The Comeback Is Complete: The World Celebrates Brendan Fraser's Oscar Win
While there were a dozen other feel-good stories at the 2023 Oscars, none were arguably as emotionally charged as Brendan Fraser's. In a career that spans more than three decades, he had been through the ups and downs of Hollywood. And for a while, we counted him out.
But his performance in The Whale would rejuvenate his career. It gave him his first and only Academy Award for Best Actor. It's been a long time coming for the former '90s heartthrob, especially after the multiple body injuries, trauma from sexual assault, and Hollywood blacklist that came for him in the prime of his career. He's been to hell and back and now he's back on top.
“So this is what the multiverse looks like!" a visibly emotional Fraser said to open his speech. “I’m grateful to Darren Aronofsky for throwing me a creative lifeline and hauling me aboard the good ship The Whale."
He added: “That was written by Samuel D. Hunter who is our lighthouse. Gentleman, you laid your whale-sized hearts bare so that we could see into your souls like no one else could do. It is my honor to be named alongside you in this category. I want to tell you that only whales can swim at the depth of talent of Hong Chau [fellow nominee].”
The joy on his face was all the more endearing to those who were familiar with his story. His career comeback is finally complete, and the internet just couldn't get enough of it.
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MICHELLE YEOH AND BRENDAN FRASER WINNING BACK TO BACK pic.twitter.com/R4FwWAX3RM
— nat (@wilsondvds) March 13, 2023
After being battered and abused by the industry and blacklisted after being sexually assaulted, Brendan Fraser finally got the highest honor he could in Hollywood. Brendan deserves this Oscar and he deserves an apology from so many. So fucking happy for him. pic.twitter.com/Q1KgBGmuUk
— Max ???? (@MaxMaaxMaaax) March 13, 2023
I love how everybody loves Brendan Fraser and fucking hates the Whale. It's the only thing that brings us all together.
— Joe Berkowitz (@JoeBerkowitz) March 13, 2023
Happy for Brendan Fraser, happier that Elvis has won nothing
— Schaffrillas (@Schaffrillas) March 13, 2023
brendan fraser is awesome, im glad he made a triumphant comeback, it just sucks that he won for such a crappy irredeemable harmful movie
— Talia Lavin (@swordsjew) March 13, 2023
brendan fraser and ke huy quan winning oscars is the coolest shit ever
— Shibetoshi Nakamoto (@BillyM2k) March 13, 2023
their careers were over, but grit, resilience, passion, and people believing in them brought them back to receive the highest honor in cinema
even for a cynic like me, that fucking rules pic.twitter.com/8oRojmCS3H
After what the Hollywood film industry had treated #BrendanFraser so grotesquely for several years, this Oscar is the most deserved victory in #Oscar2023
— Aleksander Finstad (@sportsfrik) March 13, 2023
the card with brendan fraser’s name on it after being taken out of the best actor envelope pic.twitter.com/xD8djvp0xP
— caitlin / puke (@slowpuke_) March 13, 2023
#BrendanFraser is a righteous dude.
— Dave Rand (@daverandla) March 13, 2023
In November 2007 our paychecks stopped. I was the FX lead on #JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth for Meteor Studios in Montreal and was asked to convince my crew to stay and finish the picture with a guarantee we'd all get paid with overtime. We had… https://t.co/DmQUIEAkMQ pic.twitter.com/1jegFlWECd
This man almost disappeared from face of earth post his Egyptian heroics in the early 2000s. This has to be the greatest comebacks in the history of cinema ??#BrendanFraser#Oscars95 pic.twitter.com/jdN4ZGIdOJ
— Radoo (@Chandan_radoo) March 13, 2023
Really happy for Brendan Fraser. He’s been through so much in the industry and it’s incredible for him to get this recognition at this stage of his career.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) March 13, 2023
Cheers to Brendan Fraser pic.twitter.com/w4qtshGDyy
— my uncle’s meme stash (@myunclesmemes) March 13, 2023
the mummy starring academy award winner rachel weisz and academy award winner brendan fraser
— miccaeli ?? (@renegadeapostle) March 13, 2023
How im gonna sleep knowing Michelle Yeoh and Brendan Fraser won pic.twitter.com/Cq312tjZYD
— Che Che Noe???? (@nolliemolli) March 13, 2023
Me when Brendan Fraser won Best Actor #Oscars pic.twitter.com/tYHkxYC0j0
— ????Ariana???? (@ArianaP99288735) March 13, 2023
MICHELLE YEOH AND BRENDAN FRASER ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE pic.twitter.com/V3IsWKfJJ9
— ???????? ? (@VegasBabyKJ) March 13, 2023
People just now realizing that Brendan Fraser is legitimately a great dramatic actor: check him out in The Quiet American and Gods and Monsters. You won't be sorry. He's ALWAYS been this good. pic.twitter.com/lUntDN4PRP
— Zack Stentz (@MuseZack) March 13, 2023
Can’t believe Brendan Fraser is just now winning an Oscar for Looney Tunes: Back in Action
— paul meeks-martin (@paulswhtn) March 13, 2023
Good oscars. Everything everywhere and all quiet deserved everything, Brendan Fraser is a perfect man, Jimmy Kimmel needs to be silenced
— Vox Akuma ???????? NIJISANJI EN (@Vox_Akuma) March 13, 2023
Brendan Fraser weeping like a child for winning the Best Actor award for Whale is so endearing. His first Oscar. pic.twitter.com/LaXzvL5yfo
— Ershad Kaleebullah (@r3dash) March 13, 2023
Now talk about a better comeback story than Rocky. The world is rooting for you, king.
