Brendan James Fraser ( ;
born December 3, 1968) is an American-Canadian actor known for his leading roles in blockbusters, comedies, and dramatic films. Having graduated from the
Cornish College of the Arts
Cornish College of the Arts (CCA) is a private art college in Seattle, Washington. It was founded in 1914.
History
Cornish College of the Arts was founded in 1914 as the Cornish School of Music, by Nellie Cornish (1876–1956), a teacher of ...
in 1990, he made his film debut in ''
Dogfight
A dogfight, or dog fight, is an aerial battle between fighter aircraft conducted at close range. Dogfighting first occurred in Mexico in 1913, shortly after the invention of the airplane. Until at least 1992, it was a component in every majo ...
'' (1991).
Fraser had his breakthrough in 1992 with the comedy ''
Encino Man
''Encino Man'' (known as ''California Man'' in France, Finland, Sweden, Great Britain, Asia, South Africa, and New Zealand) is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Les Mayfield in his directorial debut. The film stars Sean Astin, with a supp ...
'' and the drama ''
School Ties
''School Ties'' is a 1992 American drama film directed by Robert Mandel and starring Brendan Fraser, Matt Damon, Chris O'Donnell, Randall Batinkoff, Andrew Lowery, Cole Hauser, Ben Affleck, and Anthony Rapp. Fraser plays the lead role as David ...
''. He gained further prominence for his starring role in
''George of the Jungle'' (1997) and emerged a star playing
Rick O'Connell
Richard "Rick" O’Connell is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the second incarnation of ''The Mummy'' franchise. He is portrayed by Brendan Fraser. Fraser reprised the role of O'Connell in ''The Mummy Returns'' released in 2001 ...
in
''The Mummy'' trilogy (1999–2008). He took on dramatic roles in ''
Gods and Monsters'' (1998), ''
The Quiet American'' (2002), and ''
Crash
Crash or CRASH may refer to:
Common meanings
* Collision, an impact between two or more objects
* Crash (computing), a condition where a program ceases to respond
* Cardiac arrest, a medical condition in which the heart stops beating
* Couch su ...
'' (2004), and further fantasy roles in ''
Bedazzled'' (2000) and
''Journey to the Center of the Earth'' (2008).
Fraser's film work slowed from the late 2000s to mid 2010s amid various health problems, personal losses, and fallout from a
sexual assault allegedly committed against him by Philip Berk, the then-president of the
Hollywood Foreign Press Association
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) is a nonprofit organization of journalists and photographers who report on the entertainment industry activity and interests in the United States for media (newspaper, magazine and book publication ...
.
He branched into television with roles in the
History
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
miniseries ''
Texas Rising'' (2015), the
Showtime drama ''
The Affair'' (2016–2017), the
FX series ''
Trust
Trust often refers to:
* Trust (social science), confidence in or dependence on a person or quality
It may also refer to:
Business and law
* Trust law, a body of law under which one person holds property for the benefit of another
* Trust (bus ...
'' (2018),
and the
HBO Max
HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Netw ...
-
DC Universe
The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...
series ''
Doom Patrol'' (2019–present).
Fraser's film
career was revitalized by appearances in major films such as ''
No Sudden Move
''No Sudden Move'' is a 2021 American neo-noir period crime thriller film directed, photographed and edited by Steven Soderbergh (the latter two roles under pseudonyms), produced by Casey Silver, and written by Ed Solomon. The film features ...
'' (2021) and ''
The Whale
A whale is a sea mammal.
Whale or The Whale may also refer to:
Places Extraterrestrial
* Cetus, a constellation also known as "The Whale"
* Cthulhu Regio on Pluto, unofficially called Whale
United Kingdom
* Whale, Cumbria, England, a hamlet
...
'' (2022). His starring role as an overweight man in the latter earned him his first
Golden Globe Award nomination.
Early life
Fraser, the youngest of four boys, was born in
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...
, the son of Canadian parents Carol Mary (
née Genereux; 1937–2016) and Peter Fraser. His mother was a sales counselor, and his father was a former journalist who worked as a
Canadian foreign service
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
officer for the Government Office of Tourism.
His maternal uncle,
George Genereux, was the
only Canadian to win a gold medal in the
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics ( fi, Kesäolympialaiset 1952; sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1952), officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad ( fi, XV olympiadin kisat; sv, Den XV olympiadens spel) and commonly known as Helsinki 1952 ( sv, Helsin ...
