Brendan Fraser is a Canadian-American actor who is known for appearing in numerous movies including ‘Crash,’ ‘George of the Jungle,’ ‘Looney Tunes: Back in Action,’ ‘The Quiet American’ and ‘Encino Man.’ He is also known for portraying the character of Rick O'Connell in ‘The Mummy’ film series. Fraser has worked on television as well; he played the role of James Fletcher Chase in the FX anthology series ‘Trust.’ Currently, he also serves on the board of directors for the non-profit organization FilmAid International. Also an accomplished photographer, he has displayed his skills with the camera in a variety of movies and TV programs. The son of a sales counselor mother and a travel executive father, Fraser was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He grew up with three elder brothers and attended Seattle's Cornish College of the Arts before embarking on a career as an actor. In 2003, Fraser caught media attention with the allegation that he had been groped by the president of the HFPA, Philip Berk. This incident left him shaken and even affected the trajectory of his acting career.
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Childhood & Early Life
Brendan Fraser was born on December 3, 1968 in Indianapolis, Indiana, the USA to Peter Fraser and Carol Mary. His father was a travel executive and former journalist while his mother served as a sales counselor. Fraser has three elder brothers: Regan, Kevin, and Sean. He is of mixed ancestry and speaks French fluently.
He was educated at the private boarding school, Upper Canada College. Later, he attended Seattle's Cornish College of the Arts and graduated from there in 1990.
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Career
Brendan Fraser first played a short role in the reenactment of the show ‘America's Most Wanted.’ He made his film debut in 1991 when he played a minor role in ‘Dogfight.’ The following year, he was cast in a leading role in the comedy flick ‘Encino Man’. In 1992, Fraser also appeared in the sports-drama movie ‘School Ties’.
He next did the films ‘The Scout’, ‘With Honors’ and ‘Airheads’ in 1994. Then in 1995, he appeared as the title character in the film ‘The Passion of Darkly Noon’. One year later, Fraser was cast in ‘The Twilight of the Golds’. In 1997, he had his first major success with the comedy flick ‘George of the Jungle’.
The upcoming actor played a dramatic role in ‘Gods and Monsters’ (1998) and won kudos for his performance. This movie was about the English film director James Whale (played by Ian McKellen) and showcased his life experiences, including his unlikely bond with a heterosexual gardener.
In 1999, he further rose to fame with his portrayal of 'Rick O'Connell' in the movie ‘The Mummy’. The same year, Fraser had roles in the films 'Dudley Do-Right' and 'Blast from the Past'.
In the ensuing years, he got featured in 'The Mummy Returns', 'Bedazzled', 'Monkeybone' and ‘The Quiet American'. During this time, the actor also contributed to the TV series ‘Scrubs’ and ‘King of the Hill'.
He played Rick Cabot in the drama film ‘Crash’ in 2004. This Academy Award-winning flick focuses on racial tensions and other social issues in Los Angeles. The movie deals with racism with an impartial approach and gives a great message to the society.
In 2006, he starred in the independent film ‘The Last Time’. This flick tells the story of a beautiful woman and a salesman who fall in love with each other. In the movie, Brendan Fraser played the role of Jamie Bashant.
He reprised his role of Rick O'Connell in ‘The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor’ in 2008. That year, Fraser also starred in the fantasy movie ‘Inkheart’ as well as in the 3D film ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth’.
In 2010, he appeared in a Broadway production of the play ‘Elling’ and also had roles in the movies ‘Furry Vengeance’ and ‘Whole Lotta Sole.’ The actor next played an impersonator in the black comedy titled ‘Pawn Shop Chronicles’. He was cast as Billy Anderson in the series ‘Texas Rising’ in 2015.
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In 2016, he joined the cast of the drama series ‘The Affair’ as the prison guard Gunther. The series premiered on Showtime and went on to win a ‘Golden Globe Award’ under the category ‘Best Television Series’.
In March 2018, Fraser began playing James Fletcher Chase in the anthology series ‘Trust’. The series follows the triumphs and trials of one of the USA’s most prosperous families, the Gettys. ‘Trust’ premiered on March 25, 2018 on the channel FX.
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Major Works
Brendan Fraser is best known for playing Rick O'Connell in ‘The Mummy’ trilogy. The horror-adventure film series revolved around an ancient Egyptian mummy, who is, by mistake, resurrected back to life. All the films in the franchise were commercial hits and made Fraser a household name.
Family & Personal Life
Brendan Fraser married actress Afton Smith on September 27, 1998. The couple had three sons, Holden Fletcher, Griffin Arthur, and Leland Francis, before divorcing in 2007.
In 2003, he alleged that he was sexually abused by Philip Berk. This incident and his subsequent divorce plunged the actor into depression and numerous other health problems. In the 2000s, he also underwent various surgical operations over a period of seven years. These included a laminectomy, a partial knee replacement, and a vocal cord surgery.
In 2013, Fraser made news headlines when he sought to lessen the amount of child support he had to pay to his ex-wife Smith. The actor said that he no longer had the finances to pay the pre-decided sum of $900k to her annually. This eventually led to a legal battle over finances between the former couple.
Trivia
The book titled ‘Collector's Guide to Instant Cameras’ has a dedication to Brendan Fraser.
He has showcased his love for the camera in ‘Scrubs.’ In his first appearance in the series, the actor used a Polaroid pack film and later employed a Holga with a Polaroid back, a Japanese model.
He was the first choice for the lead role in the 1999 movie ‘Inspector Gadget,’ but the role finally went to Matthew Broderick.
Brendan Fraser’s maternal uncle, George Genereux, was the only Canadian citizen to win a gold medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics!
