It seems Brendan Fraser has Adam Sandler to thank for making it big in Hollywood…
At least that’s what the Grown Ups star has revealed.
In a recent interview, Sandler opened up about threatening to quit a movie back in the ’90s if Fraser wasn’t hired.
“You had a good life because of me,” Sandler told The Whale star.
Read on for the full story…
Now, Fraser started out as a major film success.
Being tall, hunky, and handsome, he often played the leading parts in action movies.
We all know his back catalog.
Some of his most profitable titles, earning hundreds of millions of dollars, included Airheads, George of the Jungle, The Mummy, and Bedazzled.
He was the star back in the 1990s, putting out film after film throughout the decade.
His name was on every poster, and everybody new who he was.
But then, he disappeared from the public eye around 2003…
It happened so slowly that it took people years to realize they weren’t seeing Fraser on the screen as much as they used to.
Eventually, Fraser returned shocking fans by how much he had changed
His eyes were less bright and less wide and he seemed to have lost that lively sparkle and goofiness that he was known for.
Well, in an interview with GQ back in 2018, Fraser opened up…
Turns out, the early 21st century was one the most difficult times in Fraser’s personal and professional life.
He went through the separation of his family and the loss of a family member.
Not only that, Fraser also began working in a way that became “destructive” and after taking on his own stunts, he suffered many injuries.
Fraser also opened up to GQ about a time at the HFPA luncheon in 2003, when he was approached by the former HFPA president Philip Berk to shake his hand.
However, Berk then pinched Fraser on the butt, something that Berk claimed to be a joke.
“His left-hand reaches around, grabs my ass cheek, and one of his fingers touches me in the taint,” Fraser told GQ. “And he starts moving it around.”
The incident left Fraser with panic and fear: “I felt ill. I felt like a little kid. I felt like there was a ball in my throat. I thought I was going to cry.”
He managed to remove Berk’s hand, and rushed out of the building, “past a police officer he couldn’t quite bring himself to confess to.”
Even years on, he is still affected by the incident as he said: “Am I still frightened? Absolutely.”
“Do I feel like I need to say something? Absolutely. Have I wanted to, many, many times? Absolutely. Have I stopped myself? Absolutely. And maybe I am over-reacting in terms of what the instance was. I just know what my truth is. And it’s what I just spoke to you.”
Fraser also opened up in the interview about how thought that he didn’t deserve the shining career he had worked so hard to achieve for over a decade.
But there are so many fans out there who would and do fight to prove to Fraser that he’s wrong…
One of those fans is TikToker Lindley who went viral after she shared a video speaking with Fraser.
LADbible reported that Lindley spoke with Fraser through GalaxyCon Live where they discussed the news that Fraser had been cast in Killers of the Flower Moon.
In the video posted to TikTok, Fraser can be heard saying: “I’m going to work with Scorsese and Leo and Bob DeNiro,” to which Lindley congratulates him.
Fraser then said: “Thank you, I think I might be sick! A little anxious. I mean, it’s going to be fun, but I’m like,” before pretending to chew his finger nails.
“You’ve got this. You’ve got this,” Lindley then responded. “Just know that the internet is so behind you. We’re so supportive. There are so many people out there who love you, and we’re rooting for you. And we can’t wait to see what you do next.”
Fraser can be then seen taking a drink of water as he appears to choke up.
At the time, the video went viral with other fans expressing their love for the actor.
And then, Fraser responded to the video…
Talking at FANEXPO Boston, Fraser discussed the viral TikTok video.
According to LADbible, a fan attending the event asked Fraser: “Do you get like ‘this is kind of weird’ or like you know people are kind of taking it too far or do you just take it, you know?”
Responding to the question, Fraser said: “Just recently – and I’m not real big on social media, forgive me for that I’m apart from the Zelda thing – I did a like a meet and greet at a con and it went on to TikTok and I had a nice little chat with this lovely woman called Lindley, I learned her name.”
“It was big I’m told,” he said, before the fan jumped in to add: “You were kind of choking up.”
Fraser admitted he was while describing the Lindley as “so sincere.”
“I appreciate it and it let me know that I guess I just wasn’t aware that there’s that much support,” he said.
“I appreciate it very very much.”
The upcoming movie will also star Stranger Things favorite Sadie Sink, alongside Hong Chau, Samantha Morton, and Ty Simpkins.
The Whale had a world premiere at the 2022 Venice Film Festival.
And what’s more, this is Darren Aronofsky’s first-ever directorial since Mother!
But he’s again joined by his longtime cinematographer Matthew Libatique, who has reportedly also shot Olivia Wilde’s Venice premiere Don’t Worry Darling.
While Fraser had a supporting role in Steven Soderbergh’s No Sudden Move last year, the actor is back with his first leading role since Breakout in 2013.
But that’s not all…
According to reports, in the upcoming movie Fraser plays a man living with obesity.
Whose character will “struggle to reconnect with his seventeen-year-old daughter.”
The actor also opened up about his performance in The Whale…
“It’s gonna be like something you haven’t seen before,” he said.
