Why Brendan Fraser Isn’t Going to the Golden Globes despite a Nomination

Who of you loved Brendan Fraser’s acting almost two decades ago? The beloved star of The Mummy and George of the Jungle features in a new film called The Whale, where he plays an obese gay man trying to repair the damaged relationship he has with his teenage daughter. While Fraser is nominated for his outstanding performance at the upcoming Golden Globes awards, he’s not going.

Even just watching the trailer of The Whale should give you goosebumps at Fraser’s brilliant performance. It’s been a while since we’ve seen him centerstage in a movie like this. For many of us, we can’t wait to see it. However, the movie and the Golden Globe nomination are sadly tainted with the scars of the past and inherent present.

In 2018, Brendan Fraser had an interview where he discussed why he hasn’t been showing up in movies lately. He finally revealed that Philip Berk, the previous Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) president, sexually assaulted him in 2003. Even though Fraser had mentioned it to someone at that time, Berk denied all claims against him. It was shrugged off.

The HFPA has had a rough past recently. As recent as February 2021, there was massive controversy due to there not being sufficient diversity in the management of the group. To further show Berk’s character, he sent an email to HFPA representatives saying the Black Lives Matter movement was nothing but racist hatred.

While the HFPA has been working on adding more diversity, Fraser’s nomination is receiving mixed responses. He received a standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival for his performance in The Whale. On the other side of the court, many people are saying there are sufficient obese gay men to play the role without the need for a fat suit.

No matter what the people’s opinion, Fraser has made a clear statement that he won’t be going to the Golden Globes Awards for his nomination. There’s too much bad history there, and nothing the HFPA can repair it. He also doesn’t believe they’ve changed their ways, despite adding more diversity.