Brendan Fraser snagged his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor on Tuesday for his performance in “The Whale.”
The famous actor got a nod in one of the biggest categories of the ceremony and marks a significant comeback for Fraser, who stated he was “left in the wilderness” for a decade. Fraser’s acting career took flight in 1997, but by the late 2000s he had fallen off the radar.
His career was marred by years of injuries sustained while performing stunts, and Fraser was forced to focus on his health as he underwent operations on his spine, knee, and vocal cords, according to BBC. Fraser overcame setbacks suffered from a failed marriage and messy legal battle, and bravely came forward with sexual assault allegations against a prominent Hollywood authority figure.
There is SO much love for #BrendanFraser in the house tonight.
Here’s the moment Ke Huy Quan spotted him in the Winners Lounge and sprinted over to congratulate him. pic.twitter.com/QWhdX3BiU1
— Critics Choice Awards (@CriticsChoice) January 16, 2023
Fraser stepped back into the spotlight to reclaim his place in Hollywood with “The Whale,” playing the role of a morbidly obese English professor desperately seeking to reconnect with his estranged daughter. He has spoken to the press about his passion for the role, and indicated he hoped he could help to “end the bias against those who live with obesity,” according to BBC.
“We can often lose sight that those are human beings with thoughts and feelings and hearts and families,” Fraser told BBC entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba.
The 2023 Oscars will be emceed by late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and will be held on March 12 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. (RELATED: Adam Sandler Shocks Brendan Fraser With Details Of ‘Airheads’ Role He Nearly Lost Out On)
#BrendanFraser explains why he stepped back from Hollywood. pic.twitter.com/jmNGUPKVB9
— The Drew Barrymore Show (@DrewBarrymoreTV) January 17, 2023
Nominees for Best Picture include “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “Elvis Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “The Fabelmans,” “Tár,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Triangle of Sadness” and “Women Talking.”
Best Actor nods went to Austin Butler for “Elvis,” Colin Farrell for “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Brendan Fraser for “The Whale,” Bill Nighy for “Living” and Paul Mescal for his role in “Aftersun.”
Best Actress nominees went to Cate Blanchett for “Tár,” Ana de Armas for her performance in “Blonde” and Andrea Riseborough’s role in “To Leslie.” Michelle Williams was nominated for “The Fabelmans,” and Michelle Yeoh for her role in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
The awards ceremony will be televised live on ABC, according to People.