
Fraser recently discussed the cancelled film and lamented the fact his co-star Leslie Grace's performance would never be seen by fans. He stated, "Leslie Grace is her namesake. She’s dynamic... She gave a great performance. She’s a stone cold professional. You’re going to see more from her. And I’m looking forward to it."
According to reports, Fraser's career saw a decline in the last decade after alleging Philip Berk, former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, had sexually assaulted him in 2003. The actor previously speculated he may have been blacklisted from Hollywood because of this. This was followed by the death of Fraser's mother, which sent him into a depression.
The Whale is set to premiere in theaters in North America on Dec. 9.
Source: Twitter