Adored actor Brendan Fraser experienced a slight lull in his highly-decorated cinema career when The Mummy franchise was winding down; this could be attributed to a variety of reasons, but Fraser himself has said that he became reclusive and depressed after an unwanted sexual encounter in which he was assaulted. Fortunately, the beloved man has once again taken Hollywood by storm with a slew of notable and compelling performances in lauded TV shows and films.
Updated April 5th, 2023: If you're all in on Brendan Fraser's wonderful comeback, you'll be happy to know that we've updated this list of his best projects since The Mummy with additional content.
Fraser’s heartwarming comeback has been well documented by fans of the charming star (and turned into a viral TikTok obsession), with many dubbing his resurgence in popularity as the “Brenaissance.” Having already captured the hearts of audiences across the world as the swashbuckling Rick O’Connell in The Mummy trilogy as well as memorable appearances in George of the Jungle, Encino Man, Crash, and Journey to the Center of the Earth, the movie star has once again emerged as an immensely popular star.
In the past few years, Fraser continued to act in diverse and intriguing programs and pictures. The actor worked with the revered Steven Soderbergh in the crime thriller No Sudden Move, portrays a cyborg superhero in Doom Patrol and worked alongside Donald Sutherland in the FX miniseries Trust. Fans of Fraser were outraged when the practically completed DC film Batgirl was scrapped, in which he was set to portray the villain Firefly. Despite the controversial cancelation, Fraser lovers can catch the performer in Darren Aronofsky’s most recent drama The Whale, in which he is unrecognizable as the 600-pound reclusive titular lead. Let’s take a look at some of Fraser’s most notable roles since The Mummy.
12 Texas Rising
Featuring an impressive ensemble cast including Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Bill Paxton, and Brendan Fraser, the 2015 historical western miniseries Texas Rising chronicles the conception of the Texas Rangers in the aftermath of the Battle of the Alamo, centering on General Sam Houston and the Texan Army as they face off against Santa Anna and his forces.
In the riveting program, Fraser portrays Texas Ranger Billy Anderson, who along with his fellow men valiantly fought to establish the Republic of Texas in epic battles like the Goliad Massacre and the Battle of San Jacinto. Despite Texas Rising garnering a mixed response due to the poetic license taken, the cast’s commanding performances and thrilling visuals were well-received by critics.
11 A Case of You
Kat Coiro directed the 2013 romantic comedy A Case of You, which follows the young New York City writer Sam (Justin Long) as he attempts to woo the beautiful street artist Birdie (Evan Rachel Wood), doing so by embellishing his social media profile and creating an online alter ego that reflects all of her interests.
In the charming picture Brendan Fraser appears as the outgoing Tony, a fellow musician and friend of Birdie’s who causes Sam to feel insecure over his relationship with the quirky artist. A Case of You had its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, with Reel Film Reviews calling it a “winning romantic comedy” with a dazzling finish that “ultimately confirms its place as an erratic yet satisfying piece of work.”
10 Trust
The critically-acclaimed 2018 FX drama miniseries Trust depicts the highs and lows of the Gettys, one of America’s most wealthy and prominent families of the twentieth century who in 1973 faced an unimaginable trauma when their youngest member was kidnaped by the Italian Mafia and held for ransom. Donald Sutherland is phenomenal as the esteemed oil tycoon J. Paul Getty, a savvy businessman who was once the richest man in the world and who initially refused to pay the $17 million ransom for his captured grandson.
Brendan Fraser's fan-favorite character is incredible, starring against type in the role of Getty family fixer James Fletcher Chance, with his comeback performance lauded by critics and marking the beginning of the “Brenaissance”; The Observer declared that he played Chance “gloriously, all good-Ol' Testament wrath coiled inside immense southern bonhomie. It's like watching a boy band exile suddenly all grown-up, hefty, and singing like Sinatra.”
9 Condor
Based on the popular James Grady novel Six Days of the Condor and subsequent 1975 film adaptation, the thriller television series Condor stars Max Irons as the sharp, idealistic CIA analyst Joe Turner who inadvertently finds himself at the center of a deadly conspiracy that kills all his fellow agents in his research and development office.
Turner finds himself on the run with little field experience as he attempts to elude violent hitmen and solve the perplexing murders before his time is up. Brendan Fraser joined the pulse-pumping series for its first season, portraying the knowledgeable yet unstable Nathan Fowler, an analyst and important middleman between the private military company White Sands and the CIA who harbors an intense hatred for radical Islam.
8 No Sudden Move
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The always brilliant Steven Soderbergh directed the star-studded 2021 period crime thriller No Sudden Move, which centers on a diverse group of criminals in 1954 Detroit as they are enlisted to seemingly steal a simple document by a mysterious figure; when their job goes sideways, the small-time crooks must scramble to learn who is behind the botched job.
