Brendan Fraser has bashfully reflected on the six-minute standing ovation his performance in The Whale received at the Venice Film Festival as he admitted he still feels like a bit of an imposter in Hollywood.
The actor is currently enjoying a wave of popularity thanks to his part in the film, which has generated Oscars buzz and is being dubbed his comeback role and part of the ‘Brenaissance’.
At the film’s world premiere in Venice in September, the 54-year-old was seen welling up, overcome with emotion at his reception – and it was a response that was later repeated at the London Film Festival screening.
In a new interview, he joked that he ‘was thinking I might be out the door real soon if I hurry’ as he stood to receive the praise.
He also jokingly acknowledged that ‘clapping [is] hard’ for extended amounts of time as he recalled the tearful clip of him that went viral.
Speaking on Late Night with Seth Meyers on Wednesday, Brendan revealed he felt that the people timing the ovation might have been a little ‘heavy-fingered’.
Brendan’s performance in The Whale has seen him tipped for an Oscar (Picture: Lloyd Bishop/NBC via Getty Images)
With director Darren Aronofsky at the film’s world premiere, where the actor received his first standing ovation (Picture: Elisabetta A. Villa/Getty Images)
‘I think it depends on who’s holding the stop-watch to tell you the truth,’ he commented as they discussed the varying lengths the ovation had been reported as.
The actor then said his tears had actually been a useful way to handle the situation.
He admitted: ‘I just broke out crying, it solved all the problems.’
The Mummy actor was also candid over his own place in the industry as he revealed he still hadn’t had a moment in his career where he thought he had made it, despite the success he’s enjoyed.
‘Nope. I don’t. I feel like I’m still waiting for someone to walk in and tell me that the jig is up.
‘They haven’t found me out yet but I know that I’m doing what I love and it’s a privilege. I’m really happy to be able to do that.’
In the movie, directed by Darren Aronofsky, Brendan plays a depressed, 600lb English teacher who is trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter (played by Sadie Sink).
The star has been full of praise for his talented co-star, admitting that the Stranger Things actress was so good that he kept forgetting his lines.
The Whale will be out in UK cinemas on February 3.
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