There are a few names those who grew up in the 90s or film fans would certainly know – Brendan Fraser. Between the late 90s and the early 2000s, it was hardly possible to have a list of box officer top performers he didn’t star in. Then it all just stopped, and causing those who noticed his absence from the apex of the film industry to wonder, what happened to Brendan Fraser?
He has since returned to social consciousness with appearances in shows like The Affair, Trust and Condor, but why did he disappear? Find out below.
Why We No Longer See Much of The Actor These Days
To fully understand Brendan Fraser’s disappearance, one must first understand his emergence as a box office star. He had made his onscreen debut as an actor in 1991 when he appeared in the film, Child of Darkness, Child of Light. In that year, he also appeared in the film, Dogfight, where he played a minor role.
His journey to becoming a leading actor came just a year after his debut when he appeared in Encino Man as Link. His role as a frozen pre-historic caveman who thawed out in the present day would become a theme of his career for years to come and the film itself enjoyed moderate Box office success and considered a modern classic.
Thus, Brendan began his journey to stardom and he made major appearances in movies like School Ties, The Scout, Airheads, and George of the Jungle in 1997 which became his first major Box office success. Brendan Fraser’s next major success came in The Mummy where he was a leading man for the entire trilogy.
With his success in blockbuster franchises and moderate box office successes in one-off films, Brendan Fraser seemed destined for decades at the top of Hollywood. Then it just stopped. Although he never actually stopped appearing in films or TV (the longest gap in his filmography was two years between 2011 and 2013), he stopped appearing in major projects with noticeable Box office impacts or mainstream following.
So, what happened to Brendan Fraser? For him, it was a combination a few things – health problems, depression, his divorce and a backlash from an alleged sexual assault.
Starting with his health problems, Brendan Fraser took on several stunts for his roles for The Mummy series and other blockbusters and they took their toll on his body. He has had to undergo multiple surgeries over seven years, including a laminectomy, a vocal cord surgery, and a partial knee replacement.
Things got further complicated when he reportedly experienced sexual assault from Phillip Berk in 2003, who was then the President of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). The incident sent him into depression, and he believes that his decision to ask the HFPA for an apology resulted in a backlash from the association responsible for the Golden Globes.
Another thing that happened to Brendan Fraser during this period – he got divorced from his wife, Afton Smith, whom he had been married to for about a decade, and with whom he shared three children. Not only was the end of his decade-long marriage a low moment, but the resultant financial implication, which required him to pay $900,000 per year in child support meant he was losing more money than he made, as he no longer earned huge salaries from blockbusters.
All of this contributed to the decline of Brendan Fraser’s career and his disappearance on screen.
See Also: What Does Steve Janowitz Do For A Living And Where Is He Now?
Where is He and What is He Doing Now?
Me last Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/a84iixSqjj
— Brendan Fraser (@brayden_c_ward) November 2, 2016
After battling a decade of absence from mainstream movies and TV, Brendan Fraser is currently experiencing a resurgence in his career. Beginning with his work in Texas Rising, he made a six-episode appearance in The Affair, for which he received critical acclaim for his dramatic work. He then appeared in another TV show, Trust as Fletcher Chace and Condor as Nathan Fowler.
After Brendan Fraser had battled everything that happened to him, he made his ultimate return to mainstream productions in 2019 when he began appearing as Cliff Steele in the DC comic book show, Doom Patrol. Through the show, Brendan Fraser has found himself back among the most followed actors in the world, with popular current projects and a few more lined up for the future.
Physically, he has also shed some of the weight gains that epitomized his transformation from huge Box office actor and heartthrob to a peripheral actor and he now lives in Bedford, New York where he owns a farm.
