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Brendan Fraser is getting candid about his Oscar nomination. The actor was nominated for the first time on Tuesday and named among the five nominees for Best Actor for his performance in The Whale. The film was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress for co-star Hong Chau as well as Best Makeup and Hairstyle for the team that transformed the actor into his 600lb character, Charlie.
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The 54-year-old reacted to the news through his statement obtained by People, saying he was “absolutely overjoyed and deeply grateful to The Academy for this recognition and for recognizing Hong Chau’s beautiful performance and Adrien Morot’s incredible makeup.”
The Whale Trailer
“I wouldn’t have this nomination without [director] Darren Aronofsky, [writer] Samuel D. Hunter, A24 and the extraordinary cast and crew who gave me the gift of Charlie,” the actor noted. “A gift I certainly didn’t see coming, but it’s one that has profoundly changed my life. THANK YOU!”
Other contestants nominated in the category are Colin Farrell, Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and Bill Nighy. Fraser also received a SAG award and a Golden Globe nomination, winning the Critics Choice Award earlier this month. During his speech, the actor was seen getting very emotional, saying the film was “ about love.”
HE continued, “It’s about redemption. It’s about finding the light in a dark place, and I’m so lucky to have worked with an ensemble that is incredible.”
Brendan Fraser Cries In 2023 Critics Choice Awards Speech
“And Darren Aronofsky, I was in the wilderness — and I probably should’ve left a trail of breadcrumbs — but you found me,” The Mummy actor stated. “Like all the best directors, you merely just showed me where to go to get me where I needed to be,” Fraser added.
“If you — like Charlie, who I played in this movie — in any way, struggle with obesity, or you just feel like you’re in a dark sea, I want you to know that if you, too, can have the strength to just get to your feet and go to the light, good things will happen.”
