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The public has seen a number of major developments in the entertainment industry over the past year. But one that’s arguably filled many fans with the most joy is Brendan Fraser’s comeback. The beloved actor has come back to the spotlight in full force, and people have since referred to this resurgence as the “Brennaisance.” Fraser is a star that truly peaked in Hollywood and, before all of the recent buzz, it’d been a while since fans had seen him appear in film and TV productions on a regular basis. Some may be wondering why it took so long for his big comeback to happen, and one of the actor’s former collaborators has weighed in on that topic.
In his prime, Brendan Fraser was a strong box-office draw, having solidified his cinematic dominance with the beloved Mummy franchise, George of the Jungle and more. Most would agree that he found an immense amount of success during the ‘90s and early 2000s. And Bill Condon, who directed Fraser in Gods and Monsters, believes that the star’s various achievements during that time are part of the reason why he stepped away from the business for so long:
Brendan had a good long run, but anybody who has that kind of pop success or fame, it’s almost like the audience loves it, loves it, and then has its fill. Then they sort of force you to come back in a different form, which Brendan has done. And it’s not until then that they are willing to open themselves back up to you.
One can understand the logic that Bill Condon conveyed while speaking with Variety. When you’re a major actor known for delivering specific types of work, that can get a bit tiring and prompt some performers to step away and take some time to reinvent themselves as a result. The Encino Man star has certainly done that here. However, there are many who would argue that there was another factor at play when it came to his absence.
In 2018, Brendan Fraser accused former Hollywood Foreign Press Association President Philip Berk of groping him during a luncheon in 2003. Berk did admit to pinching Fraser’s butt cheek once and claimed that he meant it as a joke. After the actor went public with the allegation, some came to believe that he’d been blacklisted for discussing it. However, in a 2019 interview with Sway in the Morning, Fraser himself denied that notion.
Regardless of the true reasons for his absence, I think most of us can agree that it’s just great to see Brendan Fraser thriving once more. He’s recently been promoting his new film, The Whale, for which he’s already won a major award amidst the Brenaissance. So far, the film has been praised, and its lead actor has received critical acclaim for his role as Charlie, a 600-pound shut-in who’s looking to reconnect with his daughter. Some are even saying that Fraser is the clear frontrunner for Best Actor at the Oscars.
After his turn in Darren Aronofsky’s latest production, the leading man will appear in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon and the upcoming comedy Brothers. He also has ongoing TV gigs in Doom Patrol and new CW show Professionals. The man is certainly staying booked and busy, and he’s definitely earned this wonderful comeback.
You can watch Brendan Fraser in The Whale when it premieres in theaters on December 9 as part of the schedule of upcoming movies.