Brendan Fraser Biography

The son of a Canadian tourism official, Brendan Fraser was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and grew up in a number of European and Canadian cities. By the time he hit high school, Fraser's family had settled in Toronto, Canada. Pursuing drama at the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington, he earned a fine arts degree with an emphasis on physical performance. He soon found steady work with local theaters, but Hollywood beckoned. So, in January of 1991, he headed for Southern California. By 1992, Fraser had landed the role of Link the Cro-Magnon in Encino Man, which was followed by School Ties (also 1992) on the strength of his initial audition. The latter secured his ability to land dramatic roles, despite the poorly received Encino Man.

From the utterly forgettable comedy Airheads to the story of a law student whose thesis is intercepted by a homeless man, With Honors, Fraser has always rated higher praise than the films in which he appears. As the lead in George of the Jungle, Fraser came full circle, returning to the physical comedy of his baptismal starring role. He has also appeared in Bill Condon's biopic exploration of the final days of horror director James Whale, Gods and Monsters, the blockbuster action movie The Mummy and The Mummy Returns as well as playing a a leading role in the drama The Quiet American (2003) and joining the ensemble cast of Crash (2005).

He starred in Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008), which was one of the first 3D movies to be widely released in cinemas. In Inkheart (2008), based on the popular children's book of the same name, he played a father with an extraordinary gift. Fraser co-starred with Harrison Ford in Extraordinary Measures (2010), which tanked at the box office despite the star power. He returned to comedy with Furry Vengeance (2010), about a real estate developer who incurs the anger of the animals who live on the land.

His career had a big boost in 2022, when he starred in the critically acclaimed movie The Whale, about a gay English teacher who's lost his partner and goes into a deep depression, squirreling himself away in his tiny home and eating fast food at an alarming rate. For his role, he won an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Critics Choice Award.

Fraser has three sons with his ex-wife, Afton.

Filmography:

The Whale (2022)
No Sudden Move (2021)
The Secret of Karma (2020)
Line of Descent (2019)
The Poison Rose (2019)
The Nut Job (2014)
Gimme Shelter (2013)
Breakout (2013)
Pawn Shop Chronicles (2013)
HairBrained (2013)
A Case of You (2013)
Escape from Planet Earth (2013)
Whole Lotta Sole (2011)
Furry Vengeance (2010)
Extraordinary Measures (2010)
G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra (2009)
Inkheart / Coeur d’encre (2008)
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)
Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)
The Air I Breathe (2007)
The Last Time (2006)
Journey to the End of the Night (2006)
Crash (2004)
Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003)
The Quiet American (2002)
The Mummy Returns (2001)
Monkeybone (2000
Bedazzled (2000)
Sinbad: Beyond the Veil of Mists (2000)
Dudley-Do-Right (1999)
The Mummy / La momie (1999)
Blast from the Past (1999)
Gods and Monsters (1998)
Still Breathing (1997)
George of the Jungle (1997)
The Twilight of the Golds (1997)
Glory Daze (1996) (1996)
Mrs. Winterbourne (1996)
The Passion of Darkly Moon (1995)
Now and Then (1995)
In the Army Now (1994)
Airheads (1994)
The Scout (1994)
With Honors (1994)
Younger and Younger (1993)
Son in Law (1993)
Twenty Bucks (1993)
School Ties (1992)
Encino Man (1992)
Dogfight (1991)