Brendan Fraser Made a Comeback—But He Wasn’t First in Line
When The Whale premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2022, critics and audiences erupted in applause—literally. Brendan Fraser’s performance as Charlie, a reclusive, terminally ill man struggling with obesity and regret, moved viewers to tears.
It was called a comeback. A transformation. A revelation.
But what most people don’t know is that Fraser wasn’t Darren Aronofsky’s original pick for the role.
In fact, The Whale could have been a completely different film.
The Role Was First Offered to James Corden
Yes, you read that right.
Before Brendan Fraser was cast, director Darren Aronofsky was in early talks with The Late Late Show host James Corden. According to a 2021 interview, Corden stated he was attached to the project in its early stages but that the production fell apart due to creative and budget-related concerns.
Aronofsky reportedly had reservations about whether Corden could deliver the raw emotional gravity the film required—especially given the weight of the material, both metaphorically and literally.
It wasn’t just about wearing a prosthetic suit. The role demanded someone who could channel quiet despair, self-loathing, and hope—all without slipping into caricature.
Tom Ford Nearly Directed a Very Different Version
The casting changes weren’t the only shifts The Whale went through. Fashion designer and director Tom Ford (A Single Man, Nocturnal Animals) was originally interested in adapting the stage play by Samuel D. Hunter years before Aronofsky got involved.
Ford’s version would have likely emphasized aesthetics and stylized emotion. But ultimately, creative differences and rights issues ended the project before it began.
Had Ford directed, the role would almost certainly have gone to a different actor—possibly one of his past collaborators like Colin Firth or Jake Gyllenhaal.
Why Fraser Was the Perfect Choice After All
When Aronofsky finally secured funding and moved forward with his own vision, he said he spent over a decade searching for the right actor. He didn’t want a star. He wanted someone who could disappear into the role of Charlie—not just physically, but spiritually.
Brendan Fraser, who had largely disappeared from the Hollywood spotlight due to health issues and personal trauma, was a match on every level.
He understood grief. He knew what it meant to be cast aside. And he brought a humility to the role that no other name on Aronofsky’s list could offer.
Fraser trained with a dialect coach, wore a 300-pound prosthetic suit for hours each day, and immersed himself in movement studies to respectfully portray a man living with morbid obesity. His performance wasn’t about shock—it was about humanity.
The Impact of the Final Choice
Fraser’s casting didn’t just change the film—it changed his career. He went on to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, cementing The Whale as one of the most powerful comeback stories in recent film history.
Would audiences have responded the same way if Corden had taken the role? Would a more glamorous actor have overshadowed the story?
We’ll never know. But the emotional resonance of The Whale is inseparable from Fraser’s vulnerable, fearless performance.
Final Thoughts
Casting makes or breaks a film—and in the case of The Whale, it made a legend. While Hollywood is filled with what-ifs and almosts, this is one case where everything aligned at the right time, for the right reasons.
Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5/5)
A deeply human film elevated by the perfect casting choice—and a role that became one man’s redemption.