With the Academy Awards fast approaching, American Cinematheque looks to honor first-time Best Actor nominee Brendan Fraser for his massively-beloved comeback performance in The Whale. The non-profit organization will host Fraser-Thon, a marathon showing of four of the actor's beloved films, at the Aero Theater in Santa Monica, California, according to Variety. It'll be a massive celebration of all things Fraser with the actor showing up for an introduction and Q&A session for the films.
The films in question that will be showcased are meant to sum up all facets of his 30-year career from his younger years as a heartthrob movie star to now as a beloved showstopper. It'll kick off with 1992's School Ties, a coming-of-age drama directed by Robert Mandel which features Fraser in the starring role opposite Matt Damon. Fraser plays a star quarterback from a working-class family who gets the chance of a lifetime to attend a top-of-the-line New England prep school on an athletic scholarship, though he fears the antisemitic backlash if he tells his Evangelical classmates he's Jewish. Following that is arguably Fraser's signature film, the Oscar-nominated The Mummy directed by Stephen Sommers where the actor stars as American adventurer Rick O'Connell and battles the all-powerful high priest Imhotep alongside Rachel Weisz and John Hannah after they accidentally awaken him.
Also on the slate is Fraser's other 1999 film, the Hugh Wilson rom-com Blast From the Past. Although it tanked at the box office, the film featured a strong cast led by Fraser in a quirky premise with Alicia Silverstone, Sissy Spacek, and Christopher Walken. In it, Fraser played a man who lived his whole life in a bomb shelter with his parents only to emerge at the age of 35 and discover there was no Soviet nuclear war and that he is way behind the times. Finally, Darren Aronofsky's The Whale rounds out the group, bringing in Fraser's most recent and arguably most-acclaimed role yet. The film follows Fraser as the reclusive Charlie, an English teacher and gay man with an eating disorder who tries to reconnect with his daughter Ellie (Sadie Sink). His gut-wrenching performance has earned widespread praise throughout the film community, earning him Best Actor at the Critics Choice Awards and causing a standing ovation during its Venice premiere that brought Fraser to tears.
The Whale was a success for all involved, not only earning Fraser his first Oscar nod but also proving to be a good investment for A24 who earned $20 million at the box office against a $3 million budget. In addition, Fraser's co-star Hong Chau is also up for best supporting actress for her role as Charlie's friend and caretaker. It's thus far the peak of the Brenaisssance that fans hope will continue on as Fraser takes on more roles like the upcoming Martin Scorsese flick Killers of the Flower Moon.
Tickets Are on Sale for the Fraser-Thon in Santa Monica
Anyone looking to attend the Fraser-Thon can now purchase tickets for the event exclusively from American Cinematheque's website. The whole evening kicks off at 6 p.m. PST with School Ties followed by The Whale at 8:00 p.m. with a Q&A and a special guest, The Mummy at 10:40 p.m. with an introduction from Fraser, and finally, Blast From the Past at 12:45 a.m. As a sweetener, A24 is offering the first 200 guests a free "Brendan Fraser Zine."
Check out the trailer for The Whale below.