Touting a talented ensemble cast led by Don Cheadle, Benicio del Toro, David Harbour, and Brendan Fraser, the gritty crime caper premiered to rave reviews by critics, who lauded the drama for its compelling performances, twists and turns and sharp screenplay. Richard Roeper called No Sudden Move, “Another instantly immersive, richly layered and beautifully shot chapter in one of the most impressive directing careers of our time."
7 Doom Patrol
In the DC Universe superhero television series Doom Patrol, Brendan Fraser appears as Cliff Steele/Robotman, a powerful cyborg and former NASCAR driver who endures a devastating car crash and has his brain transplanted into a robotic body when his own was destroyed.
The exciting program follows the mismatched and downtrodden titular heroes as they investigate strange cases and weird phenomena, with the misfits being guided and looked after by the brilliant medical doctor Niles Caulder/The Chief. Doom Patrol debuted to widespread praise by both critics and fans of the comics, with each of its three seasons so far being lauded for its faithfulness to its source material, outrageously fun storylines, and beautiful blend of action and comedy.
6 Extraordinary Measures
Brendan Fraser shared the screen with cinema great Harrison Ford for the 2010 medical drama Extraordinary Measures, which focuses on the efforts of Portland couple John and Aileen Crowley as they devote themselves to finding a researcher that can help save their two young children from succumbing to a rare genetic disorder.
Fraser delivers a powerful performance as John Crowley, who went on to co-found the biotechnology company Amicus Therapeutics after acquiring the help and knowledge of glycobiologist and researcher Dr. Robert Stonehill (Ford). While the poignant drama garnered some lackluster reviews from critics, Fraser’s portrayal of the determined father was singled out by viewers, with Time Magazine commenting that he “keeps the story anchored in reality.”
5 The Affair
The Golden Globe-winning Showtime drama series The Affair chronicles and explores the extramarital affair between Noah Solloway (Dominic West) and Allison Bailey (Ruth Wilson) and the profound emotional effects their relationship has on their spouses and families. Brendan Fraser joined the somber show for the third season, in which he took on the role of Gunther, a threatening and unhinged security guard in the prison where Salloway is incarcerated.
Fraser opened up about his menacing character to The New York Post, having said, “Their relationship is jailor and punisher. Gunther’s among the legion of disenchanted, feeling marginalized, so-called white working class, those men who feel they didn’t get a fair shake. Everything that he wanted to be — handsome, with the wife and the kids — Noah has.”
4 Line of Descent
Brendan Fraser returned to his action roots when he headlined the 2019 Indian crime thriller Line of Descent, with the actor starring as the undercover cop Charlie “Charu” Joplin who relentlessly attempts to bring down the Sinha Delhi crime family as the clan fights over the direction and future of their operation.
Filmed in Mumbai, director Rohit Karn Batra offered kind words about working with Fraser for the gritty Bollywood picture, with the filmmaker stating, “It was fantastic. He had a lot of respect for the actors. For instance, Neeraj Kabi was in Talvar [based on a real-life murder mystery that premiered at Toronto] and Fraser actually happened to see that movie on the flight to Mumbai."
3 The Quiet American
Adapted from British author Graham Greene’s masterful 1955 novel, The Quiet American, Phillip Noyce's 2002 film is a story of love, friendship, war, and what happens when those two complex wires cross. Brendan Fraser stars alongside Michael Caine, as their character's Alden Pyle and Thomas Fowler battle over the affections of a Vietnamese girl during wartime. Caine was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar, but Fraser gives a sensitive and quietly intelligent performance.
2 Gods and Monsters
Prior to his stint working with a legend of British cinema, Michael Caine, Fraser had already plied his trade opposite another gray-haired, British gentleman, in Ian McKellen for 1998’s Gods and Monsters. The indie movie that claimed the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 1999 Oscars chronicles the real life of James Whale (McKellen), the revered and recently retired Hollywood filmmaker, and director of Frankenstein whose troubled past haunts his final days. Solace comes in the unlikely form of his gardener Clayton Boone (Brendan Fraser), who catches his eye, and his romantic attention.
1 The Whale
The Whale symbolized Darren Aronofsky’s hotly-anticipated return to the big screen, following a five-year hiatus. Debuting at 2022’s Venice Film Festival to great commendation, the psychological drama is a lesson in love, loss, over-indulgence, and instant gratification. Set in predominantly one room, Brendan Fraser plays housebound University lecturer Charlie, a morbidly obese widower. Estranged from his daughter, on bitter terms with his ex-wife, and grieving the death of his lover and partner, Charlie lives a sofa-bound, reclusive, and grossly unhealthy existence.
Suffering from chronic heart failure as a result of unrestricted gluttony, the film’s central character is essentially eating himself to death. While coming to terms with his own, and in this case, self-inflicted mortality, Charlie attempts to make amends with his daughter. Fraser is a pure triumph as Charlie, with his performance rightly winning him the Academy Award for Best Actor.