Brendan Fraser is having fun with among the greatest opinions — and among the largest awards buzz — of his whole profession for his work within the upcoming Darren Aronofsky movie The Whale. Oddsmakers have him as a near-lock to obtain a nomination for Greatest Actor on the Academy Awards, and plenty of are predicting he may very effectively win. Usually, an actor in that sort of frontrunner place would strategically attend as many pre-Oscar occasions as doable; giving gracious acceptance speeches, shaking fingers, hyping their movie and their work.
However whereas Fraser would absolutely love an Academy Award, he has made it clear he is not going to seem at one key precursor to the Oscars: The Golden Globes. Though beset by scandals over their membership and lack of transparency lately, the Globes (that are handed out by the Hollywood Overseas Press Affiliation) will return with a dwell telecast on NBC subsequent January.
Fraser, nevertheless, is not going to be there, even when the Globes nominate him for an award. His objections have much less to do with the Globes’ latest controversies, and extra along with his personal alleged mistreatment by the group and one among its former members. In 2018, Fraser claimed that the HFPA’s former president, Philip Berk, had groped him at a Globes occasion again in 2003. After going public along with his accusations, Fraser instructed GQ he was interviewed by an “unbiased investigator” and requested to signal a joint press launch with the group — however Berk (who denied Fraser’s claims) was not disciplined for his alleged actions. (Supposedly, the assertion would have learn “the proof helps that [Berk’s behavior] was meant to be taken as a joke and never as a sexual advance.”
Fraser refused to signal the assertion, and now says the group “by no means apologized” for the incident. (The HFPA instructed GQ they’ve apologized twice. Berk was solely expelled from the group in 2021 after “sharing an article decrying Black Lives Matter as a ‘racist hate motion’ in an e mail to the membership.”) Regardless of the precise particulars, Fraser is definite that he is not going to attend this yr’s Globes whether or not they select to honor him or not, saying “I’ve extra historical past with the Hollywood Overseas Press Affiliation than I’ve respect for the Hollywood Overseas Press Affiliation.”
He added “It’s due to the historical past that I’ve with them. And my mom didn’t elevate a hypocrite. You’ll be able to name me numerous issues, however not that.”
Will probably be attention-grabbing to see who does attend the Golden Globes in 2023. Previously, the Globes have been one of the crucial well-attended awards exhibits of the season, behind solely the Academy Awards, although the group’s membership was tiny and largely nameless. Whether or not it’s in solidarity with Brendan Fraser, or due to the group’s different controversies, there are many causes for filmmakers and artists not to go this yr. However that will not cease some (or most) from attending anyway.
The Whale is scheduled to open in theaters on December 9.
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