, at the
Olympic Trap
Olympic Trap is a shooting sport discipline contested at the Olympic Games and sanctioned by the International Shooting Sport Federation. Usually referred to simply as "trap", the discipline is also known in the United States as international tr ...
. He has three older brothers: Kevin, Regan, and Sean.
He has Irish, Scottish, German, Czech, and French-Canadian ancestry. He holds
dual Canadian and American citizenship.
Fraser's family moved often during his childhood, living in
Eureka, California
Eureka (Wiyot: ''Jaroujiji'', Hupa: ''do'-wi-lotl-ding'', Karuk: ''uuth'') is the principal city and county seat of Humboldt County in the Redwood Empire region of California. The city is located on U.S. Route 101 on the shores of Humboldt Ba ...
,
Seattle, Washington
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region ...
,
Ottawa, Ontario
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. He attended
Upper Canada College, a private boarding school in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
. While on vacation in
London, England
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major s ...
, he attended his first professional theatre show in the
West End, which began his interest in acting.
He graduated from Seattle's
Cornish College of the Arts
Cornish College of the Arts (CCA) is a private art college in Seattle, Washington. It was founded in 1914.
History
Cornish College of the Arts was founded in 1914 as the Cornish School of Music, by Nellie Cornish (1876–1956), a teacher of ...
in 1990.
He began acting at a small acting college in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
. He planned on studying toward a
Master of Fine Arts in Acting from
Southern Methodist University
, mottoeng = "The truth will make you free"
, established =
, type = Private research university
, accreditation = SACS
, academic_affiliations =
, religious_affiliation = United Methodist Church
, president = R. Gerald Turner
, ...
, but stopped in
Hollywood on the way and decided to remain there to work in film.
Career
In 1991, Fraser made his film debut as a Seaman headed to Vietnam in ''
Dogfight
A dogfight, or dog fight, is an aerial battle between fighter aircraft conducted at close range. Dogfighting first occurred in Mexico in 1913, shortly after the invention of the airplane. Until at least 1992, it was a component in every majo ...
''. He got his first leading film role in the 1992 comedy film ''
Encino Man
''Encino Man'' (known as ''California Man'' in France, Finland, Sweden, Great Britain, Asia, South Africa, and New Zealand) is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Les Mayfield in his directorial debut. The film stars Sean Astin, with a supp ...
'' where he played a frozen pre-historic caveman who is thawed out in the present day. The film was a moderate box office success. That same year he starred with
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige Damon (; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. Ranked among ''Forbes'' most bankable stars, the films in which he has appeared have collectively earned over $3.88 billion at the North Ameri ...
and
Chris O'Donnell
Christopher Eugene O'Donnell (born June 26, 1970) is an American actor and former model. He played Charlie Sims in '' Scent of a Woman'', Chris Reece in ''School Ties'', D'Artagnan in ''The Three Musketeers'', Jack Foley in the drama film '' ...
in ''
School Ties
''School Ties'' is a 1992 American drama film directed by Robert Mandel and starring Brendan Fraser, Matt Damon, Chris O'Donnell, Randall Batinkoff, Andrew Lowery, Cole Hauser, Ben Affleck, and Anthony Rapp. Fraser plays the lead role as David ...
''.
In 1994, he played Steve Nebraska in ''
The Scout'' and Montgomery "Monty" Kessler in ''
With Honors'' as well as co-starred with
Adam Sandler and
Steve Buscemi in ''
Airheads
''Airheads'' is a 1994 American comedy film written by Rich Wilkes, directed by Michael Lehmann, and starring Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi, Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Ernie Hudson, Michael McKean, Judd Nelson, Michael Richards, Amy Locane and ...
''. All three were box office failures. He starred in films such as
Philip Ridley
Philip Ridley (born 1957 in East London) is an English storyteller working in a wide range of artistic media.
As a visual artist he has been cited as a contemporary of the 'Young British Artists', and had his artwork exhibited internationally. ...
's ''
The Passion of Darkly Noon
''The Passion of Darkly Noon'' is a 1995 psychological horror drama film written and directed by Philip Ridley. The film stars Brendan Fraser, Ashley Judd, and Viggo Mortensen.
The protagonist's name and film title come both from a passage in t ...
'' (1995) and ''
The Twilight of the Golds
''The Twilight of the Golds'' is a play by Jonathan Tolins and produced by Charles H. Duggan that premiered at the Pasadena Playhouse on January 17, 1993. Strong reviews propelled it to theatres across the country including a stop at The Kennedy Ce ...
