Brendan Fraser
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Brendan James Fraser ( ; born December 3, 1968) is an American-Canadian actor. His accolades include an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
, a
Screen Actors Guild Award Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1995 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
, and a nomination for a
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
. Fraser had his breakthrough in 1992 with the comedy '' Encino Man'' and the drama '' School Ties''. He gained further prominence for his starring roles in the comedies '' With Honors'' (1994) and ''George of the Jungle'' (1997) and emerged as a star playing Rick O'Connell in ''The Mummy'' trilogy (1999–2008). He took on dramatic roles in '' Gods and Monsters'' (1998), ''
The Quiet American ''The Quiet American'' is a 1955 novel by English author Graham Greene. Narrated in the first person by journalist Thomas Fowler, the novel depicts the breakdown of French colonialism in Vietnam and early American involvement in the Vietnam ...
'' (2002), and '' Crash'' (2004), and further fantasy roles in '' Bedazzled'' (2000) and ''Journey to the Center of the Earth'' (2008). Fraser's film work slowed from the late 2000s to mid-2010s due to poor box office performances, and various health and personal issues, including the fallout from a
sexual assault Sexual assault is an act of sexual abuse in which one intentionally Physical intimacy, sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or Coercion, coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their w ...
committed against him in 2003 by Philip Berk, the then-president of the
Hollywood Foreign Press Association The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) was a nonprofit organization of journalists and photographers who reported on the American entertainment industry for predominantly foreign media markets. It is best known for founding and conduc ...
. In addition to films, Fraser branched into television with roles in the Showtime drama '' The Affair'' (2016–2017), the FX series '' Trust'' (2018), and the
Max Max or MAX may refer to: Animals * Max (American dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog * Max (British dog), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of the OBE) * Max (gorilla) ...
series ''
Doom Patrol Doom Patrol is a superhero team from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in ''My Greatest Adventure'' #80 (June 1963), and was created by writers Arnold Drake and Bob Haney, along with artist Bruno Premiani. Doom Patrol has appear ...
'' (2019–2023). His film career was revitalized by roles in
Steven Soderbergh Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( ; born January 14, 1963) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. A pioneer of modern Independent film, independent cinema, Soderbergh later drew acclaim for formally inventiv ...
's '' No Sudden Move'' (2021),
Darren Aronofsky Darren Aronofsky (born February 12, 1969) is an American Filmmaking, filmmaker. His films are noted for their surreal, dramatic, and often disturbing elements, frequently in the form of psychological realism. His accolades include a Golden Lion ...
's '' The Whale'' (2022) and
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...
's '' Killers of the Flower Moon'' (2023). Fraser's portrayal of a mordibly obese English-teacher in ''The Whale'' won him the
Academy Award for Best Actor The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading ...
, the first such achievement for a Canadian.


