Dwayne Johnson Says 'Beautiful Ovation' for Brendan Fraser in The Whale Makes Him 'So Happy'

Steve Granitz/FilmMagic, Stefania D'Alessandro/WireImage Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (L); Brendan Fraser

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is showing some love for Brendan Fraser.

At the Sunday premiere of Fraser's upcoming film The Whale at the Venice International Film Festival, he and the movie received a 6-minute standing ovation from the audience.

The touching moment quickly circulated online as the 53-year-old actor appeared visibly moved as he took in the applause.

Fraser's The Mummy Returns costar Johnson, 50, also took notice of the moment, sharing it online along with a sweet message.

"Man this makes me so happy to see this beautiful ovation for Brendan," he wrote on Twitter.  "He supported me coming into his Mummy Returns franchise for my first ever role, which kicked off my Hollywood career. Rooting for all your success brother and congrats to my bud Darren Aronofsky. #TheWhale 👏🏾."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

LUCY NICHOLSON/AFP via Getty Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Brendan Fraser in 2001

RELATED: See Brendan Fraser as a 600-lb. Reclusive Man in First Photo from The Whale Movie

At one point during the the film's standing ovation, Fraser raised his hands in the air and then placed them on his knees, according to a video of the moment shared on social media.

He also hugged Darren Aronofsky, the director, "several times during the ovation" and was met with louder applause as he attempted to leave the theater, reported Variety. This then prompted him to remain in place a while longer, added the outlet.

For more on the 2022 Venice Film Festival, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

Ahead of the film's premiere Sunday, Fraser detailed the "undulating feeling" of starring as Charlie in the movie — for which he underwent a huge physical transformation to play the 600-lb. man.

"I think it's poetic that the trauma he carries is manifest in the physical weight of his body," he said ahead of the film's premiere, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "I needed to learn to absolutely move in a new way. I developed muscles I did not know that I had. I even felt a sense of vertigo, when at the end of the day all the appliances were removed, just as you would feel stepping off the boat onto the dock here in Venice — that undulating feeling."

RELATED VIDEO: The Whale Star Brendan Fraser Felt "Sense of Vertigo" Removing 600 Ibs.-Man Prosthetic Suit

"And I say this because he gave me an appreciation for those whose bodies are similar because I learned that you need to be an incredibly strong person physically and mentally to inhabit that physical being. And I think that is Charlie, also," Fraser added.

In July, A24 released the first photo of Fraser as Charlie, a reclusive writing instructor who struggles to reconnect with his teenage daughter, played by Stranger Things star Sadie Sink.

Aronofsky, 53, told Vanity Fair that Fraser carried between 50 and 300 extra pounds during filming, depending on the contents of each scene. The movie takes place entirely within his character's home over the course of five days, according to the outlet.

The Whale marks Fraser's first leading role since 2013's Breakout, according to Variety. He had a role in last year's No Sudden Move, plus recent TV stints on shows like Doom Patrol, The Affair and Trust. Fraser was expected to play the villain in the HBO Max Batgirl movie before it was reported in August that the film was shelved indefinitely.