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Brendan Fraser, co-stars talk emotional core of acclaimed drama 'The Whale'
The Darren Aronofsky-directed drama 'The Whale' centers on a homebound English teacher attempting to reconnect with his troubled young daughter. Stars Brendan Fraiser, Sadie Sink, and Hong Chau and writer Samuel D. Hunter sat down with Paul Milliken to talk about their characters and the emotional challenges they experienced working on the film.
When Academy Award nominations are announced next month, it’s a good bet you’ll see the name Brendan Fraser listed among those up for the Best Actor Oscar.
Fraser is winning universal acclaim for his performance in "The Whale," the Darren Aronofsky-directed drama which centers on a homebound English teacher attempting to reconnect with his troubled young daughter.
Much has been made of Fraser’s physical transformation for the role, which included the hours-long application of prosthetics to create Charlie’s look.
"It was an involved process to create Charlie’s body," the actor tells Good Day Atlanta. "It needed to be done so with dignity, to be in obedience to the laws of gravity and physics, to depict this man in a way that hasn’t been done in films that we’ve seen until now."
But Fraser says the emotional impact of filming during the pandemic was also key to his performance — and the attitude he brought to set daily.
"Every day that we came in was a privilege," he says. "We never knew if we were going to have another tomorrow or another next week. So, might as well give it everything you’ve got, because you might not be invited back for reasons beyond your control."
Writer Samuel D. Hunter adapted his stage play for the screen, which he calls a rare opportunity to explore his own growth as well as that of the characters he created more than a decade ago.
"Having done more screenwriting, but more fundamentally, becoming a father and re-telling this story, there were so many nooks and crannies that I discovered throughout the development of it," says Hunter. "And then continued to discover as Brendan entered into this role and shed so much light onto different aspects of the role."
The Whale also features "Stranger Things" star Sadie Sink and Golden Globe nominee Hong Chau. For more information on the film, click here.