'' (1997) which also did not fare well at the box office. He also had a small part in the movie ''
Now and Then'' (1995).
He had his first major box office success with the 1997 comedy film ''
George of the Jungle''
which was based on the animated series
of the same title created by
Jay Ward
Joseph Ward Cohen Jr. (September 20, 1920 – October 12, 1989), also known as Jay Ward, was an American creator and producer of animated TV cartoon shows. He produced animated series based on such characters as Crusader Rabbit, Rocky & Bu ...
.
He received critical acclaim for his dramatic role in 1998's ''
Gods and Monsters'', which was based on the life of
James Whale (
Ian McKellen), who directed ''
Frankenstein
''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific ...
''. The film was written and directed by
Bill Condon, and follows the loss of creativity, ambiguous sexuality and the bond between a heterosexual gardener (played by Fraser) and a homosexual, tortured and ailing filmmaker (played by McKellen).
His biggest commercial success came when he portrayed
Rick O'Connell
Richard "Rick" O’Connell is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the second incarnation of ''The Mummy'' franchise. He is portrayed by Brendan Fraser. Fraser reprised the role of O'Connell in ''The Mummy Returns'' released in 2001 ...
in the adventure fantasy film ''
The Mummy'' (1999) and its sequel ''
The Mummy Returns
''The Mummy Returns'' is a 2001 American adventure horror film written and directed by Stephen Sommers, starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr, Patricia Velásquez, Freddie Boath, Alun Armstrong, a ...
'' (2001).
In between these successes, he also starred in the box office bombs ''
Dudley Do-Right
Dudley Do-Right is a fictional character created by Alex Anderson, Chris Hayward, Allan Burns, Jay Ward, and Bill Scott, who appears as the main protagonist of "Dudley Do-Right of the Mounties", a segment on '' The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.' ...
'' (1999) (which was based on another Jay Ward animated series) and ''
Monkeybone'' (2001); though he did have moderate success with the 1999 romantic comedy ''
Blast from the Past'' and the 2000 fantasy comedy ''
Bedazzled'', a remake of the 1967 British
film of the same name.
He lent his voice for the unreleased animated film ''
Big Bug Man'', with
Marlon Brando.
In 2002, he starred alongside
Michael Caine
Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite; 14 March 1933) is an English actor. Known for his distinctive Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films in a career spanning seven decades, and is considered a British film ico ...
in the political drama ''
The Quiet American'' which was well received by critics. The following year, he starred in the live-action/animated film ''
Looney Tunes: Back in Action'' as its human lead, D.J. Drake (he also voiced
the Tasmanian Devil). In 2004, he appeared as part of an ensemble cast in the
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
-winning film ''
Crash
Crash or CRASH may refer to:
Common meanings
* Collision, an impact between two or more objects
* Crash (computing), a condition where a program ceases to respond
* Cardiac arrest, a medical condition in which the heart stops beating
* Couch su ...
''.
He has also made guest appearances on the television shows ''
Scrubs'', ''
King of the Hill
''King of the Hill'' is an American animated sitcom created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired its original non-syndicated run from January 12, 1997, to September 13, 2009, and centers on the Hills, an Am ...
'', and ''
The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer Simpson, Homer, Marge ...
''. In March 2006, he was inducted into
Canada's Walk of Fame
Canada's Walk of Fame (french: link=no, Allée des célébrités canadiennes) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a walk of fame that acknowledges the achievements and accomplishments of Canadians who have excelled in their respective fields. It is a ...
,
the first American-born actor to receive the honor. However, as of 2022, he does not have a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame. After a six-year hiatus in the franchise, Fraser returned for the second sequel to ''
The Mummy'' released in August 2008 and titled ''
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor''. Filming started in Montreal on July 27, 2007, and the film also starred
Jet Li
Li Lianjie (courtesy name Yangzhong; born 26 April 1963), better known by his stage name Jet Li, is a Chinese film actor, film producer, martial artist, and retired Wushu champion. He is a naturalized Singaporean citizen.
After three years o ...
as Emperor Han. That same year, he starred in the
3D film adaptation of
Jules Verne's ''
Journey to the Center of the Earth
''Journey to the Center of the Earth'' (french: Voyage au centre de la Terre), also translated with the variant titles ''A Journey to the Centre of the Earth'' and ''A Journey into the Interior of the Earth'', is a classic science fiction novel ...
