The first image ofBrendan Fraserin Darren Aronofsky’sThe Whalehas revealed the much-loved actor in one of his most challenging roles to date. Having made his name in 90s action and comedy movies likeGeorge of the JungleandThe Mummy, Fraser’s latest movie sees him playing Charlie, a man who turns into a 600-pound recluse after abandoning his family for his gay lover. Withthe movie set to have its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, a first look image as revealed an almost unrecognizable Fraser in character.
The Whaleis the first of a number of high profile roles for Fraser, who is very much in the middle of a career comeback, and will soon be seen as the villain in the newBatgirlmovie, and was announced to be part of Martin Scorsese’sKillers of the Flower Moon. However, his role inThe Whalecertainly seems to be one that will likely gain some attention come awards season and it certainly gives the actor a chance to show off his dramatic range.
The movie is an adaptation of the Samuel D. Hunter play of the same name, which according to the synopsis follows “a reclusive English teacher suffering from severe obesity as he attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption.” As well as Fraser, the movie also stars Samantha Morton, Ty Simpkins, Hong Chau, Huck Milner, Sathya Sridharan, Ryan Heinke, andStranger Thingsstar Sadie Sink.
Related:The Whale: Plot, Cast, and Everything Else We Know
Sadie Sink Loved Working With Brendan Fraser
Having appeared in a huge production likeStranger Things, Sadie Sink recently spoke about how much of a small and intimate productionThe Whalewas. However, it seems that the young actress loved every minute of filming, and had nothing but praise for both Fraser and director Aronofsky. She said:
“Yeah, for sure. I don’t think I’d ever done a project that had that much character work. Darren Aronofsky is obviously brilliant, and working with him was a really formative experience, and Brendan is so incredible in it, and also just probably my favorite human on the planet. It was so amazing having that experience with him. I learned a lot about myself as an actress, and tapped into a side of things that I hadn’t really explored before.”
Fraser himself has been previously cagey about discussing the movie, having noted that the film is going to be “like something you haven’t seen before.” WithDarren Aronofskybeing previously responsible for movies such asBlack Swan, The WrestlerandRequiem For A Dream,the director is known for bringing a lot of atmosphere and unique storytelling to his movies. Writer Hunter also spoke of his belief that Aronofsky was the best person to bring the story to the big screen, previously saying, “This story is deeply personal and I’m very thankful it will have the chance to reach a wider audience. I’ve been a fan of Darren’s ever since I sawRequiem for a Dreamwhen I was a college freshman writing my first plays, and I’m so grateful that he’s bringing his singular talent and vision to this film."
The Whalegets its premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September, and will arrive in cinemas soon after.
