Brendan Fraser received yet another standing ovation for his performance in “The Whale.”
Fraser, 53, was moved to tears during his second standing ovation – this time at the London Film Festival. The film was shown to an audience Tuesday night and the actor reportedly received a five-minute standing ovation.
The reaction to the film at the London Film Festival follows his first standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival in early September. The audience bestowed a six-minute standing ovation to the “Crash” star.
Fraser is returning to the silver screen again for what many believe could be an Oscar contending role as Charlie, a 600-pound gay man who feels as though his life is coming to an end.
Brendan Fraser received another standing ovation – this time for a reported five minutes – at the London Film Festival.
(Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for BFI)
The role represents a major comeback for Fraser’s career as it is his first leading role in almost a decade. “The Mummy” star has roles this year in Martin Scorsese’s latest western film “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and with Dawn Olivieri and Marcia Cross in “Behind the Curtain of Night.”
Fraser has largely stayed out of the spotlight after addressing physical ailments due to performing many of his own stunts on screen. The actor has also been outspoken about his struggle with depression after an alleged sexual assault incident that happened in 2003.
In 2018, Fraser claimed that he was sexually assaulted by the former Hollywood Foreign Press Association President Philip Berk in 2003 – almost 10 years ago. The actor also alleged that the incident contributed to the downfall of his career.
[I] became depressed,” he told GQ at the time. “I was blaming myself and I was miserable — because I was saying, ‘This is nothing; this guy reached around and he copped a feel.’ [Work] withered on the vine for me. In my mind, at least, something had been taken away from me.”
Berk denied the allegations, although he wrote about the incident in his 2014 memoir claiming he pinched Fraser’s backside “in jest.”
Jeanne Moore and Brendan Fraser attend "The Whale" UK Premiere during the 66th BFI London Film Festival.
(Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images for BFI)
Fraser showed gratitude for “the warm reception” he has received since discussing his latest work, in a previous interview with The New York Times.
“I’m looking forward to how this film makes a deep impression on everyone as much as it has on me,” he told the outlet.
Fraser recalled having to wear an extensive amount of prosthetics that sometimes weighed up to 300 pounds to play Charlie, a reclusive character based on the 2012 off-Broadway play by Samuel D. Hunter.
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“I needed to learn to move in a new way,” Fraser said. “I developed muscles that I did not know that I had. I even felt a sense of vertigo at the end of the day when all the appliances were removed, just as you would feel stepping off the boat onto the dock here in Venice.”
When asked if he was excited about the prospects of his career once again, Fraser remained humble.
“My crystal ball is broken,” Fraser said. “I don’t know if yours works, but meet me after the show, and we’ll take a peek together.”
Brendan Fraser’s role in "The Whale" marks the actor’s return from an acting hiatus.
(Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images for BFI)
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Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright contributed to this report.
