Brendan Fraser Moved To Tears After “The Whale” Premiere Leads To A 6-Minute Standing Ovation

The lights shine down on you as your eyes try to focus on the dozens of people in front of you. You’re back in the spotlight. After years debating whether it was gone for good. After years of turmoil and difficulty. After years, you’re back where you belong. And everyone seems to be as happy as you at this very moment.

Applause ripples throughout the venue. Dozens of miniature trains all rushing to their destination; their one intention – to shower you with affection and praise. As each love train hits you with more and more vigor, you can’t help the tears that flow. When you dream of getting your life back and it happens, it’s the only response.

This is what I felt watching Brendan Fraser at the end of the world premiere of The Whale, when both his fellow cast members and the audience cheered as soon as his name showed up in the credits. For an entire 6 minutes, Brendan was applauded for his excellent performance, leaving the actor to wipe away tears in gratitude.

More info: Twitter

Brendan Fraser was incredibly touched by the audience’s response at the world premiere of The Whale at the 79th Venice Film Festival

Image credits: Newzee

There aren’t too many people in the world who we unconditionally cheer for, who we want to have the best outcome in anything they do, who we feel deserve only the best things that life can offer. One of those people is Brendan Fraser, a beloved Hollywood actor, who’s made many childhoods all the more memorable.

However, in the early 2000s we saw less and less of Brendan, following multiple difficult turns in his life. Finally, fans rejoice at what is being called the “Brenaissance” – Brendan is returning to the big screen with a bang, starting with Darren Aronofsky’s psychological drama The Whale, where Brendan portrays a 600-pound gay man confined to a wheelchair, aiming to redeem himself to his young daughter.

In the video, which went viral on Twitter with millions of views, Brendan is seen overjoyed by the applause and cheers, bringing him to tears for a whole 6 minutes

Image credits: RaminSetoodeh

The world premiere happened last Sunday, September 4, at the 79th Venice Film Festival, and the response at the end of the film drove Brendan to tears. He was overcome with emotion, wiping away tears during the entire six-minute standing ovation. He tried to control his emotions as best as he could – laughing and kicking the air as if to say, “Shucks, y’all” – but they got the better of him.

Darren seemed to continuously encourage Brendan throughout the applause, which continued to intensify as the actor stood before the crowd. He hugged the director several times and bowed to the audience as they cheered excitedly. It was a lovely moment to witness, and we’ll attach the video at the end of the article for you all to see and enjoy as well.

Image credits: RaminSetoodeh

The video of the heartwarming moment was shared on Twitter, gaining millions of views and tens of thousands of likes, with many fans cheering on their beloved actor virtually.

As one person put it: “He’s emotionally overwhelmed and it is incredibly touching. I wish him to be showered with praise, and I’ve a feeling he won’t take it for granted for an instant. Welcome back Brendan Fraser. We’ve missed you.”

In the psychological drama, Brendan plays Charlie, a 600-pound gay man confined to a wheelchair, with one last chance to redeem himself to his young daughter

Image credits: RaminSetoodeh

The drama focuses on Charlie, played by Brendan, who’d given up on life and taken to finding comfort in binge eating. He’s a writing instructor, teaching exclusively online; however, he keeps his camera off, so his students can’t see him. He’s ashamed, he’s stuck, and he’s got only one more chance at redemption. This is a story about a person in deep pain and how it can twist one’s life out of control.

Stephanie Zacharek believes that the point of Brendan’s performance is to see the person as opposed to just the body. “Charlie is a bit of a pushover, too eager to see the good in others even as he’s unable to acknowledge his own sterling qualities,” she stated. “Fraser doesn’t just give us permission to feel exasperation for this character; he guides us right to those feelings.”

Image credits: RaminSetoodeh

Brendan spent roughly six hours in makeup each day in order to fully transform into Charlie. He wore a prosthetic suit that added anywhere from 50 to 300 pounds depending on the scene. In an interview ahead of the film’s premiere, Brendan shared that the suit resembled more of “a straight jacket with sleeves that went on, airbrushed by hand, to look identical as would human skin, right down to the hand-punched hair.”

The experience even led to feelings of vertigo once the appliances were taken off: “It was like stepping off the dock onto a boat in Venice. That [sense of] undulating. It gave me appreciation for those whose bodies are similar. You need to be an incredibly strong person, mentally and physically, to inhabit that physical being.”

Many critics have praised his performance and are suggesting a nomination for Best Actor at the 2023 Oscars ceremony

Image credits: theatomchode

In his review of The Whale out of Venice, Variety film critic Owen Gleiberman called Brendan “slyer, subtler, more haunting than he has ever been,” adding that he gives an “intensely lived-in and touching performance.”

Some critics have already suggested that Brendan could be nominated for an Oscar in 2023 for this performance, and as Nicholas Barber states: “Fraser richly deserves to be nominated for a best actor Oscar, and if that doesn’t happen, I won’t just eat my hat, I’ll eat as many pizzas and cheese-and-meatball sandwiches as Charlie gets through in the film. The Brenaissance is here.”

The film is set to hit US theaters this December and his fans could not be more overjoyed – the “Brenaissance” is only just beginning!

Image credits: ET Canada

The Whale is set to hit US theaters in December this year. After The Whale, Brendan is set to appear alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Jesse Plemons, Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese’s next film, Killers of the Flower Moon.

“Thank you for the warm reception,” Brendan said after the interview before the premiere. “I’m looking forward to how this film makes a deep impression on everyone as much as it has on me.”

You can watch an excerpt of the standing ovation here

The standing ovation for #TheWhale was so enthusiastic, Brendan Fraser tried to leave the theater but the crowd’s applause made him stay. #Venezia79 pic.twitter.com/ZZ0vbFX7Rl

— Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) September 4, 2022

Let us know – are you excited to see the film? I know my curiosity has peaked! I wish you all a wonderful day and can’t wait to read your thoughts below!

Many are incredibly excited for Brendan and his future and are curious to see the film for themselves. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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