“The Whale”: Brendan Fraser’s big comeback

Forget the athletic actor who starred in action films in the 1990s and 2000s. It’s the completely unrecognizable Brendan Fraser, who after a long hiatus from film returns to defend the lead role of the play. WhaleA morbidly obese person.

Samuel D. is the new film from filmmaker Darren Aronofsky. Taken from the play of the same title by Hunter, Whale (the whale(in the French version) Charlie (Fraser) tells the story of a 600-pound literature professor who can no longer leave his small apartment in Idaho and is forced to present his courses online while keeping his computer camera off.

Realizing that his days are numbered, Charlie tries to reconcile with his daughter (Sadie Sink), who still resents him for abandoning them, her and her mother, to date one of his students years ago. .

Samuel D. until Brendan Fraser got a call from Darren Aronofsky. Hunter knows nothing about the play (Black swan, mother!) a few months before the pandemic. The filmmaker has been struggling for a long time to find the right actor to play this iconic role.

“When I met Darren, he didn’t even know if he was going to make the film because he was struggling with casting,” Brendan Fraser said in a videoconference meeting with some journalists last month.

“He immediately wanted to know if I was up for this kind of challenge. He told me that this is a redemptive story about a man who has regrets in life and wants to reconnect with his daughter before he dies.

“When I read the script, I immediately wanted to take part in this project despite the seriousness of the subject matter. I felt that this is the right project to get back into films. I thought that if I make a left turn when everyone is waiting for me to make a right turn, it will have more impact on the people.

Make-up for hours

To slip into Charlie’s shoes, the 54-year-old actor had to spend between four and six hours in the make-up chair every morning before filming. To complete this physical transformation, he also had to wear 300-pound prostheses custom-designed in 3D by Montreal makeup specialist Adrien Morot.

Moreover, to prepare for the role, the star in the films The Mummy And Journey to the center of the earth Spent a lot of time with people from the Obesity Action Coalition, an organization that helps people with obesity.

“It was an experience that changed me physically and mentally,” Brendan Fraser said. I can remove this body at the end of the shooting day. But those who live with obesity on a daily basis are not so lucky. I know you can’t imagine what it’s like to live without feeling that weight yourself.

“Personally, this experience has given me a lot of respect and empathy for these people. How can we, as a society, reject people with obesity so cruelly and unfairly? The story of the movie takes place in a small apartment in Idaho. But this is a reality everywhere in the world as well as across the country. »

The Whale will hit theaters on December 21.