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The Whale Trailer Featuring Brendan Fraser Is Haunting

The Whale Trailer Featuring Brendan Fraser Is Haunting

Brendan Fraser in 'The Whale'

His portrayal of a gay man who binge eats as he struggles with grief has earned Fraser a lot of Oscar buzz.

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The Whale, starring Brendan Fraser, is the latest film from director Darren Aronofsky, and A24 has released the official trailer.

Fraser plays Charlie, a teacher weighed down figuratively and literally with 600 pounds of guilt.

After leaving his family to be in a relationship with his now-deceased gay partner, Fraser's character attempts to rebuild a relationship with his teenage daughter, played by Sadie Sink from Stranger Things. The story follows Charlie's struggle with compulsive eating brought on by a grief-triggered deep depression.

Hollywood artists constructed a bodysuit for the film that combined latex and physical attributes with digitally created and 3D-printed prosthetics.

Fraser's remarkable transformation and raw emotion throughout the film have earned the actor some Oscar buzz.

The film debuted in September at the Venice Film Festival.

Audiences reportedly gave the film a six-minute standing ovation, according to CNN.

"Do you ever get the feeling people are incapable of not caring?" Fraser asks hauntingly in the trailer as he's shown with an oxygen nasal cannula and beads of sweat dripping down his face.

"People are amazing," he says as the one-minute-long trailer concludes.

In it, viewers only see Fraser briefly twice, but in those two brief moments, he conveys his character's struggles.

The trailer offers a brief glimpse of Sink's distressed portrayal of Charlie's 17-year-old daughter. The film also stars Hong Chau, Ty Simpkins, Samantha Morton, and Ty Simpkins.

Some controversy has developed along the periphery of The Whale, with critics using fatphobic language and some arguing that Fraser should not have worn what they call a "fat suit."

Fraser toldVanity Fair that he worked with Obesity Action Coalition in preparation for the role.

Fraser immersed himself in the disorder of compulsive binge eating, learning the particulars of the disease. He also spoke with patients who underwent bariatric or weight loss surgery, the outlet reports.

"I learned quickly that it takes an incredibly strong person inside that body to be that person," Fraser said. "That seemed fitting and poetic and practical to me, all at once."

Related: Brendan Fraser's Portrayal of Gay Man in 'The Whale' Earns Oscar Buzz

Watch The Whale trailer here:

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Christopher Wiggins

Christopher Wiggins is a senior national reporter for The Advocate. He has a rich career in storytelling and highlighting underrepresented voices. Growing up in a bilingual household in Germany, his German mother and U.S. Army father exposed him to diverse cultures early on, influencing his appreciation for varied perspectives and communication. His work in Washington, D.C., primarily covers the nexus of public policy, politics, law, and LGBTQ+ issues. Wiggins' reporting focuses on revealing lesser-known stories within the LGBTQ+ community. Key moments in his career include traveling with Vice President Kamala Harris and interviewing her in the West Wing about LGBTQ+ support. In addition to his national and political reporting, Wiggins represents The Advocate in the White House Press Pool and is a member of several professional journalistic organizations, including the White House Correspondents’ Association, Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, and Society of Professional Journalists. His involvement in these groups highlights his commitment to ethical journalism and excellence in the field. Follow him on X/Twitter @CWNewser (https://twitter.com/CWNewser) and Threads @CWNewserDC (https://www.threads.net/@cwnewserdc).
Christopher Wiggins is a senior national reporter for The Advocate. He has a rich career in storytelling and highlighting underrepresented voices. Growing up in a bilingual household in Germany, his German mother and U.S. Army father exposed him to diverse cultures early on, influencing his appreciation for varied perspectives and communication. His work in Washington, D.C., primarily covers the nexus of public policy, politics, law, and LGBTQ+ issues. Wiggins' reporting focuses on revealing lesser-known stories within the LGBTQ+ community. Key moments in his career include traveling with Vice President Kamala Harris and interviewing her in the West Wing about LGBTQ+ support. In addition to his national and political reporting, Wiggins represents The Advocate in the White House Press Pool and is a member of several professional journalistic organizations, including the White House Correspondents’ Association, Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, and Society of Professional Journalists. His involvement in these groups highlights his commitment to ethical journalism and excellence in the field. Follow him on X/Twitter @CWNewser (https://twitter.com/CWNewser) and Threads @CWNewserDC (https://www.threads.net/@cwnewserdc).