Brendan Fraser, a 54-year-old actor who played many physical roles, said that the burden of the roles he played in his early career hurt him physically and mentally. For example, Fraser said he did the stunts in the popular The Mummy franchise, which took a heavy toll on his body.

The actor stated that his extreme effort harmed his body and needed a surgical fix while speaking to The Telegraph.

''I got a little banged up from years of doing my own stunts and needed a surgical fix on the spine and the hinges. That took a lot out of me. I knew I would get better, but it took a long time.''

This physical exertion pushed Fraser to his limits, and during the filming of The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, he had to pull himself together to complete the scenes. Reacting to a question, the actor said that there was self-loathing behind the attrition.

''I put myself together like a gladiator with muscle tape and ice packs, strapping on this Transformer-like exoskeleton just to get through the scene. There was self-loathing. I think on some level I felt I deserved a beating and wanted to be the one who got in the first punch.''

Fraser said he is at peace with his current state and not interested in looking like his body shape in the George of the Jungle and The Mummy movies.

''I’m older now. I don’t look the way I did in those days, and I don’t necessarily want to. But I’ve made peace with who I am now. And I’m glad that the work I can do is based in an emotional reality that’s not my own life but is one that I can strongly identify with.''

Related: Brendan Fraser Reacts to Receiving First Oscar Nomination for The Whale

Brendan Fraser Earned His First Academy Award Nomination

Brendan Fraser as Charlie in The Whale (2022)
A24

Brendan Fraser didn't just talk about his past. The star is making a comeback to Hollywood after a long hiatus. He played another physical role in director Darren Aronofsky's The Whale, in which he earned his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. However, the actor still wore prosthetics, and that move received some backlash. The star responded to the criticism.

''You need to see the work. All I can say is that I knew it had to be done with sensitivity and honesty. Putting quotation marks around Charlie (his character) trying to sentimentalize him or make him a circus act would be nothing that I would want to be a part of.''

Oscar-nominated The Whale stars Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, Ty Simpkins, and Samantha Morton. In the film, a reclusive teacher, Charlie, with severe obesity, tries to restore his relationship with his teenage daughter.

Brendan Fraser withdrew from Hollywood in 2003 after former HFPA President Philip Berk sexually assaulted him in 2003, according to his claim. Talking about the incident, the actor said that this situation brought him to a point in his life where he had to step back, and he did.