Fraser won the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in the Darren Aronofsky thriller.
Brendan Fraser has won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his work in the movie The Whale, it was just announced at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. At the 95th Academy Awards, Best Actress winner Jessica Chastain handed the coveted gold medal to the first-time winner.
Will Smith won the Oscar last year for his portrayal of tennis great Richard Williams in King Richard, but that night was remembered for other things as well. Chris Rock, who hosted the Oscars, was notoriously attacked by Smith after he made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith. His behavior ruined what ought to have been a lovely evening. Javier Bardem, Benedict Cumberbatch, Andrew Garfield, and Denzel Washington were his fellow nominees.
Fraser spent years in the acting wilderness due to his own troubles and challenges, but his powerful and heartbreaking portrayal as a 600-pound schoolteacher in Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale has seen his career recovery handed its largest validation yet with his first nomination and triumph. The former action-adventure star from the 1990s has just experienced an unexpected boost to his career, which will excite moviegoers everywhere.
The Whale is an emotional drama that centers on a reclusive English teacher, portrayed by the much-loved Fraser, who tries to get in touch with his estranged daughter in what he regards as a last-ditch effort at reconciliation despite being aware that his health is failing.
The Nominees
In The Whale, directed by Darren Aronofsky, Fraser had a strong and emotional performance as a 600-pound schoolteacher, while Colin Farrell received a nomination for his career-best performance in The Banshees of Inisherin. Austin Butler received his first nomination for playing the titular role in Baz Luhrmann’s extravagantly entertaining biopic Elvis, and the famous British actor Bill Nighy received his long-deserved first nomination. The 73-year-old actor was well-praised for his profoundly poignant portrayal of a terminally ill gentleman in Living. Paul Mescal had also completed a breathtaking ascent to quick success with a delightfully unexpected nomination for his lovely performance as a young parent in Charlotte Wells’ outstanding directorial debut Aftersun.
The evening’s favorite front-runner was Everything Everywhere Everything at Once. The Netflix German-language film All Quiet on the Western Front and The Banshees of Inisherin came in second and third, respectively, with 9 nominations apiece. With 11 nominations, the film appears in more categories than any other nominee this year.
Two movies, Avatar: The Way of Water and Top Gun: Maverick, were both nominated for Best Picture, marking the first time two movies that reached that milestone received nominations. This was done to recognize the return of moviegoers to theatres following the pandemic.
