Brendan Fraser's road to an Oscar was not an easy one. Despite the major speed bumps along the way, the actor was able to maintain a strong support system behind the scenes, and that includes with his fellow peers.
Among the memorable roles Fraser took on included George of the Jungle. Although the film was a success, Fraser struggled during the shoot given his tough diet at the time. Fraser admitted that he never wanted to take on such a diet again, given what it required.
When it came time for the sequel, Fraser turned down the role. We'll take a look at why he said no, and how he sent Hollywood a message by doing so. Looking at the way his career played out, it looks like Fraser stuck to his principles.
Brendan Fraser Was A Success In George Of The Jungle But Had A Tough Experience Behind The Scenes
With Brendan Fraser and Leslie Mann in the lead roles, George of the Jungle was a success back in 1997, bringing in $174 million at the box office. Fraser was a major part of the film's appeal, however, the experience wasn't as positive for the actor behind the scenes.
In order to look the part and given that he was shirtless for a lot of the film, Fraser had to diet down for the role. It would be quite the struggle for the actor who admitted to not only being fatigued, but was also forgetful during that time period.
Fraser recalls, “[I was] waxed, greased, starved of carbohydrates” he said. Adding, “I would drive home after work and stop to get something to eat. 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.”
Ironic to see that over 25 years later, Brendan Fraser would win an Oscar playing the opposite role on-camera, suffering from obesity. Still Fraser's experience was made difficult because of his heavy prosthetic suit. Clearly, his career has taken many turns and could've taken another one had he not stepped in.
Brendan Fraser Turned Down The Sequel For George Of The Jungle Because He Wanted To Take His Career In A Different Direction
With Christopher Showerman in the lead for the sequel, George of the Jungle 2 did not have the same appeal as the original, and was taken apart in terms of the reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 17% approval rating, while IMDb barely gave the film over 3 stars out of 10.
Fraser missed out on the film and among the reasons, had to do with a small budget.
"I think George got a remake, and they built a joke into it that the studio was too cheap to hire me, which wasn't inaccurate."
However, the main reason for Fraser turning down the role had to do with the fact that he didn't want to be typecast, and wanted to diversify his resume. In turn, he sent Hollywood a message that he was willing to take on just about any role.
"I was approached. I can't remember what I was doing at the time, but I felt like I wanted to go do The Quiet American instead with Michael Caine, and shoot the first Western film in Vietnam ever, directed by Phillip Noyce, to tell an infinitely American story," Fraser continues. "I'm always making diverse choices, and, hopefully, that keeps me and an audience interested. With a bit of distance, I think they've all cumulatively led up to the place I'm in now."
Although he was typically remembered for his Mummy films from the early portion of his career, Fraser's vision finally succeeded when he took on The Whale, a project unlike any other. The risk was well worth it as he's now an Oscar-winner.
Brendan Fraser's Career Took A Major Hit Because Of The Stunts That He Performed Throughout His Career
Perhaps at the time, Fraser should've taken his own advice and ventured away from The Mummy franchise. Although Fraser enjoyed massive fame and success with the franchise, it took a toll behind the scenes. Fraser admitted that he was hurting given all the stunts he took on throughout his career in the franchise.
“I believe I probably was trying too hard, in a way that’s destructive,” Fraser said. “By the time I did the third Mummy picture in China [in 2008] I was put together with tape and ice — just, like, really nerdy and fetishy about ice packs. Screw-cap ice packs and downhill-mountain-biking pads, ’cause they’re small and light and they can fit under your clothes. I was building an exoskeleton for myself daily.”
Despite the downs, Fraser was able to change his career for the better, and he's now back on top of the Hollywood mountain.