Early life and education

Fraser was born on December 3, 1968, in
Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...
, to Canadian parents Carol Mary (
née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...
Généreux; 1937–2016) and Peter Fraser. He is the youngest of four siblings; his brothers are Kevin, Sean, and Regan. His mother was a sales counselor, and his father was a former journalist who worked as a Canadian foreign service officer for the Government Office of Tourism. His maternal uncle, George Genereux, was the only Canadian to win a gold medal in the
1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics (, ), officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad (, ) and commonly known as Helsinki 1952, were an international multi-sport event held from 19 July to 3 August 1952 in Helsinki, Finland. After Japan declared in ...
, at the
Olympic Trap Olympic trap is a shooting sports discipline contested at the Olympic Games and sanctioned by the International Shooting Sport Federation The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) is the governing body of Shooting at the Summer Olymp ...
. Fraser and his three older brothers have Irish, Scottish, German, Czech, and French-Canadian ancestry. He holds dual Canadian and American citizenship. Fraser's family moved often during his childhood, living in
Eureka, California Eureka ( ; Wiyot: ; Hupa: ; ) is a city and the county seat of Humboldt County, located on the North Coast of California. The city is located on U.S. Route 101 on the shores of Humboldt Bay, north of San Francisco and south of the Oreg ...
;
Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is the List of municipalities in Washington, most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the List of Unit ...
;
Ottawa, Ontario Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...
; the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
; and
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
. His earlier years were spent attending a Montessori school in
Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
and the Sacred Heart School in
Bellevue, Washington Bellevue ( ) is a city in the Eastside (King County, Washington), Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, located across Lake Washington from Seattle. It is the third-largest city in the Seattle metropolitan area, and the f ...
. He then attended
Upper Canada College Upper Canada College (UCC) is an independent day and boarding school for boys in Toronto, Ontario, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The college is widely described as Canada's most prestigious preparatory school, and ha ...
, a private boarding school in
Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
, from which he graduated in 1987. While on vacation in
London, England London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, in the 1970s, he attended his first professional theater-show, ''
Oliver! ''Oliver!'' is a stage musical, with book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the 1838 novel ''Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens. It premiered at the Wimbledon Theatre, southwest London in 1960 before opening in the W ...
'', in the West End, which sparked his interest in acting. He also joined the chorus of a high-school musical production of ''
Oklahoma! ''Oklahoma!'' is the first musical theater, musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs's 1931 play, ''Green Grow the Lilacs (play), Green Grow the Lilacs''. Set in farm country outside the town of ...
'' Fraser graduated from Seattle's
Cornish College of the Arts Cornish College of the Arts (CCA) was a Private college, private art school, art college in Seattle, Washington. It was founded in 1914 by music teacher Nellie Cornish. The college's main campus is in the Denny Triangle, Seattle, Denny Triangle ...
in 1990. He then began acting at a small acting college in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. Fraser had planned on studying toward a
Master of Fine Arts A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.) is a terminal degree in fine arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts admi ...
in Acting from
Southern Methodist University Southern Methodist University (SMU) is a Private university, private research university in Dallas, Texas, United States, with a satellite campus in Taos County, New Mexico. SMU was founded on April 17, 1911, by the Methodist Episcopal Church, ...
, but after visiting
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...
, he decided instead to move there to pursue work in film.


Career


1991–1996: Career beginnings

In 1991, Fraser made his film debut with a small role as a seaman headed to Vietnam in ''
Dogfight A dogfight, or dog fight, is an air combat manoeuvring, aerial battle between fighter aircraft that is conducted at close range. Modern terminology for air-to-air combat is air combat manoeuvring (ACM), which refers to tactical situations requir ...
''. He got his first leading film role alongside Sean Astin and
Pauly Shore Paul Montgomery Shore (born February 1, 1968) is an American comedian and actor. He is best known for his roles in 1990s comedy films. Shore began as a stand-up comedian at the age of 17, before becoming an MTV VJ in 1989. This led to a starring ...
in the 1992 comedy film '' Encino Man'', where he played a frozen pre-historic caveman who is thawed out in the present day. The film was a moderate box office success and has gained a cult following. That same year he starred in '' School Ties'' with fellow rising actors
Matt Damon Matthew Paige Damon ( ; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. He was ranked among ''Forbes'' most bankable stars in 2007, and in 2010 was one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. He has received va ...
,
Ben Affleck Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globes. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educatio ...
, and Chris O'Donnell as a Jewish star quarterback confronting embedded anti-semitism in private prep school society. Between 1994 and 1996, he starred in several box office failures such as '' With Honors'' (1994) with
Joe Pesci Joseph Frank Pesci ( , ; born February 9, 1943) is an American actor and musician. He is best known for portraying tough, volatile characters, in a variety of genres, and for his collaborations with his best friend, Robert De Niro in the films ' ...
, ''
Airheads ''Airheads'' is a 1994 American comedy film directed by Michael Lehmann and written by Rich Wilkes. It stars Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi, and Adam Sandler as the members of a struggling rock band who hijack a Los Angeles radio station in ord ...
'' (1994) with
Steve Buscemi Steven Vincent Buscemi (,As stated in interviews by Buscemi himself. It is not uncommon for people to pronounce his name or instead. ; born December 13, 1957) is an American actor. He is known for his work as an acclaimed character actor. Mul ...
&
Adam Sandler Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, producer and screenwriter. Primarily a comedic leading actor in films, List of awards and nominations received by Adam Sandler, his accolades include an Independent Sp ...
, '' The Passion of Darkly Noon'' (1995), '' Mrs. Winterbourne'' (1996) and '' The Twilight of the Golds'' (1997). He also had a small part in the 1995 film '' Now and Then''. He made cameo appearances in the Pauly Shore films '' Son in Law'' (1993) and '' In the Army Now'' (1994), reprising his ''Encino Man'' role. Fraser performed at his first theatre production in 1995 at the
Geffen Playhouse The Geffen Playhouse is a not-for-profit theater company founded in Los Angeles, California by Gilbert Cates in 1995. It produces plays in two theaters in Geffen Playhouse, which is owned by University of California Los Angeles. The Playhous ...
, taking on the role of Victor in
John Patrick Shanley John Patrick Shanley (born October 13, 1950) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and director. He won the 1988 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the film ''Moonstruck''. His play, '' Doubt: A Parable'', won the 2005 Pulitzer Pri ...
's ''Four Dogs and a Bone''.


