“My Brain Was Misfiring,” Brendan Fraser Recalls Starving While Filming “George of the Jungle”

Brendan Fraser is a well-known actor admired for his talent, good looks, and charming personality, which have left a strong impression on people. He’s done amazing acting in big movies like The Mummy and George of the Jungle, which many people loved. Even though he took a short break from acting at one point, he’s back now, and his fans are really excited to see him on the big screen again.

Fraser had a pretty normal upbringing.

Brendan Fraser was born in Indiana to parents from Canada, Carol Mary and Peter Fraser. He was the youngest of four siblings. His dad worked for the Canadian Government Office of Tourism, and his mom was a sales counselor. Brendan has a mixed heritage, with family roots in Scotland, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Germany, and French Canada. He’s also a United States and Canada citizen with dual nationality.

Fraser’s passion for acting develop from a young age.

Fraser’s early years involved moving to different cities with his family often. However, during a family trip to London, he got his first taste of professional theater, and this experience sparked his love for acting. After finishing his studies at Seattle’s Cornish College of the Arts in the 1990s, Fraser headed to Hollywood. In 1991, he had his first role in the movie Dogfight, where he played a sailor going to Vietnam.

In 1992, Fraser landed his first major role in the comedy film Encino Man, portraying a caveman who thawed out from a block of ice. That same year, he starred in School Ties alongside Matt Damon and Chris O’Donnell. He also appeared in several less well-known movies, like The Scout, With Honors, Airheads, and The Twilight of the Golds.

Fraser’s nutrition was strict during the filming of George of the Jungle.

Fraser’s big break in the movie industry happened in 1997 when he starred in the comedy film George of the Jungle, playing the role of Tarzan. He went through tough training and stuck to a strict diet to get ready for the physically demanding part and do the vine-swinging tricks himself. He even called himself “a walking steak” because he mostly ate a lot of protein and fewer carbs while lifting weights for an hour daily.

Fraser humorously reminisced, “I was waxed. Starved of carbohydrates.” The extreme dietary restrictions even led to a somewhat comical incident as he explained, “I needed some cash one day, and I went to the ATM, and I couldn’t remember my PIN number because my brain was misfiring. Banging on the thing. I didn’t eat that night.”

His outstanding acting abilities played a significant role in propelling Fraser to stardom in Hollywood.

In 1998, Brendan Fraser received widespread critical praise for his role in Gods and Monsters alongside Ian McKellen. Remarkably, the entire film was shot in just 24 days. Fraser shared that McKellen was his childhood hero, and he used to watch Acting Shakespeare videos when he was younger, making it an exceptional experience to collaborate with him.

The pinnacle of Fraser’s career arrived in 1999 with the release of the adventure film The Mummy, where he took on the lead character of Rick O’Connell. He would later reprise this iconic role in the 2001 sequel, The Mummy Returns.

Brendan Fraser continued honing his skills and eventually secured a part in a movie that won an Academy Award.

Before his part in The Mummy Returns, Brendan Fraser was featured in various other movies like Dudley Do-Right and Blast From the Past, demonstrating his excellent humor and dancing talents. He consistently delivered remarkable performances in subsequent films, such as his role alongside Michael Caine in The Quiet American and the movie that combined live-action and animation, Looney Tunes: Back in Action.

Fraser’s career kept ascending, highlighted by his role in the critically acclaimed film Crash, which ultimately secured three Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.

Fraser’s remarkable appearance and performance in The Whale created a lot of excitement.

Lately, the actor played the role of a 600-pound man trying to rebuild his relationship with his estranged daughter in the film The Whale. It marked his first-ever Oscar win for Best Actor. In the movie, Fraser used prosthetics to give his character a more lifelike appearance.

Fraser’s life outside of work has seen both high points and low points.

In his personal life, the actor crossed paths with actress Afton Smith at a party held in Winona Ryder’s house back in 1993. They tied the knot five years later and welcomed three sons into their family: Griffin Arthur Fraser, Holden Fletcher Fraser, and Leland Francis Fraser. Sadly, the couple went their separate ways in 2007, but they continue to share a strong and supportive friendship to this day.

After conquering personal challenges, Fraser returned to the silver screen with his first leading role in almost ten years.

Brendan Fraser has encountered various obstacles in both his professional journey and personal life, including injuries from performing stunts, a challenging divorce, and a controversial incident involving a powerful individual in 2003 that led him to step back from the Hollywood scene and face setbacks in his career. Nevertheless, his starring role in The Whale marked a victorious comeback to the silver screen, reaffirming his talents and charm to the world once more.

Fraser navigated through a challenging divorce and his child’s autism, ultimately shedding new light on his life. Learn how he faced these obstacles head-on, and find out what remarkable insights and experiences he gained along the way.