Curious case of Brendan Fraser

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Brendan Fraser in the mummy is a movie star.

You can put him up against brad Pitt or Johnny depp during that era and he would hold up.

So why then was his star never took off ? I thought his hair style and physique in that movie is enough to cast him as a romantic lead or action star for at least a decade from that point.

But for some reason his movies and career never took off after that.



I agree. He seemed to have it all.

I found this on wiki. Looks like Mr Fraser had some medical problems, injuries, depression, and "internal industry backlash" to contend with . . .

The physical demands of the stunts and maneuvers Fraser performed in his action and comedy roles eventually required him to undergo several surgeries over a period of seven years, including a partial knee replacement, a laminectomy, and vocal cord surgery.[53] He also badly injured his back when clearing a fallen tree after Hurricane Sandy (2012), requiring surgery and rehabilitation.[citation needed]

Fraser alleged in 2018 that he was sexually assaulted by Philip Berk, the then-president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, at a luncheon in the summer of 2003. The assault, his subsequent divorce, and the death of his mother launched Fraser into a depression that, combined with his health issues and a backlash within the industry over speaking out against Berk, caused his career to decline.



No lie, I fell in love with Brendan Fraser after seeing George of the Jungle and a few years after that, he seemed to vanish. A couple of years ago, I was watching a SHOWTIME series called The Affair and during a couple of episodes, I caught this heavy set actor in a supporting role who seemed familiar but I couldn't place him. It was during his second appearance on the show, that I noticed something very familiar about his voice. The more he spoke, the more familiar the voice became and I realized who it was, confirming it by looking for his name in the credits. The other reason I didn't recognize him was that he was playing a very menacing character, something new for Fraser. Last year, I saw a new film directed by Steven Soderborgh called No Sudden Move, which featured Fraser playing the kind of wiseguy you'd expect actors like Joe Vitrelli or Steven Schirripa to play. He was even heavier than he was in The Affair, but he was absolutely bone-chilling in this role. Fraser started out as a pretty boy, but these two performances have proven to me that if he could find a couple of more roles like these, he could redefine his career and become a terrific character actor.



Yes, I know it's not a very highly rated movie, but I thought he was marvelous in the 1999 film Blast From The Past opposite Alicia Silverstone. Probably my favorite of all his movies. He had A-List actor cinched it seemed.

(Admittedly, the movie had an interesting cast aside from Fraser and Silverstone.)



It's such a shame his career fizzled out. I was never a fan of The Mummy, but I still have a huge soft spot for Encino Man. Also loved him in School Ties, Gods and Monsters, and With Honors.



He hasn't disappeared completely. He's been enjoying a resurgence of sorts playing the hilarious and incredibly foul mouthed Cliff Steele/Robotman in Doom Patrol for the last three years. And he's set to be in Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon. He has lots and lots of loyal fans. Not Keanu Reeves level of adoration but he does have a whole lot of people rooting for him.