Brendan Fraser – "A Moment of Glorious Honesty"

TW: sexual assault

You may know Brendan Fraser as the frontman of famed projects like The Mummy, George of the Jungle, and Blast from the Past. Or, you may not know him, since he disappeared from the spotlight for almost seven years (Riley, 2018).

I became familiar with Fraser in mid-2022 when I saw the trailer for his new film, The Whale. It was at that moment that I went straight to the internet to figure out, who is Brendan Fraser? And it was at that moment that I came to deeply admire this man—his strength, vulnerability, and genuine kindness.

In the summer of 2003, Fraser attended a luncheon held by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) at the Beverly Hills Hotel. On his way out, Fraser was approached by Philip Berk, former president of the HFPA. Berk reached out to shake Fraser’s hand, but that was not what had taken place. In an interview with GQ, Fraser explained this moment, “[Berk’s] left hand reaches around, grabs my ass cheek, and one of his fingers touches me in the taint. And he starts moving it around… I felt ill. I felt like a little kid. I felt like there was a ball in my throat. I thought I was going to cry.” After a moment, Fraser removed Berk’s hand and rushed out of the room (Riley, 2018).

Fraser felt “overcome with panic and fear.” He couldn’t tell anyone, only his wife. He thought about disclosing his experience to the public but decided against it. In his words, “Am I still frightened? Absolutely. Do I feel like I need to say something? Absolutely. Have I wanted to many, many times? Absolutely. Have I stopped myself? Absolutely” (Riley, 2018).

Nonetheless, the memory stuck with him. Fraser struggled with feelings of depression in the aftermath of his assault, “I was blaming myself and I was miserable—because I was saying, ‘This is nothing; this guy reached around and he copped a feel’” (Riley, 2018).

Fraser’s team asked the HFPA for a written apology. While Berk apologized, he disputed Fraser’s account as “a total fabrication.” Berk remained a member of the HFPA until 2021. Meanwhile, Fraser lost his sense of “who I was and what I was doing,” and he withered away from the spotlight (Riley, 2018).

After the release of GQ’s 2018 article, the whole world knew Fraser’s story. Fraser remembers being reached out to by old friends and costars, and one day, he received an email informing him that he was trending on Twitter. He described this experience, “I think the feeling that I have is, this is a hard one to describe, and not to be vulgar, but it’s like: I’ve seen you naked. … It’s like people know what you look like, they know the story about you” (Baron, 2022). 

In 2022, Fraser returned to Hollywood with The Whale, in which he plays a 600-pound writing instructor named Charlie who desires to connect with his daughter as he approaches the end of his life. This was his comeback, and one he is proud of. Fraser described seeing himself in Charlie, “He tells his students, ‘Just tell me something honest. This is a pursuit for authenticity.’ And once they do, it’s liberating” (Baron, 2022).

While the film got mixed reactions (author’s note: I sobbed the entire car ride home after watching it), Fraser received a 6-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival. In videos, you can see Fraser tear up, as he is overcome by emotion. And rightfully so—it is evident that Fraser’s fanbase, old and new, are proud of this actor for his vulnerability and strength. In his words, “I like people feeling like they’re getting to know me again. Because we’ve all grown a little older together” (Baron, 2022).

Fraser received numerous nominations for his performance in The Whale, including an Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (The Whale (2022) - Awards, n.d.). This year, he already won the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actor.

Most notably, however, Fraser was nominated for Best Actor in a Drama Motion Picture at the 2023 Golden Globe Awards (Nardino, 2023). And with pride, he declined the invitation, stating, “I have more history with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association than I have respect for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.”

Fraser’s story is more than a comeback. It is heartbreaking and touching, all at the same time. One incident changed the trajectory of not only his career but his whole life. Even as a wealthy, white, famous man, he feared what could happen if he spoke his truth. Yet, when he did, he fought the stigma against male survivors head-on, and he inspired more people than he will ever realize.

Now, I don’t know Fraser, personally; I only know what I see from videos and articles. Even so, I can say that Brendan Fraser is a genuine man with a kind soul. I am proud of him for sharing his story. I am proud of him for showing the world that healing looks different for everyone, and that’s okay.

Fraser’s fans have grown up with him, and he continues to cultivate an incredible connection with each and every one of them. In his words, “I can spot someone across the room who I know has something to say, something to share, who has had something that happened…someone hurt them.” He calls this “a moment of glorious honesty.” He holds that person’s hand and reminds them that it is possible to ask for help, I do want them to know if they admire or esteem me for whatever special reason, that if that kind of thing had happened to me, it could happen to anyone too. And we’re all just…we’re all just people” (Baron, 2022).

A quote from Fraser’s 2018 interview with GQ has stuck with me to this day. It reminds me that people and systems may discredit your story, but your story is your truth. Fraser stated, “And maybe I am overreacting in terms of what the instance was. I just know what my truth is. And it's what I just spoke to you” (Riley, 2018).

Written by: Spring 2023 Intern Jessica Katz

Baron, Z. (2022, November 16). How Brendan Fraser Made It All the Way Back. GQ.

Nardino, M. (2023, January 11). Golden Globes 2023: Did Brendan Fraser Attend? Us Weekly.

Riley, D. (2018, February 22). What Ever Happened To Brendan Fraser? GQ.

The Whale (2022) - Awards. (n.d.). IMDb.