KathleenPrieto
Brendan Fraser received the American Riviera Award at the Arlington Theatre Tuesday night as part of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Moderator Pete Hammond, Chief Film Critic for Deadline Hollywood, noted Fraser as one of the nicest people in the industry and introduced a montage of Fraser’s work naming it the “Brenesance”.
Fraser was welcomed to the stage with roaring applause from the audience. He gave his initial thoughts on how far he’s come and now being nominated Best Actor in this year’s Academy Awards for his performance as Charlie in Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale.”
He reflected back to when he decided to become an actor starting in theater and how the transition to film required him to pay special attention to the details in his work. Fraser also discussed his early career and how starting comedic roles was a leap of faith, like “Encino Man.”
One of his other early works was “School Ties” where Hammond noted the relevance the film has today. Fraser said it is a timeless movie and the message will always carry through.
Brendan Fraser (Photo: Fritz Olenberger)
In his breakout role of George in “George of the Jungle,” Fraser explained the challenge of transferring the character from cartoon to film. He continued to give some insight on the effects behind the film in the making of the various animals. He revealed there were real monkeys used throughout filming and the challenge of working with live animals.
Perhaps his best known role is from the historical action franchise “The Mummy.” He spoke on the craftsmanship it took to put these films together, including various special effects and again, live animals.
Moving to Fraser’s nominated role in “The Whale,” Hammond asked what it took to play the role of Charlie, a reclusive English teacher living with severe obesity who attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption. Fraser stated it was based on the acclaimed play by Samuel D. Hunter and audiences will feel different after watching it.
“This character wasn’t created for film and was made with a lot of respect and attention to detail,” he said. “You need to see the movie to realize there might be something you need to change.”
Hammond then announced Fraser’s good friend, actress Sarah Michelle Gellar, to present the award. She spoke about how Fraser has inspired her in her own performances.
Sarah Michelle Gellar (Photo: Fritz Olenberger)
Fraser’s upcoming projects include Legendary Pictures’ BROTHERS with Glenn Close, Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage, as well as Martin Scorsese’s new epic western, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON.
The American Riviera Award was established to recognize actors who have made a significant contribution to American Cinema. Previous recipients include Kristen Stewart, Delroy Lindo, Renée Zellweger, Viggo Mortenson, Sam Rockwell, Jeff Bridges, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Robert Redford, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, Annette Bening, Sandra Bullock, Mickey Rourke, Tommy Lee Jones, Forrest Whitaker, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kevin Bacon and Diane Lane.
The 38th Santa Barbara International Film Festival runs through February 18. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes, will be held throughout the city, including at the historic Arlington Theatre. Passes and tickets are on sale now at .
