Brendan Fraser has been earning rave reviews for his comeback performance in Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale. But of course, because some people won’t just let good things exist, there has been backlash over his casting–because he’s not 600 pounds. With the movie out in just two months, both Fraser and Aronofsky have addressed the issue.
“I’m not a small man,” said Brendan Fraser. “And I don’t know what the metric is to qualify to play the role. I only know that I had to give as honest a performance as I can.” Fraser raises a fine point here. If he were, say, 350 pounds would that be enough to qualify to play a 600-pound man? Or does the actor have to hit that exact mark on the scale? Would it be OK if Christian Bale packed on the appropriate amount of weight with makeup assistance?
Director Darren Aronofsky added to this, dismissing the idea that Brendan Fraser isn’t suitable for the character. “There’s no way you can cast someone to play this job, so we had to use makeup to get there.” Further, he spoke out against naysayers who likely haven’t even seen The Whale yet, tying into the themes of the movie. “I welcome everyone to see the film because the film is about bringing empathy to characters that you don’t expect to feel for.”
Brendan Fraser built on Aronofsky’s statement. “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.”
Perhaps it will. Then again, remember the backlash Brendan Fraser got when cast in Encino Man because he wasn’t a real caveman? No? It seems almost as ridiculous, doesn’t it?
Brendan Fraser has been garnering serious awards attention for The Whale and is guaranteed to get an Oscar nomination, possibly winning. It also seems like The Whale would be a shoo-in for a Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscar.
The Whale hits theaters on December 9th.
What do you think of the backlash against Brendan Fraser’s casting? Do he and Darren Aronofsky make good rebuttal points? Let us know your thoughts on the situation in the comments below.