Brendan Fraser has had quite a run these last few years. Along with winning the 2023 Best Actor Oscar for his heartbreaking performance in Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale,” the ’90s icon has had acclaimed recent turns in Steven Soderbergh’s “No Sudden Move,” Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” and this year’s “Rental Family” from Phillip Vandarploeug, with critics praising the latter as “an ideal showcase for [Fraser’s] sensitive star power,” per Rotten Tomatoes.
And there will be more where that comes from. Fraser will play Dwight D. Eisenhower in the upcoming war film “Pressure,” co-starring Andrew Scott, Kerry Condon and Chris Messina; he’ll act alongside Vicky Krieps and Bill Murray in the Andy Garcia-directed crime drama “Diamond”; and will reprise his fan-favorite character, the swashbuckling treasure hunter Rick O’Connell, in the hotly anticipated “The Mummy 4.”
‘The Mummy’
Let’s kick things off with one of Fraser’s most beloved crowd-pleasers, 1999’s “The Mummy,” which well-matches the actor’s rugged brawn and great physical comedy with the bookish sophistication and plucky spirit of Rachel Weisz’s Egypt-loving librarian, Evelyn Carnahan.
With Evelyn and her bumbling brother Jonathan (John Hannah) in tow, Fraser’s dashing legionnaire Rick O’Connell travels to the ancient city of Hamunaptra — aka the City of the Dead — where they accidentally awaken the mummy of a powerful high priest who’s desperately searching for the reincarnation of his long-lost love. A blockbuster of humor, heart and horror ensues.
Watch “The Mummy” on Pluto TV now
‘Gods and Monsters’
Based on Christopher Bram’s 1995 novel “Father of Frankenstein,” this Bill Condon-directed period drama centers on the final days of the now-frail and once-famous Hollywood filmmaker James Whale (Ian McKellen) — best-known for directing “Frankenstein”, “Bride of Frankenstein” and “The Invisible Man” — and the unexpected connection he shares with his young new gardener, Clayton Boone (played by Fraser).
Critics praised Fraser for holding his own against acting royalty like McKellen and Lynn Redgrave, both of whom received Oscar nominations for their respective performances. “‘Gods and Monsters’ is a spellbinding, confusing piece of semi-fiction, featuring fine performances,” reads the critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, where the film has a strong 96% approval rating. “McKellen leads the way, but Redgrave and Fraser don’t lag far behind.”
Watch “Gods and Monsters” on Prime Video now
‘The Whale’
Fraser’s transformative performance as Charlie, a morbidly obese English teacher who lives a reclusive life in Idaho, earned the actor his first Academy Award in 2023. The Darren Aronofsky-directed psychological drama follows Charlie as he tries to restore his relationship with his estranged teen daughter Ellie (Sadie Sink), whom he had abandoned eight years earlier. All the while, his nurse-friend Lynn (Hong Chau) provides companionship but also contradiction, criticizing his lack of self-care while plying him daily with fatally unhealthy foods.
Though some critics had issues with the script’s melodrama as well as the movie’s portrayal of obesity, Fraser’s performance was widely acclaimed, with many calling it a “career best” from the performer. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman said, “The Whale” saw Fraser as “slyer, subtler, more haunting than he has ever been.”
Watch “The Whale” on HBO Max now
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