A24’s first official trailer for The Whale shows why Brendan Fraser is receiving awards attention and why there’s Oscar buzz circling his performance. Fraser, who stars as a reclusive 600 lb. gay English teacher who attempts to reconnect with his daughter, received lengthy standing ovations for his performance at multiple film festival screenings. And pundits are predicting he could swim away with a Best Actor Oscar for The Whale.
In an interview with Variety, Oscar-nominated director Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan) explained how he came about casting Brendan Fraser in the lead role.
“As soon as [Brendan Fraser] left my office after our first meeting, I felt it,” stated Aronofsky. “I knew he could play someone who most people would start off by dismissing, but within five minutes they’d start to feel something for him. Then, within 20 minutes, they’re starting to fall in love with the character, because there’s just something about Brendan. Pretty soon, he starts to break your heart.”
Speaking to Newsweek, Fraser, who donned a fat suit for the role, discussed his character’s weight and what he hopes audiences will take away from the story.
“I’m hopeful that we can change some hearts and minds at least in terms of how we think and feel about those who live with obesity,” said Fraser. “So often, those people are dismissed in our society or the object of scorn and derision, and it’s unfair to them. I believe that shaming people for that reason is almost the last domain of prejudice that we overlook, and I think we can do better to change that. So I hope that this film might change some hearts and minds.”
The film is based on the critically acclaimed play by Samuel D. Hunter, with Hunter adapting his work for the screen. In addition to Fraser, The Whale stars Sadie Sink, Ty Simpkins, Samantha Morton, and Hong Chau.
A24 is targeting a December theatrical release.
