Fresh off his six-minute standing ovation In Venice, Brendan Fraser and the crew from The Whale brought it to TIFF. On Sunday, Brendan received the Tribute Award for his 30-year career. The festival compiled a retrospective of Brendan’s films to play before director Darren Aronofsky and Samuel D. Hunter (who wrote The Whale) awarded Brendan with his trophy. In his speech, Brendan is visibly emotional about winning and the warm reception he received from the audience. He makes some self-effacing jokes, and truly seemed like he could not believe he’d received the award. What was apparent was that Brendan was honored and felt the love being shown to him. As he put quite succinctly in his speech, “this is new for me.”
Brendan Fraser was overwhelmed with emotion while accepting the Tribute Award for his role in The Whale at Sunday’s Toronto International Film Festival gala.
“Wow, this is new for me because normally I am the guy at the podium who hands these things out,” Fraser said. “I think that the last time I waited to hear my name called out loud to receive an award was in grade 4 and it was from the peewee bowling league.”
Director Darren Aronofsky and screenwriter Samuel D. Hunter presented the award to Fraser, who said, “The Whale, it’s a redemption story about a guy called Charlie. And he’s gone through significant life changes and he’s forgotten about who he is and the ones he loves and he’s running out of time to tell them that if he can at all.”
“But he has a superpower: Charlie can see the good in others when they can’t see that in themselves,” said Fraser. “He can bring that out in in them, and I am a firm believer that we need a little more of that in this world.”
I haven’t seen or read The Whale, which was based on Samuel’s personal experiences. But the parts that Brendan singled out were the ones he identified with, obviously. I don’t think the enthusiasm with which the public has received him is lost on him at all. I’m sure it was deafening to hear his agent repeat that no one would hire him after he was blacklisted for accusing a former HFPA president of groping him. But once Brendan got back out there and found out the public had been eagerly waiting for his return, I hope that sinks in for him. It sounds like it has. I don’t think this is all just nostalgia, though. His performance is getting a lot of attention. There’s already Oscar buzz for it so the accolades are deserved. I didn’t know Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink played his estranged daughter. That’s a great pairing. It also sounds like Aronofsky’s professional redemption after Mother!
Sunday’s Tribute celebration also gave us a Mummy reunion! In addition to Brendan, the magnificent Michelle Yeoh was recognized. Michelle and Brendan starred in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor in 2008. And to everyone’s delight, after a big hug and getting weepy at being together again, they posed for many cameras so we could have this:
Brendan and Michelle ❤️ pic.twitter.com/KLmUxCwWXG
— A24 (@A24) September 12, 2022
Photo credit: Avalon Red, Twitter and Cover Images
Brendan deserves all the love.
I’ve always loved Brendan Fraser in movies. From Encino Man to The Mummy, Airheads, Bedazzled, The Quiet American, and Titans/Doom Patrol. He’s always brought a heart to everything he’s touched and the early stuff still holds up.
I LOVE Bedazzled, it’s one of my favorite “guilty pleasure” movies! I felt he and Liz Hurley had such a fun chemistry and played off of each other really well, and all of the “wish” sequences always crack me up, especially the Columbian drug lord one lmao 🤣
That movie is hysterical. When he wakes up and finds out that he can speak Spanish. Too funny.
Anyway I love this for him. The photos of him and Michelle are everything. You can see how happy she is for him too.
My heart will always be with Bedazzled ❤️😈😍.
I had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to see George of the Jungle, because it sounded stupid. I freaking loved it. I felt stupid for not wanting to see it afterwards.
I loved him in School Ties. He was magic in those dance scenes!
This is such a heartwarming story in a year when not many things were heartwarming. I love what is happening to Brendan now and I hope he finds happiness and success.
I would love if some of Weinstein victims had similar comebacks after being blacklisted.
Can’t wait for all the movies about women who are abused and knocked down and gain massive amounts of weight then make a comeback.
It’ll happen, right?
Honest question, was ‘Mother’ a flop? I haven’t seen it, but I heard good things about it.
I watched it and honestly it was one of the most moving things I have ever seen, like it really hit me hard. I think I cried for a week afterwards, so I don’t get all the hate for it!
I love the original Mummy. It has been a Thanksgiving tradition to watch that movie over the holiday weekend. So I am all for the love Brenden Fraser is receiving.
I love all of his movies but my favorite performance of his is when he was a guest star on Scrubs as Jordan’s brother. It still sticks out in my head to this day.
I’m so happy for Brendan can’t wait too see this movie it’s gonna be tough tho!