1997–2001: Global success

He had his first major box office success with the 1997 comedy film ''
George of the Jungle ''George of the Jungle'' is an American animated television series produced and created by Jay Ward and Bill Scott, who also created '' The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends''. The character George was inspired by the story of ...
'' which was based on the animated series of the same title created by
Jay Ward Joseph Ward Cohen Jr. (September 20, 1920 – October 12, 1989), also known as Jay Ward, was an American creator and producer of animated TV cartoon shows. He produced animated series based on such characters as Crusader Rabbit, Rocky & Bu ...
. He received critical acclaim for his dramatic role in 1998's '' Gods and Monsters'', which was based on the life of
James Whale James Whale (22 July 1889 – 29 May 1957) was an English film director, theatre director and actor, who spent the greater part of his career in Cinema of the United States, Hollywood. He is best remembered for several horror films: ''Fra ...
(
Ian McKellen Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. He has played roles on the screen and stage in genres ranging from Shakespearean dramas and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. He is regarded as a British cu ...
), who directed ''
Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 Gothic novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a Sapience, sapient Frankenstein's monster, crea ...
''. The film was written and directed by
Bill Condon William Condon (born October 22, 1955) is an American director and screenwriter. Condon is known for writing and/or directing numerous successful and acclaimed films including ''Gods and Monsters (film), Gods and Monsters'', ''Chicago (2002 fi ...
, and follows the loss of creativity, ambiguous sexuality and the bond between a heterosexual gardener (played by Fraser) and a homosexual, tortured and ailing filmmaker (played by McKellen). He achieved his biggest commercial success when he portrayed the lead adventurer Rick O'Connell in the fantasy adventure film '' The Mummy'' (1999) and its sequel '' The Mummy Returns'' (2001). ''The Mummy'' established him as one of the biggest film stars of 1990s. In between these successes, he also starred in the box office bombs ''
Dudley Do-Right Dudley Do-Right is a fictional character created by Alex Anderson, Chris Hayward, Allan Burns, Jay Ward, and Bill Scott, who appears as the main protagonist of "Dudley Do-Right of the Mounties", a segment on ''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullw ...
'' (1999) (which was based on another Jay Ward animated series) and the stop-motion/live-action fantasy comedy '' Monkeybone'' (2001); though he did have moderate success with the romantic comedy '' Blast from the Past'' (1999) and the fantasy comedy '' Bedazzled'' (2000), a remake of the 1967 British film of the same name. He lent his voice for the unreleased animated film '' Big Bug Man'', with
Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Widely regarded as one of the greatest cinema actors of the 20th century,''Movies in American History: An Encyclopedia''
.