'' and the fantasy film ''
Inkheart
''Inkheart'' (german: Tintenherz) is a 2003 young adult fantasy novel by Cornelia Funke, and the first book of the ''Inkheart'' series, which was continued with ''Inkspell'' (2005) and ''Inkdeath'' (2007). The novel won the 2004 BookSense Boo ...
'' (chosen personally for the lead role by the novel's author Cornelia Funke).
Fraser starred as "Brick" in the West End production of
Tennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thr ...
's ''
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' in September 2001, directed by
Anthony Page
Anthony Page (21 September 1935 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India) is a British stage and film director. Biography
When Page was 19, he went to Canada on a free passage with the Royal Canadian Air Force and hitchhiked to New York where he studied ...
. Castmates included
Ned Beatty,
Frances O'Connor and
Gemma Jones
Jennifer "Gemma" Jones (born 4 December 1942) is an English actress. Appearing on both stage and screen, her film appearances include ''Sense and Sensibility (film), Sense and Sensibility'' (1995), the Bridget Jones (film series), ''Bridget Jo ...
. The show closed on January 12, 2002, with Fraser garnering many excellent reviews. In 2010, Fraser starred in a Broadway production of ''
Elling'', but the play closed after one week, due to lackluster reviews. After appearing in the critically panned ''
Furry Vengeance'' in 2010, Fraser moved from being represented by
William Morris Endeavor
Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (formerly known as William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, WME or WME-IMG) is an American holding company for talent and media agencies with its primary offices in Beverly Hills, California, United States. The compa ...
to the
Creative Artists Agency
Creative Artists Agency LLC (CAA) is an American talent and sports agency based in Los Angeles, California. It is regarded as an influential company in the talent agency business and manages numerous clients. In March 2016, CAA had 1,800 emplo ...
.
In 2010, he starred in ''
Whole Lotta Sole
''Whole Lotta Sole'' (known as ''Stand Off'' in North America) is a 2012 independent criminal comedy film co-written and directed by Terry George and starring Brendan Fraser, David O'Hara, Colm Meaney, Yaya DaCosta and Martin McCann.
Plot
Ho ...
'' directed by
Terry George and in 2011, he was set to play
William Tell
William Tell (german: Wilhelm Tell, ; french: Guillaume Tell; it, Guglielmo Tell; rm, Guglielm Tell) is a folk hero of Switzerland.
According to the legend, Tell was an expert mountain climber and marksman with a crossbow who assassinated Albr ...
in ''The Legend of William Tell: 3D'', directed by
Eric Brevig
Eric Brevig (born 1957) is an American film director and visual effects supervisor known for his work in several major theatrical films and television shows. He was Visual Effects Supervisor and Second Unit Director on the 2001 Jerry Bruckheim ...
, with whom Fraser had also worked in ''
Journey to the Center of the Earth
''Journey to the Center of the Earth'' (french: Voyage au centre de la Terre), also translated with the variant titles ''A Journey to the Centre of the Earth'' and ''A Journey into the Interior of the Earth'', is a classic science fiction novel ...
''. Filming was delayed and late in 2011, Fraser sued the producer Todd Moyer for promised wages. Moyer later countersued for assault, which Fraser dismissed as a desperate attempt to avoid paying his debt. In 2013, he played an
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
impersonator in the ensemble black comedy ''
Pawn Shop Chronicles
''Pawn Shop Chronicles'', also known as ''Hustlers'', is a 2013 American crime comedy film directed by Wayne Kramer and written by Adam Minarovich. The film stars an ensemble cast, led by Paul Walker, Matt Dillon, Brendan Fraser, Vincent D'Onofri ...
''.
In 2016, Fraser replaced
Ray Liotta
Raymond Allen Liotta (; December 18, 1954 – May 26, 2022) was an American actor. He was best known for his roles as Shoeless Joe Jackson in ''Field of Dreams'' (1989) and Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese's ''Goodfellas'' (1990). He was a Primet ...
in the Bollywood thriller ''
Line of Descent''. Fraser later joined the recurring cast of the television drama series ''
The Affair'' during season 3 where he portrayed the misery-minded prison guard Gunther. He portrayed
Getty family
The Getty family of the United States identify with George Franklin Getty and his son Jean Paul Getty as their patriarchs. In the 20th century they were heavily involved in the petroleum industry. The Getty family is of Scots-Irish ancestry f ...
fixer James Fletcher Chace in the
FX anthology series ''
Trust
Trust often refers to:
* Trust (social science), confidence in or dependence on a person or quality
It may also refer to:
Business and law
* Trust law, a body of law under which one person holds property for the benefit of another
* Trust (bus ...