“That’s really all I can tell you… The wardrobe and costume was extensive, seamless, cumbersome. This is certainly far removed from anything I’ve ever done but not to be coy… I do know it’s going to make a lasting impression,” Fraser revealed.
You can check out the first look here.
Since its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, it’s safe to say the movie is a hit.
After the movie ended and the credits began to roll, the whole audience erupted in cheers which lasted a whopping 6-minutes.
Fraser could be seen overcome with emotion as the crowd broke out in a standing ovation.
The actor could be seen hugging director Aronofsky, and at one point tried to leave the theater.
However, as the applause continued on, he bowed and stayed until the cheers died down.
You can watch the incredible reaction here.
And following the crowd’s reaction, some serious Oscars buzz has started.
Many are claiming that Fraser is set to clean up at the next Academy Awards with his new movie The Whale.
And he’s already started bringing in the awards early as he recently won Best Actor at the Toronto International Film Festival’s Tribute Awards.
Fraser appeared thrilled by the announcement and gave a heartwarming speech as he took to the stage to accept the award.
“This is new for me, as these things go, because normally I’m the guy at the podium who hands these things out,” he said as he accepted the prize. “I got pretty good at it. The trick is left hand hold, right hand shake.”
The actor then revealed that this is the first official acting award he’s received.
“Apart from being a part of some pretty impressive and talented ensemble casts, I think that the last time that I waited to hear my name called aloud to receive an award was in grade four and it was from the peewee bowling league,” Fraser added.
You can watch his full acceptance speech here.
While everyone was impressed by his speech, it was his wife Jeanne Moore who was getting all the attention…
Previously, she was spotted for the first time at Venice Film Festival last month.
While Brendan opted for a suave black suit as he walked the red carpet at London’s Royal Festival Hall…
His glamorous lady sported an electric blue gown for the event.
And with the buzz around The Whale still circulating, many have said he’s in for a chance to win a Golden Globe…
However, Brendan has said that he wouldn’t attend if invited.
He opened up about the reason why in an interview with GQ…
“I have more history with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association than I have respect for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association,” he said. “No, I will not participate.”
“It’s because of the history I have with them,” he added. “And my mother didn’t raise a hypocrite. You can call me a lot of things, but not that.”
He seemed to imply it was because of an incident that took place back in 2003 where ex-HFPA president Philip Berk allegedly groped him.
Brendan told GQ back in 2018 that he didn’t speak out about the incident at the time because he was worried about his career.
“I felt like someone had thrown invisible paint on me,” he said.
He received a letter of apology from Berk after speaking out about the ordeal, but Berk is adamant that he did nothing wrong…
He said in a statement at the time: “Mr. Fraser’s version is a total fabrication.”
But now, the star has shared that he would “absolutely” return to The Mummy franchise.
He opened up to GQ about his experience of filming the first flick.
“We rode our own camels, we wielded our own weapons, we fought one and another.
“We ran around in the heat of the Desert of War Aza in Morocco. All of that gave it an authenticity that I think globally made it more appealing. Then you know, if it had been shot in Arizona or New Mexico,” he shared.
Fraser even revealed that he only met The Mummy Returns co-star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson after filming had wrapped up.
“Of course they put him in CGI later,” he said.
When asked if he wanted to return to the franchise, Fraser’s answer was pretty straightforward.
He said: “Absolutely. Got a script?”
Fraser continued: “Yeah, that was great fun. Are you kidding me?”
And as much as we all want that to happen, it seems Fraser might never have been cast as Rick O’Connell if it wasn’t for fellow actor Adam Sandler.
In a recent interview, Sandler opened up about being responsible for Fraser’s success in the early ’90s…
He revealed that he persuaded a director to hire Fraser for a role that led to him becoming a sensation.
Sandler and Fraser both co-starred in the 1994 movie Airheads.
But it seems the director wasn’t too keen on hiring Fraser at first.
Sandler opened up to Fraser about this on Variety’s YouTube channel this week.
“Brendan, you were in a movie called ‘Airheads.’ Remember when I discovered you? You were just a kid. I stole you from Pauly and said, ‘Get over here,'” Sandler said.
“Is that how it shook out? Get out of here,” Fraser replied.
“I was like, this guy shouldn’t just be a caveman — he should be in a band,” Sandler added.
“The director, Michael Lehmann, was very against you. He was like, ‘I don’t get it. I don’t see the caveman being in the movie.’ And I just said, ‘He can do other s***, man.'”
“I eventually went to his house at like 4 in the morning, woke him up, and I said, ‘Just know Adam Sandler ain’t going to be in ‘Airheads’ unless old Fraser is in it.’ So he changed his little tune.”
Fraser interjected: “He flew out to Chicago to meet me. He sang a different tune then.”
“He’s a filthy liar. He didn’t want you. I did, and the rest is pretty good. You had a good life because of me,” Sandler admitted.
We’re so glad Sandler pushed for Fraser to be in the movie!
You can watch their full exchange here.
What do you think?