2001–2008: Dramatic and comedic roles

In late 2001, Fraser starred as "Brick" in the
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...
winning play
Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the three ...
's ''
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' is a 1955 American three-act play by Tennessee Williams. The play, an adaptation of his 1952 short story "Three Players of a Summer Game", was written between 1953 and 1955. One of Williams's more famous works and his ...
'', directed by
Anthony Page Anthony Page (born 21 September 1935 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India) is a British stage director, stage and film director. Biography When Page was 19, he went to Canada on a free passage with the Royal Canadian Air Force and hitchhiked to New Yo ...
. Castmates included
Ned Beatty Ned Thomas Beatty (July 6, 1937 – June 13, 2021) was an American actor. In a career that spanned five decades, he appeared in more than 160 film and television roles. Throughout his career, Beatty gained a reputation for being "the busiest ac ...
, Frances O'Connor and
Gemma Jones Jennifer "Gemma" Jones (born 4 December 1942) is an English actress. Appearing on both stage and screen, her film appearances include ''Sense and Sensibility (film), Sense and Sensibility'' (1995), the Bridget Jones (film series), ''Bridget Jo ...
. The show closed on January 12, 2002, with Fraser garnering many excellent reviews. In 2002, he starred alongside
Michael Caine Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, 14 March 1933) is a retired English actor. Known for his distinct Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films over Michael Caine filmography, a career that spanned eight decades an ...
in the political drama ''
The Quiet American ''The Quiet American'' is a 1955 novel by English author Graham Greene. Narrated in the first person by journalist Thomas Fowler, the novel depicts the breakdown of French colonialism in Vietnam and early American involvement in the Vietnam ...
'' which was well received by critics. The following year, he starred in the live-action/animated film '' Looney Tunes: Back in Action'' as its human lead, D.J. Drake (he also voiced the Tasmanian Devil). In 2004, he appeared as part of an ensemble cast in the
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
-winning film '' Crash'' where he played the husband to Sandra Bullock's character as the District Attorney of Los Angeles. He has also made guest appearances on the television shows '' Scrubs'', ''
King of the Hill ''King of the Hill'' is an American animated sitcom created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels that initially aired on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox from January 12, 1997, to September 13, 2009, with four more episodes airing in First-run syndicati ...
'', and ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
''. In March 2006, he was inducted into
Canada's Walk of Fame Canada's Walk of Fame () in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a walk of fame that acknowledges the achievements and accomplishments of Canadians who have excelled in their respective fields. It is a series of maple leaf-like stars embedded in 13 de ...
, the first American-born actor to receive the honor. However, as of 2022, he does not have a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
. After a six-year hiatus in the franchise, Fraser returned for the second sequel to '' The Mummy'' released in August 2008 and titled '' The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor''. Filming started in Montreal on July 27, 2007, and the film also starred
Jet Li Li Lianjie (courtesy name Yangzhong; born 26 April 1963), better known by his stage name Jet Li, is a Chinese-born Singaporean Martial arts, martial artist and actor. With a Jet Li filmography, film career spanning more than forty years, Li is re ...
as Emperor Han. That same year, he starred in the 3D film adaptation of
Jules Verne Jules Gabriel Verne (;''Longman Pronunciation Dictionary''. ; 8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) was a French novelist, poet and playwright. His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the ''Voyages extraor ...
's ''
Journey to the Center of the Earth ''Journey to the Center of the Earth'' (), also translated with the variant titles ''A Journey to the Centre of the Earth'' and ''A Journey into the Interior of the Earth'', is a classic science fiction novel written by French novelist Jules Ve ...
'' and the fantasy film '' Inkheart'' (chosen personally for the lead role by the
novel A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of ...
's author
Cornelia Funke Cornelia Maria Funke (; born 10 December 1958) is a German author of children's fiction. Born in Dorsten, North Rhine-Westphalia, she began her career as a social worker before becoming a Book illustration, book illustrator. She began writing no ...
).


