Brendan Fraser says he might not take another role as deep as The Whale : 'I gave it everything'
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Brendan Fraser pushed himself to a new emotional headspace while immersed in his transformative role at the center of director Darren Aronofsky's Oscar-buzzed drama The Whale.
The Mummy actor leads the upcoming film as Charlie, a man affected by severe obesity who is grappling with the loss of a lover as he attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter, played by Stranger Things breakout Sadie Sink.
"If there's no risk, then why bother?" Fraser told Vanity Fair about taking on a role with intense visceral depth in his first top-lining role in a feature film in nearly 10 years. "I want to learn from the people I'm working with at this point in my career. I've had such variety, a lot of high highs and low lows, so what I'm keen for, in the second half of my time doing this, is to feel like I'm contributing to the craft and I'm learning from it. This is a prime opportunity. I wanted to disappear into it. My hope was that I would become unrecognizable."
A24 Brendan Fraser in 'The Whale'
To enhance his understanding of Charlie's psyche, Fraser revealed to the publication that he partnered with the Obesity Action Coalition to better understand portrayals of people with higher body weight. He also had to tap into a taxing mental state to empathize with Charlie's struggle to come to terms with immense loss throughout the film.
"This may be the first and last time I ever do this again, so I gave it everything I've got," he said of taking on a part with a scope as full as Charlie's. "And I did. That's all I got."
Fraser previously told Unilad that the project will be "something you haven't seen before," and that the wardrobe and costuming were extensive and required hours to apply at the start of each shooting day.
"This is certainly far removed from anything I've ever done," he said. "I do know it's going to make a lasting impression."
The Whale — also starring Hong Chau and Samantha Morton — is set to world-premiere on Sept. 4 at the Venice International Film Festival via distributor A24.
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