Yes, Brendan Fraser did gain weight for his role in "The Whale."
In recent years, the actor's weight gain had been a topic of discussion, and now it has come up again due to his starring role in “The Whale.” Brendan plays a 270 kg schoolteacher, Charlie, in the movie, who eats himself to death while lamenting the loss of his wife.
In order to change his appearance, the “Doom Patrol” actor had to spend five to six hours in the makeup chair having prosthetics applied and wearing the fat suit, especially made from his 3D body scan; however, he claims that having gained some weight in real life made getting into character easier.
"This is certainly far removed from anything I’ve ever done, and I know it’s going to make a lasting impression," He recently spoke with Newsweek. Brendan, who co-starred in the movie “Bedazzled,” has previously discussed the weight he put on after requiring several operations brought on by the physical stress he felt while performing stunts in the late '90s for films like “The Mummy” (1999) and “George of the Jungle” (1997).
The actor's weight gain and how it affects his physical appearance don't seem to be affecting him much right now. In January 2023, after “The Whale” won a Critics' Choice Award, the topic of conversation shifted to how well-dressed he was.
What happened to Brendan Fraser?
Hollywood considers Brendan Fraser to be a big name. He has acted in a number of significant productions, with his most well-known role being in the "Mummy" movie series. But because of the injuries he acquired during the franchise's filming, he required significant back surgery as well as a partial knee replacement.
The psychological harm caused by an abuse scandal was much worse than the physical harm. Fraser felt sexually assaulted when HFPA President Philip Berk pinched his butt at a gathering in 2003, despite Berk's claims that it was a joke. But Fraser gained serious weight over the period.
The number of roles Fraser received did decline as a result of the scandal, and after he was forced to stop acting due to health issues and other legal issues, his net worth took a hit. Fraser's former net worth of $45 million, which made him one of the industry's highest-paid actors during his peak years, has been cut in half as a result of numerous health issues that forced the actor to take a partially long break from acting.
A reduction in alimony had been requested by Fraser because his 2008 divorce has forced him to spend tens of thousands of dollars every month. Brendan Fraser was involved in several lawsuits, one of which was brought against the Hollywood Forum Press Association, and things only got worse as a result.
Brendan Fraser did any movies during his hiatus?
Fraser never officially stopped acting, despite some media reports to the contrary. His IMDb page shows that he has at least one credit for each year since making his debut in 1991. The fact that he took a break from starring in high-profile action movies like “The Mummy” doesn't mean he didn't act at all. He had five credits in 2013, but Tribeca Film dubbed him "the movie star that Hollywood forgot" in 2014.
Simply put, they weren't notable credits—certainly not the kind that helped him become well-known in the 1990s. However, there were a few explanations for these less noticeable roles. One of the main causes was that by the time Fraser began filming the third Mummy movie, his health had significantly declined. As he revealed to GQ, he was virtually "put together with tape and ice... I was building an exoskeleton for myself daily."
Several surgeries followed. "I needed a laminectomy, and the lumbar didn't take, so they had to do it again a year later." He ultimately required surgery on his vocal cords, back surgeries, and a knee replacement.
It would be an understatement to say that his days of action movies were over, but with fewer action movies came fewer paychecks and less money. Fraser was "going through things that mold and shape you in ways that you're not ready for until you go through them" at this time.
What is the net worth of Brendan Fraser?
Brendan Fraser has experienced some difficult times in both his personal and professional lives, but the actor still has an estimated $20 million in net worth. Even though the star's net worth was reduced by half, he is still raking it in and is likely to earn even more now that he is back in the acting business.
Fraser has a recurring role in the television series “Doom Patrol” and was cast in the CW's "Professionals.” He starred as the main character in the 2022 movie “The Whale,” for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
Particularly now that his health is back in order, the actor keeps getting roles, which will only boost his net worth in the future. Brendan even broke down in tears during an interview when talking about how much the public wanted to see him back on screen. It's obvious that Fraser will be fine because fans are supporting him and his comeback.