2009–2020: Setbacks and switch to television

In 2010, Fraser returned to Broadway in the production of '' Elling'', but the play closed after one week, due to lackluster reviews. After appearing in the critically panned '' Furry Vengeance'' in 2010, Fraser moved from being represented by
William Morris Endeavor Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (formerly William Morris Endeavor and WME-IMG) is an American holding company for talent and media agencies with its primary offices in Beverly Hills, California. The company was founded in April 2009 after the me ...
to the
Creative Artists Agency Creative Artists Agency, LLC (CAA) is an American talent and sports agency based in Los Angeles, California. With 1,800 employees in March 2016, it is regarded as an influential company in the talent agency business and manages numerous client ...
. In 2010, he starred in '' Whole Lotta Sole'' directed by
Terry George Terence George (born 20 December 1952) is an Irish screenwriter and director. Much of his film work (e.g. '' The Boxer'', '' Some Mother's Son'', and '' In the Name of the Father'') involves "The Troubles" in Northern Ireland. He was nominated ...
and in 2011, he was set to play
William Tell William Tell (, ; ; ; ) is a legendary folk hero of Switzerland. He is known for shooting an apple off his son's head. According to the legend, Tell was an expert mountain climber and marksman with a crossbow who assassinated Albrecht Gessler, ...
in ''The Legend of William Tell: 3D'', directed by
Eric Brevig Eric Brevig (born 1957) is an American film director and visual effects supervisor known for his work in several major theatrical films and television shows. He was Visual Effects Supervisor and Second Unit Director on the 2001 Jerry Bruckheimer ...
, with whom Fraser had also worked in ''
Journey to the Center of the Earth ''Journey to the Center of the Earth'' (), also translated with the variant titles ''A Journey to the Centre of the Earth'' and ''A Journey into the Interior of the Earth'', is a classic science fiction novel written by French novelist Jules Ve ...
''. Filming was delayed and late in 2011, Fraser sued the producer Todd Moyer for promised wages. Moyer later countersued for assault, which Fraser dismissed as oyer'sdesperate attempt to avoid paying his debt. In 2013, he played an
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
impersonator in the ensemble black comedy '' Pawn Shop Chronicles''. In 2016, Fraser replaced
Ray Liotta Raymond Allen Liotta (; December 18, 1954 – May 26, 2022) was an American actor. He first gained attention for his role in the film '' Something Wild'' (1986), which earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination. He was best known for his portray ...
in the Bollywood thriller '' Line of Descent''. Fraser later joined the recurring cast of the television drama series '' The Affair'' during season 3 where he portrayed the misery-minded prison guard Gunther. He portrayed
Getty family The Getty family of the United States began with George Getty, George Franklin Getty and his son J. Paul Getty, Jean Paul Getty as their patriarchs. In the 20th century, they were heavily involved in the petroleum industry and in mass media. T ...
fixer James Fletcher Chace in the FX anthology series '' Trust'', which premiered on March 25, 2018. Fraser portrayed Clifford "Cliff" Steele / Robotman in the ''
Titans In Greek mythology, the Titans ( ; ) were the pre-Twelve Olympians, Olympian gods. According to the ''Theogony'' of Hesiod, they were the twelve children of the primordial parents Uranus (mythology), Uranus (Sky) and Gaia (Earth). The six male ...
'' TV series, with Jake Michaels physically portraying Robotman. He reprised the role in the spin-off series ''
Doom Patrol Doom Patrol is a superhero team from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in ''My Greatest Adventure'' #80 (June 1963), and was created by writers Arnold Drake and Bob Haney, along with artist Bruno Premiani. Doom Patrol has appear ...
'', where he voices the character and appears as Steele in flashbacks; Riley Shanahan - replacing Jake Michaels in ''Titans'' - physically portrays Robotman. His comeback after a period of relative inactivity was dubbed "The Brennaissance" by fans. In an interview on ''
The Graham Norton Show ''The Graham Norton Show'' is a British comedy chat show presented by Graham Norton. It was initially broadcast on BBC Two, from 22 February 2007, before moving to BBC One in October 2009. It currently airs on Friday evenings, with Norton ...
'', Fraser acknowledged the portmanteau.


