Best Actor Brendan Fraser delivers powerful acceptance speech at Critics Choice Awards
Accepting the Critics Choice Award for Best Actor, The Whale actor Brendan Fraser delivered a heartfelt acceptance speech. On taking to the mic, Fraser broke into tears.
Fraser arrived on stage to pick up the award and proceeded to quote author Herman Melville, saying: “There are only five critics in America, the rest are asleep.” He subsequently confessed to not knowing exactly what that was supposed to mean but said that he was “glad [the critics] woke up for me.”
The actor continued: “This movie, The Whale, it’s about love, it’s about redemption. It’s about finding the light in a dark place and I’m so lucky to have worked with an ensemble that is incredible.”
He used his speech to recognise his costar Hong Chau, who he believes “should have her own movie based on every character she’s ever played.” The “incredible” Sadie Sink was also mentioned, as was Sam Hunter, his “lighthouse”, and Ty Simpkins, who “won the game ball every day.”
Speaking to the film’s director, Fraser said: “Darren Aronofsky, I was in the wilderness, and I probably should have left a trail of breadcrumbs, but you’ve found me. And like all the best directors, you merely just showed me where to go to get to where I needed to be.”
The actor concluded his speech on a powerful note: “If you, like a guy like Charlie, who I played in this movie, in any way, struggle with obesity, or you just feel like you’re in a dark sea,” he began. “I want you to know that if you too, can have the strength to just get to your feet and go to the light. Good things will happen.”
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