'The Whale' Director Says He Searched for Obese Actors Before Casting Brendan Fraser: 'Impossible'

Mar. 15, 2025

Brendan Fraser inThe Whale(2022).Photo: Courtesy of A24

The WhaledirectorDarren Aronofskysaid the search for an obese actor to star in the movie became a “crazy chase” beforeBrendan Fraserwas ultimately cast.

“There was a chapter in the making of this film where we tried to research obese actors,” Aronofsky, 53, toldVarietyin a cover story published Wednesday, addressing backlash over Fraser portraying a 600-lb. man inThe Whale. “Outside of not being able to find an actor who could pull off the emotions of the role, it just becomes a crazy chase.”

“Like, if you can’t find a 600-lb. actor, is a 300-lb. actor or 400-lb. actor enough?” Aronofsky added.

Aronofsky added that “from a health perspective, it’s prohibitive,” saying, “It’s an impossible role to fill with a real person dealing with those issues.”

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Brendan Fraser and Darren Aronofsky forVariety.Benedict Evans for Variety

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Hunter, who is gay and drew on his own life experience when writing the story, explained thatThe Whale"is not a story about everybody who grapples with obesity."

“It’s how it presented in me. My depression manifested physically as I self-medicated with food. Fortunately, I had support in my life,” Hunter toldVariety. “I had parents who loved me, and I was able to deal with some of my demons and go to therapy and become a healthier person. ButThe Whaleis about a person who didn’t have that support system.”

Fraser himself said he spoke with people who have experienced struggles with eating issues about their diet and “how obesity had affected their lives in terms of their relationships with loved ones” to prepare for the role.

“It was heartbreaking, because very often these people were mocked and made to feel awful about themselves. Vindictive speech is painful,” Fraser told the outlet. “And it does damage because it feeds into the cycle of overeating. I just left those conversations thinking, ‘Hey, this is not your fault. This is an illness. This is an addiction.’ "

Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images

In September,Mean GirlsactorDaniel Franzesetold PEOPLEhe felt he “and the other big queer guys” often go overlookedfor roles similar to Fraser’s inThe Whale.

“I love Brendan Fraser, [so] I’m very conflicted,” Franzese, 44, said of his thoughts on praise Fraser has received for his performance. “Seeing him get up so modest in Veniceand have that moment, I was very happy for him. He’s a lovely man. And it’s great. But why? Why go up there and wear a fat suit to play a 400-lb. queer man?”

Franzese went on to say that “actors like me and my colleagues” would “jump at” the opportunity to star in a movie likeThe Whale.

“To finally have a chance to be in a prestigefilm that might be award-nominated, where stories about people who look like us are being told? That’s the dream,” Franzese said. “So when they go time and time again and cast someone like Brendan Fraser, me and the other big queer guys, we’re like, ‘What the … ?’ We can’t take it!”

source: people.com