2021–present: Career resurgence and critical acclaim

In September 2020, Fraser was cast as gangster Doug Jones in
Steven Soderbergh Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( ; born January 14, 1963) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. A pioneer of modern Independent film, independent cinema, Soderbergh later drew acclaim for formally inventiv ...
's period crime film '' No Sudden Move'', which was released in 2021. In January 2021, Fraser was announced as the lead in
Darren Aronofsky Darren Aronofsky (born February 12, 1969) is an American Filmmaking, filmmaker. His films are noted for their surreal, dramatic, and often disturbing elements, frequently in the form of psychological realism. His accolades include a Golden Lion ...
's film '' The Whale''. Aronofsky stated he had looked for the lead role in the movie for a decade, and decided to cast Fraser after seeing him in the trailer of the low-budget Brazilian film '' Journey to the End of the Night''. "A light bulb went off, and I was like, 'Oh, that guy can do it'", he said. The film premiered at the
Venice International Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival (, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival held in Venice, Italy. It is the world's oldest film festival and one of the ...
in September 2022. Fraser spoke on preparing for the role with ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' stating, "The Obesity Action Coalition gave me access to many people, so I could ask them their story on Zoom calls. I talked to maybe eight or 10 people — some bedridden, some perfectly mobile." Fraser's performance was highly praised and the film received a six-minute standing ovation at the festival and subsequently won him an Oscar for Best Actor. He became the first
Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
to win the best actor award. In August of the same year, Fraser was announced as part of the cast of
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...
's film '' Killers of the Flower Moon'', as well as Max Barbakow's upcoming comedy film ''
Brothers A brother (: brothers or brethren) is a man or boy who shares one or more parents with another; a male sibling. The female counterpart is a sister. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingl ...
''. In October 2021, Fraser was cast to portray the villain
Firefly The Lampyridae are a family of elateroid beetles with more than 2,000 described species, many of which are light-emitting. They are soft-bodied beetles commonly called fireflies, lightning bugs, or glowworms for their conspicuous production ...
in the superhero film ''
Batgirl Batgirl is the name of several fictional superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, depicted as female counterparts and allies to the superhero Batman. The character Bette Kane, Betty Kane was introduced into publica ...
'', set in the
DC Extended Universe The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is based on characters that appear in American comic books published by DC Comic ...
; the release of the film was canceled in August 2022 after a change in Warner Bros. studio priorities. Fraser lent his voice to the audiodrama ''The Downloaded'', written by Robert J. Sawyer, which was released in Autumn of 2023 as an Audible (service), Audible-exclusive audiobook. In December 2023, Fraser was a guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World. In July 2024, it was announced that Fraser would star as Dwight D. Eisenhower in ''Pressure (upcoming film), Pressure''.


Personal life

On July 4, 1993, shortly after he had arrived in Los Angeles, Fraser met his future wife, actress Afton Smith, at a barbecue at Winona Ryder's house. Smith also appeared as a minor cast member in Fraser's ''George of the Jungle'' film. They married on September 27, 1998, and had three sons together: Griffin Arthur Fraser (b. 2002), Holden Fletcher Fraser (b. 2004), and Leland Francis Fraser (b. 2006). Holden and Leland are both fashion models signed with Marilyn Agency; in a 2018 interview with ''GQ'', Fraser said that Griffin is on the autism spectrum. In April 2007, Fraser and his wife sold their home in Beverly Hills, California for $3 million; in December of that year, Fraser's publicist announced that the couple had decided to divorce. Fraser was ordered to make monthly alimony payments of $50,000 for ten years or until Smith remarried, whichever came first, and monthly child support payments of $25,000. In early 2011, Fraser asked the court to reduce his alimony payments, asserting that he was unable to meet the annual obligation of $600,000; he did not contest the child support payments. In late 2011, Smith accused Fraser of fraudulently failing to disclose some of his financial assets, including contracts for two films: ''Extraordinary Measures (film), Extraordinary Measures'' and '' Furry Vengeance''. In 2014, the court ruled against both Fraser's request for alimony reduction and Smith's fraud allegation. Both parents received public praise for being actively engaged in their sons’ lives. Smith has since turned from acting to book-writing and real estate. Since September 2022, Fraser has been in a relationship with makeup artist Jeanne Moore. The couple made their red-carpet debut at the 2022 Venice Film Festival, and Fraser expressed his gratitude to Moore during his acceptance speech for the Oscar for Best Actor at the 95th Academy Awards. , Fraser lives in Bedford (town), New York, Bedford, New York (state), New York. Fraser speaks French language, French and serves on the board of directors for FilmAid International. He is an accomplished amateur photographer and has used several instant cameras in movies and on TV shows, most notably in his guest roles on '' Scrubs''. In his first appearance, he used a List of Polaroid instant cameras#Pack film (colorpack), Polaroid pack film, and in his second appearance, he used a Holga with a Polaroid back, a Japanese-only model. The book ''Collector's Guide to Instant Cameras'' includes a dedication to Fraser. He is also an accomplished amateur archer.


