Oscars 2023: Brendan Fraser wins Best Actor award for ‘The Whale'

Brendan Fraser capped a superb acting comeback with 'The Whale'.

Brendan Fraser took home the 2023 Oscar for Best Actor, for his role of an obese, reclusive man desperate to reconnect with his estranged daughter in The Whale. 

Fraser's competitors in the category were Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin), Austin Butler (Elvis), Bill Nighy (Living) and Paul Mescal (Aftersun). All of them are first-time nominees.

His co-star Hong Chau was nominated this year for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

The Whale, directed by Darron Aronofsky, is a moving story about a teacher eating his way to death. But some have criticised it as reflecting the disparaging way thin people perceive overweight folks.

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Its lead actor, Fraser, is better known as an action star from the 90s, who gradually backed away from public glare. He capped a superb acting comeback with The Whale

Fraser said he was astonished by his Oscar nod

“Surprised, astonishment, happiness, hopefulness and humility because even being nominated is the fulfillment of an aspiration that any actor would be hard pressed to not admit that they had the hope to even dare for," he told Variety magazine.

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