Brendan Fraser is back! We catch a glimpse of him in the new trailer for Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, and he's already won a Best Actor Oscar this year. Social media has proven he's a general fan-favorite, and folks couldn't be happier that he's back in the spotlight.
Of course, Fraser been in a number of classics over the past few decades, ranging from family-friendly hits to critically acclaimed blockbusters. As we await his next project, here's a closer look at some Fraser flicks you won't want to miss, listed below in order of release date.
School Ties (1992)
Anyone who attended some sort of prep/boarding school during their upbringing should check out School Ties. A baby-faced Fraser leads the way as David, a new student at prestigious school in the 1950s. He's there on a football scholarship, with skills that threaten the playing time of fellow classmate Charlie (Matt Damon).
David feels pressure to hide the fact that he is Jewish from his classmates and teachers, and once the bitter Charlie gets the word out, he quickly becomes the victim of ridicule and even threats. It's no wonder Fraser's poised, confident turn as the film's sole protagonist led to bigger films later that decade and beyond.
The Scout (1994)
Going from prep school student to Yankees ace pitcher, The Scout features a hilarious turn by Albert Brooks as Al, a scout for the legendary New York MLB team. He travels to Mexico and meets Steve (Fraser) at a local ball game. From there, Al is hooked — Steve is the young prospect he's been looking for all along. Fraser's on-screen chemistry with a heavy-hitter like Brooks cemented his status in Hollywood as a young gun to watch out for.
George of the Jungle (1997)
Who else remembers that catchy "George of the Jungle" theme song? It's probably now stuck in your head upon reading this. The classic Disney film, George of the Jungle, showcased Fraser's comedic range as the human raised by apes in the jungle. During his adulthood, a U.S. noble woman (Leslie Mann) comes to meet George after he saves her life, and they start to live together in the jungle. They end up traveling to America as George begins to understand human rapport. It's a hilarious, kid-friendly ride from start to finish.
The Mummy (1999)
Fraser kept up his comedic chops in a more adult-friendly tale that is The Mummy. He's a sort of Indiana Jones-in-training as Rick O'Connell. And while we're on the topic of this Universal franchise, we'd say it's safe to skip the Tom Cruise remake from a few years back. Fraser's O.G. film takes the cake — and his follow-up The Mummy Returns was pretty good, too.
Rachel Weisz is equally lovable as English librarian Evelyn, who enlists the help of Rick after saving him from a public hanging. It's a wild ride as the group of explorers ends up unleashing a curse and the death-defying "mummy" along with it. Fraser said he's interested in joining a fourth Mummy film. In the meantime, the Revenge of the Mummy ride at Universal Studios Hollywood is always a fun time.
Bedazzled (2000)
Bedazzled is the kind of movie you probably watched again and again on TV (with commercial breaks) back in the day. Would you make a deal with the Devil if she appeared before you as Elizabeth Hurley? In the laugh-out-loud movie that helped kick off the 21st Century, Elliot (Fraser) is desperate to gain the affection of a beautiful co-worker. How does he try to pull it off? By turning to a drop-dead gorgeous demon, of course. Elliot sells his soul and gets seven wishes in return. What could go wrong?
Crash (2004)
Folks wanted Brokeback Mountain to win Best Picture at the 2005 Academy Awards, but Crash took home the trophy in a major upset. That's not to say Paul Haggis' mosaic isn't a terrific mosaic that made a tough statement about life in Los Angeles after 9/11. Fraser plays a district attorney married to a hateful, prejudiced wife (Sandra Bullock). Fraser's character is sometimes hard to watch as well, but he nails the politician role and has a bit of a character arc by the third act — even if it's not really a happy ending. Don Cheadle, Terrence Howard, Jennifer Esposito, Thandie Newton, and an Academy Award-nominated Matt Dillon also co-star.
No Sudden Move (2021)
Fraser has been working with some iconic directors lately: Scorsese, Aronofsky, Soderbergh. At the 2001 Oscars, Soderbergh was remarkably double-nominated for Best Director thanks to his groundbreaking films Traffic (for which he won) and Erin Brockovich. Surprisingly, he beat out Ridley Scott, who was nominated for Gladiator.
Years later, Soderbergh is still in the game and recently dabbled in film noir with No Sudden Move. Set in 1950s Detroit, the ensemble film centers on a group of crooks hired to pull off a heist/robbery of sorts. Of course, it all goes wrong due to secretive double-crossings, ulterior motives and more. Fraser is dynamite as one of the villains alongside A-listers like Don Cheadle, Ray Liotta, Benecio del Toro, Jon Hamm, Kieran Culkin, Matt Damon, David Harbour and more.
The Whale (2022)
While The Whale was divisive among viewers and critics, there's no denying Fraser's performance was terrific. As the couch-bound and morbidly obese Charlie, his self-destructive ways keep him from getting the help he needs by nurse pal Liz (Oscar-nominee Hong Chau). It also keeps him from connecting with his formerly long-lost daughter Ellie (Sadie Sink). The Whale is a heartbreaking effort from master filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, but Charlie's relentless optimism makes the overall film worth at least one viewing.
"Beyond the creative challenges was the material itself," Fraser once told EW about playing Charlie. "He's a man living alone, having regrets for choices he's made and choices that life has made for him, and in his profound sadness, which he wears on his body as a manifestation of the trauma that he has endured, which he's been trying to cure with consumption. It's important to remember that he's a human being, a person who deserves dignity and respect. While his body type differentiates from my own at present, I've had my own fluctuations in body weight, but it was helpful to put the two together to create Charlie from an authentic standpoint and get it as near to him as it was safe for me to do."
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