Brendan Fraser’s lengthy makeup and prosthetics process for The Whale is shown off in detail thanks to a new time-lapse video. Directed by Darren Aronofsky, The Whale features Fraser as Charlie, a morbidly obese man who struggles to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Ellie, played by Sadie Sink. The film proved somewhat divisive among critics upon its release last year, but Fraser’s highly affecting performance, in particular, has been showered with praise.Now, EW has shared a new behind-the-scenes look at The Whale and how Fraser’s transformation into a 600-pound man was pulled off.
The total weight of all the prosthetics applied to Fraser amounted to hundreds of pounds, but Aronofsky and makeup and prosthetics designer Adrien Morot put particular emphasis on ensuring that the material wouldn’t hamper Fraser’s ability to emote and perform. As the video makes clear, however, it certainly wasn’t a quick process to have the prosthetics and makeup applied every day.
Brendan Fraser’s The Whale Prosthetics Didn’t Hide His Performance
Despite the sheer amount of weight applied to the actor and the extent of the makeup and prosthetics, Fraser’s performance as Charlie was still able to shine through in The Whale. The film’s detractors might actually argue that his nuanced and emotional performance is the only real highlight of an otherwise messy or somewhat frustrating film. Fraser’s performance in The Whale is so strong, in fact, that he has even been nominated for an Oscar in the Best Actor category.
While the first sight of Fraser’s new look in the film can be alarming, it quickly becomes clear that he fully inhabits this character, bringing to life all of his insecurities and fears. As Charlie attempts to repair his relationship with Ellie and especially during some of the film’s more emotional moments, Fraser’s prosthetics and makeup really melt away and almost become invisible. One is no longer watching an actor delivering a performance but watching a character experience tragic events in his life. It’s this exceptional performance that really kickstarted Fraser’s Hollywood comeback.
After Fraser was notably absent from Hollywood for many years due to a variety of factors, The Whale essentially serves as an announcement to the world that the actor is back. His prominent new position in the public consciousness has even reignited calls for The Mummy 4. While it’s unclear how the next few years of Fraser’s career will unfold beyond an appearance in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, The Whale clearly demonstrates that the actor is still more capable than ever of delivering an outstanding performance.