Health

In 2018, Fraser stated publicly that the physical demands of the stunts and maneuvers he had performed in his action and comedy roles had required him to undergo several surgeries over a period of seven years, including a partial knee replacement, a laminectomy, and Vocal cords, vocal-cord surgery.


Sexual assault allegation against Philip Berk

In 2018, Fraser said publicly that, at a luncheon in 2003, he had been sexually assaulted by Philip Berk, the then-president of the
Hollywood Foreign Press Association The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) was a nonprofit organization of journalists and photographers who reported on the American entertainment industry for predominantly foreign media markets. It is best known for founding and conduc ...
(HFPA), the nonprofit organization that votes for the Golden Globe Awards. Berk described Fraser's account as a "total fabrication", but in his 2014 memoir, he acknowledged having groped Fraser "in jest". The stress he experienced from a succession of events, including his divorce, his health problems, the death of his mother, and making the alleged assault public, plunged Fraser into a Major depressive episode, major depression that led to a break in his career. Several publications and social media users assumed that Fraser had been Blacklisting, blacklisted from Cinema of the United States, Hollywood because of his accusation against Berk. In the 2018 ''GQ'' article in which Fraser first made his allegation public, he said, "The phone does stop ringing in your career, and you start asking yourself why. There's many reasons, but was [my allegation] one of them? I think it was." However, in Fraser’s 2019 appearance on the radio show ''Sway in the Morning'', he expressed a different view, saying, "I don't think the HFPA really wield that much power." In 2022, Fraser told ''GQ'' that if the HFPA nominated him for a Golden Globe 80th Golden Globe Awards, that year for his most recent film, ''The Whale'', he would "not participate" because of his "history" with the organization.


Philanthropy

Since 2018, Fraser has been a celebrity judge on the Dancing Stars of Greenwich annual charity gala which raises money for the non-profit organization Abilis, a local charity which supports more than 800 individuals and their families with disabilities in Fairfield County, Connecticut. His former wife, Afton Smith, also takes part in the dance competition. In 2022, Smith and Fraser received the Heart of Abilis Award for their support and fundraising work for the charity.


References


External links

* - official site *
Brendan Fraser
best movies - blog (archive) {{DEFAULTSORT:Fraser, Brendan Brendan Fraser, 1968 births Living people 20th-century American male actors 20th-century Canadian male actors 21st-century American male actors 21st-century Canadian male actors American expatriates in Canada American expatriates in Switzerland American expatriates in the Netherlands American male film actors American male television actors American male voice actors American people of Czech descent American people of English descent American people of French-Canadian descent American people of German descent American people of Irish descent American people of Scottish descent Best Actor Academy Award winners Canadian male film actors Canadian male television actors Canadian male voice actors Canadian people of American descent Canadian people of Czech descent Canadian people of English descent Canadian people of French descent Canadian people of German descent Canadian people of Irish descent Canadian people of Scottish descent Cornish College of the Arts alumni Franco-Ontarian people Male actors from California Male actors from Indianapolis Male actors from New York (state) Male actors from Ottawa Male actors from Seattle Male actors from Toronto Naturalized citizens of Canada Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Screen Actors Guild Award winners People from Bedford, New York People from Eureka, California Upper Canada College alumni