'', which premiered on March 25, 2018.
Fraser portrayed
Clifford "Cliff" Steele / Robotman in the ''
Titans
In Greek mythology, the Titans ( grc, οἱ Τῑτᾶνες, ''hoi Tītânes'', , ''ho Tītân'') were the pre-Olympian gods. According to the ''Theogony'' of Hesiod, they were the twelve children of the primordial parents Uranus (Sky) and Gai ...
'' TV series, with Jake Michaels physically portraying Robotman. He reprised the role in the spin-off series ''
Doom Patrol'', where he voices the character and appears as Steele in flashbacks; Riley Shanahan – replacing Jake Michaels in ''Titans'' – physically portrays Robotman.
This string of appearances led many publications to label his sudden comeback as the "Brenaissance".
In September 2020, Fraser was cast as gangster Doug Jones in
Steven Soderbergh's
period
Period may refer to:
Common uses
* Era, a length or span of time
* Full stop (or period), a punctuation mark
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Period (music), a concept in musical composition
* Periodic sentence (or rhetorical period), a concept ...
crime film ''
No Sudden Move
''No Sudden Move'' is a 2021 American neo-noir period crime thriller film directed, photographed and edited by Steven Soderbergh (the latter two roles under pseudonyms), produced by Casey Silver, and written by Ed Solomon. The film features ...
'', which was released in 2021. In January 2021, Fraser was announced as the lead in
Darren Aronofsky
Darren Aronofsky (born February 12, 1969) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. His films are noted for their surrealistic, melodramatic, and sometimes disturbing elements, often in the form of psychological fiction.
Arono ...
's upcoming film ''
The Whale
A whale is a sea mammal.
Whale or The Whale may also refer to:
Places Extraterrestrial
* Cetus, a constellation also known as "The Whale"
* Cthulhu Regio on Pluto, unofficially called Whale
United Kingdom
* Whale, Cumbria, England, a hamlet
...
''.
The film premiered at the
Venice International Film Festival in September 2022. Fraser's performance was highly praised and the film received a six-minute
standing ovation
A standing ovation is a form of applause where members of a seated audience stand up while applauding after extraordinary performances of particularly high acclaim. In Ancient Rome returning military commanders (such as Marcus Licinius Crassus a ...
at the festival.
In August of the same year, Fraser was announced as part of the cast of
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, inclu ...
's upcoming film ''
Killers of the Flower Moon'', as well as Max Barbakow's upcoming comedy film ''
Brothers
A brother is a man or boy who shares one or more parents with another; a male sibling. The female counterpart is a sister. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to non-familia ...
''. In October 2021, Fraser was cast to portray the villain
Firefly in the superhero film ''
Batgirl'', set in the
DC Extended Universe
The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films and television series produced by DC Studios and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is based on characters that ...
;
the release of the film was canceled in August 2022 after a change in Warner Bros. studio priorities.
Personal life
Shortly after arriving in Los Angeles, Fraser met actress Afton Smith while attending a barbecue at
Winona Ryder
Winona Laura Horowitz (born October 29, 1971), professionally known as Winona Ryder, is an American actress. Originally playing quirky roles, she rose to prominence for her more diverse performances in various genres in the 1990s. She has recei ...
's house on July 4, 1993.
They married on September 27, 1998, and had three sons: Griffin Arthur Fraser (born 2002),
Holden Fletcher Fraser (born 2004), and Leland Francis Fraser (born 2006). In a 2018 interview with ''
GQ'',
Fraser revealed that his oldest son, Griffin, was on the
autism spectrum
The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) characterized by difficulti ...
.
After their home in
Beverly Hills, California sold in April 2007 for $3 million, Fraser's publicist announced in December 2007 that the couple had decided to divorce. Fraser was ordered to pay a monthly alimony sum of $50,000 for a period of 10 years or until remarriage of Smith, whichever occurred first, in addition to the $25,000 monthly payment for child support.
In early 2011, Fraser petitioned the courts for a reduction of his
alimony
Alimony, also called aliment (Scotland), maintenance (England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, Canada, New Zealand), spousal support (U.S., Canada) and spouse maintenance (Australia), is a legal obligation on a person to provide financial sup ...
payments, asserting that he was unable to meet the annual obligation of $600,000; he did not contest the child support payments.
