Brendan Fraser spoke about his eldest son Griffin, who has autism and obesity, and said he “understands” what it’s like to be close to someone living with obesity.
The actor, 53, plays an overweight father in his latest film The Whale and he reflected on life with his own son Griffin as he discussed the role.
Brendan shares three sons – Griffin, 20, Holand, 18 and Leland, 16 – with ex-wife Afton Smith, whom he divorced in 2007 after nine years of marriage.
Father: Brendan Fraser spoke about his eldest son Griffin, who is autistic and obese, and said he ‘understands’ what it’s like to be close to someone living with obesity
Speaking of his son Griffin, Brendan said he “understands intimately” what it’s like to know someone living with obesity as he discussed his role in The Whale.
He told Interview Magazine: ‘I have three children of my own, my eldest son Griffin has special needs – he has autism.
“He just turned 20, he’s a big kid, he’s six feet tall, he’s got big hands and feet, a big body. I understand intimately what it is like to be close to someone who is living with obesity.
Opening: The actor, 53, plays an overweight father in The Whale (pictured) and he reflected on life with his own son Griffin as he discussed the role
The father-of-three went on to say that Griffin was the “happiest person” in his life, explaining he didn’t know what “cynicism” was because of his autism.
In the psychological drama The Whale, Brendan underwent a physical transformation to play an overweight man confined to a wheelchair, who tries to reconnect with his daughter (Sadie Sink).
To play English teacher Charlie, who weighs 600 pounds, he had to wear prosthetics and spend four hours a day having the heavy 300-pound suit fitted.
Brendan described the role as the ‘hardest thing’ he had ever done, but said he was able to understand what was important to Charlie because of the love he had for his own children .
Family: Brendan shares sons – Griffin, 20, Holand, 18 (both pictured with ex-wife Afton) and Leland, 16 – with ex-wife Afton Smith, whom he divorced in 2007 after nine years of marriage
Project: In The Whale, Brendan underwent a physical transformation to play an overweight man confined to a wheelchair, trying to reconnect with his daughter (Sadie Sink)
A few weeks before The Whale arrived in theaters, Brendan walked the red carpet with his two youngest sons on Tuesday.
He walked the red carpet with his beautiful sons Holden, 18, and Leland, 16, at a New York screening of The Whale.
He was also joined by his longtime partner, make-up artist Jeanne Moore, at the screening, which was held at Alice Tully Hall.
The Whale follows Brendan’s character, Charlie, as he tries to reconnect with his 17-year-old daughter, Ellie (Sadie), after he left her and her mother years earlier for another man.
Guilt over her relationship with the man – who would later die – causes Charlie to overeat and reach his current weight of 600 pounds.
Its official synopsis reads, “A reclusive, severely obese English teacher tries to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption.”
The film is based on the off-Broadway play of the same name, written by Samuel D. Hunter, who came on board as the film’s screenwriter.
Darren Aronofsky, known for directing films such as The Wrestler (2008), Mother! (2017) and Black Swan (2010), which earned him an Oscar nomination, first saw the play in 2012 and asked the writer to work on a screenplay.
The Whale marks Brendan’s first Hollywood project in nearly a decade and his first starring role in a film since the direct-to-DVD thriller Breakout in 2013.
He shot to fame when he was cast in favorite kid-friendly movie franchises George of the Jungle and The Mummy.
Family: Weeks before The Whale arrived in theaters, Brendan walked the red carpet with his two youngest sons Leland, 16, and Holden, 18, on Tuesday
