Joining the fans in celebrating the praise Brendan Fraser has been drawing with his performance in The Whale is fellow actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. After a screening of The Whale at the Venice Film Festival, Fraser was floored with a standing ovation from everyone in attendance that brought the actor to tears. It's amazing to see for the fans who've been rooting for nothing but success with Fraser's return to the spotlight in recent years, and from Johnson's point of view, it couldn't happen to a better person.Johnson's relationship with Fraser goes back to when The Rock first started acting in feature films. Previously famous for his pro wrestling career, Johnson made the switch to Hollywood by appearing in his first feature film, 2001's The Mummy Returns. Johnson would star in the spinoff The Scorpion King the following year to mark his first starring role, and the rest is obviously history.After noticing Fraser getting a lot of love online, Johnson joined in on the celebration. He posted a message to Twitter offering praise for Fraser, noting how happy he is to see this happen for the actor. Johnson also reflected on how Fraser was one of his very first supporters in his movie career. Over two decades later, The Rock is grateful for that support and rooting for the best with Fraser and his feature film resurgence."Man this makes me so happy to see this beautiful ovation for Brendan," Johnson said. "He supported me coming into his Mummy Returns franchise for my first ever role, which kicked off my Hollywood career. Rooting for all your success brother and congrats to my bud Darren Aronofsky."

Related: Brendan Fraser Opens Up on Playing a 600-Pound Man in The Whale

The Whale Could Be Brendan Fraser's Most Acclaimed Performance

The Whale
A24

Something that many of those who've caught an early screening of The Whale agree upon is that Brendan Fraser is outstanding in the film. In the movie, Fraser plays a 600-pound recluse hoping to reconnect with his teen daughter (Sadie Sink) before it's too late. Playing that character meant putting on a prosthetic suit adding hundreds of pounds, giving Fraser a much more clear understanding of what life can be like for people with similar bodies.

“I developed muscles I did not know I had," Fraser told reporters at the Venice Film Festival. "I even felt a sense of vertigo at the end of the day when all the appliances were removed; it was like stepping off the dock onto a boat in Venice. That [sense of] undulating. It gave me appreciation for those whose bodies are similar. You need to be an incredibly strong person, mentally and physically, to inhabit that physical being.”

The Whale will be playing in theaters on Dec. 9, 2022.