In late 2011, Smith accused Fraser of fraud by hiding financial assets and not disclosing film contracts for ''
Extraordinary Measures
''Extraordinary Measures'' is a 2010 American medical drama film starring Brendan Fraser, Harrison Ford, and Keri Russell. It was the first film produced by CBS Films, the film division of CBS Corporation, who released the film on January 22, 20 ...
'' and ''
Furry Vengeance''.
In 2014, the court ruled against Fraser's request for a reduction in alimony and against Smith's allegation of fraud.
Both parents were credited for being actively engaged in the lives of their sons.
, Fraser lives in
Bedford, New York.
Fraser speaks
French and serves on the board of directors for
FilmAid International. He is an accomplished amateur photographer
and has used several
instant camera
An instant camera is a camera which uses self-developing film to create a chemically developed print shortly after taking the picture. Polaroid Corporation pioneered (and patented) consumer-friendly instant cameras and film, and were follow ...
s in movies and on TV shows, most notably on his guest roles on ''
Scrubs''. In his first appearance, he used a
Polaroid pack film, and on his second appearance, he used a
Holga with a Polaroid back, a Japanese-only model. The book ''Collector's Guide to Instant Cameras'' has a dedication to Fraser. He is also an accomplished amateur archer.
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
In humans, vocal cords, also known as vocal folds or voice reeds, are folds of throat tissues that are key in creating sounds through vocalization. The size of vocal cords affects the pitch of voice. Open when breathing and vibrating for speec ...
surgery.
In 2018, Fraser said that he had been sexually assaulted by Philip Berk, the then-president of the
Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the nonprofit organization that votes for the
Golden Globe Awards, at a luncheon in 2003. The alleged assault, his subsequent divorce, and the death of his mother launched Fraser into a depression that, combined with his health problems, led to a pause in his career.
Several publications and social media users interpreted that Fraser was "blacklisted" from Hollywood because of his allegation against Berk, allegations which Berk denies.
In the 2018 ''GQ'' piece where Fraser first publicly made the allegation, he said "The phone does stop ringing in your career, and you start asking yourself why. There's many reasons, but was
his incidentone of them? I think it was."
In contrast, Fraser also clarified in his 2019 appearance on the radio show ''
Sway in the Morning
Shade 45 is American rapper Eminem's hip-hop station on Sirius XM Radio channel 45 and Dish Network channel 6045.
History
Eminem established his own channel, Shade 45, that plays uncut hip hop. Eminem also established a new morning show, ''Sway ...
,'' "I don't think the HFPA really wield that much power." In 2022, Fraser told ''GQ'' that if he receives a nomination by the HFPA for his latest film ''The Whale'', he "will not participate" because of the "history" he has with the organization.
Philanthropy
Since 2018, Fraser has been a celebrity judge
on the
Dancing Stars of Greenwich
Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...
annual charity gala which raises money for the non-profit organisation Abilis, a local charity which supports more than 800 individuals and their families with disabilities in
Fairfield County, Connecticut
Fairfield County is a county in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is the most populous county in the state and was also its fastest-growing from 2010 to 2020. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 957, ...
. His former wife, Afton Fraser, also takes part in the dance competition.
In 2022, Afton and Brendan Fraser received the Heart of Abilis Award for their support and fund raising work for the charity.
Filmography
Awards and nominations
References
External links
* – official site
*
*
Brendan Fraserbest movies – blog (archive)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fraser, Brendan
1968 births
Living people
20th-century American male actors
20th-century Canadian male actors
21st-century American male actors
21st-century Canadian male actors
American expatriates in Canada
American expatriates in Switzerland
American expatriates in the Netherlands
American male film actors
American male television actors
American male voice actors
American people of Czech descent
American people of English descent
American people of French-Canadian descent
American people of German descent
American people of Irish descent
American people of Scottish descent
Canadian male film actors
Canadian male television actors
Canadian male voice actors
Canadian people of American descent
Canadian people of Czech descent
Canadian people of English descent
Canadian people of French descent
Canadian people of German descent
Canadian people of Irish descent
Canadian people of Scottish descent
Cornish College of the Arts alumni
Franco-Ontarian people
Male actors from California
Male actors from Indianapolis
Male actors from New York (state)
Male actors from Ottawa
Male actors from Seattle
Male actors from Toronto
Naturalized citizens of Canada
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners
People from Bedford, New York
People from Eureka, California
People from Seattle
Upper Canada College alumni