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Brendan Fraser received another long standing ovation for his film The Whale. which was screened at the London Film Festival on Tuesday.
The actor burst into tears during the five-minute ovation for the film, which marks his comeback in Hollywood after years of struggling with depression following a claim of sexual assault alongside multiple health issues.
In the video shared by a guest, an emotional Brendan, 53, is seen bowing to effusive applause from the audience before hugging director Darren Aronofsky and screenwriter Samuel D. Hunter who joined him onstage.
Tears: Brendan Fraser received another long standing ovation for his film The Whale. which was screened at the London Film Festival on Tuesday
‘Am I in Venice? 5 minute standing ovation for Brendan Fraser’s masterpiece in #TheWhale. He had the audience in the palm of his hand for the entire movie. My heart is in my throat,” one viewer wrote on the video.
Brendan was proudly supported by his glamorous partner Jeanne Moore as he graced the red carpet for the UK premiere on the seventh day of the BFI London Film Festival.
The Whale, which will hit theaters in December, had its first premiere at the Venice Film Festival last month and has quickly been receiving critical acclaim.
In images shared on social media after the film’s screening in Venice, Brendan fought back tears as he received a prolonged standing ovation.
Moment: An emotional Brendan, 53, bows to effusive applause from the audience before hugging director Darren Aronofsky and screenwriter Samuel D. Hunter
Fans and friends on Twitter loved Fraser’s emotional response, with actor Dwayne Johnson writing a lovely message of support.
“Man, this makes me so happy to see this beautiful ovation for Brendan. He supported me to get into his Mummy Returns franchise for my very first role, kicking off my Hollywood career.
“Rooted in all your success brother and congratulations to my friend Darren Aronofsky.”
The Whale is a psychological drama in which Brendan undergoes a physical transformation as he plays a 600-pound gay man who is in a wheelchair, a role that also required him to wear prosthetics.
Comeback: The actor burst into tears during the five-minute ovation for the film, which marks his comeback in Hollywood after years of struggling with depression
Critically acclaimed performance: The Whale, set to hit theaters in December, first premiered at the Venice Film Festival last month and quickly garnered critical acclaim
The official synopsis reads: “A reclusive English teacher suffering from severe obesity tries to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption.”
Set to hit theaters on December 9, the film will mark Brendan’s first starring role in a film since 2013’s straight-to-DVD thriller Breakout, leading many fans to believe this is his comeback.
Fraser rose to fame when he was cast in the favorite children’s film franchises George of the Jungle and The Mummy.
His incredibly chiseled physique earned him a position as a Hollywood heartthrob as he rocketed through the sets, performing stunts in action-packed roles.
But Fraser revealed in a later interview the toll the stunts had taken on his body.
Well-received: The Whale is a psychological drama in which Brendan underwent a physical transformation and wore prosthetics to play a man who ‘lives with obesity’
He told GQ in 2018 that when he was filming the third installment in The Mummy franchise, he was taped and suffered ice injuries in between takes.
Speaking from his home in Bedford, New York, he said the physical toll of his roles made him feel like a workhorse from the Orwell novel Animal Farm.
After becoming famous for the action-packed movies, Fraser described his muscular physique as “a walking steak.”
In the same interview, the actor revealed that he believed he had been blacklisted from Hollywood after alleging he was sexually assaulted in 2003 by former Hollywood Foreign Press Association president Philip Berk.
Picture perfect: Brendan was proudly supported by his glamorous partner Jeanne Moore on Tuesday at the UK premiere of The Whale at the BFI London Film Festival
Fraser claimed he was leaving a luncheon hosted by the HFPA at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Hollywood when Berk shook hands with him.
Fraser said, “His left hand reaches around me, grabs my cheek, and one of his fingers touches me in the stain. And he’s starting to move it.’
He added: ‘I felt sick. I felt like a little kid. I felt like there was a ball in my throat. I thought I was going to cry.’
There they are! Joining Brendan (center) for the premiere were The Whale’s director Darren Aronofsky (left) and screenwriter Samuel D. Hunter (right)
Fraser claimed he was able to remove Berk’s hand before running out of the hotel and going straight home. He told his then-wife, Afton Smith, about the incident, but never made it public.
Instead, his representatives asked Berk for a written apology, which he offered, but admitted no wrongdoing.
Speaking to GQ about the allegations, Berk admitted to writing a letter of apology to Fraser, but insisted he had done nothing wrong, dismissing Fraser’s account as “a total fabrication.”
Emotional: Brendan got rather emotional when he received a long standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival for his latest film, which is already getting him Oscars buzz
After Fraser reported the claim to the HFPA, he said he believed he was “blacklisted” and that he was rarely invited to the Golden Globe awards.
Fraser said the incident had caused him to “withdraw” as he plunged into depression.
He described feeling “not worthy” as the decade progressed, giving him roles he was less proud of.
Support: Fans and friends on Twitter loved Fraser’s response, with actor Dwayne Johnson writing a lovely message of support