Brendan Fraser is one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood. From nailing comedic roles in Encino Man and With Honors; justifying dramatic roles in Gods and Monsters and The Quiet American, to diving into the action genre with The Mummy, Fraser recently got his long-due Oscar with The Whale, proving that the Canadian actor isn’t a one-trick pony.
What may sound like stand-up at the moment, was a truth almost two decades back when Fraser almost landed the Kryptonian hero’s cape in Man of Steel, a role that could have shot his career into a whole new galaxy. But during the audition, a warning changed his perspective on Superman’s role.
The Mummy’s Rick O’Connell Could Have Justified Superman’s Role
Brendan Fraser‘s Oscar-winning Charlie in The Whale may sound a lot off-beat to don Superman’s cape, but two decades back, the actor, who found success as an action-adventure hero, courtesy of The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns (2001), was a top contender for Superman in Man of Steel (2013), a role that was rocked by Henry Cavill.
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During an interview, Fraser looked back on the opportunity to audition for The Man of Steel in the early 2000s. Describing his experience of wearing the iconic Superman suit, he said:
“You feel kind of invincible, [like] ‘I can fly. The cape actually makes you think you have the power of flight even though you know you don’t.”
As J.J. Abraham was gearing up to portray DC’s icon in the eventually canceled Superman: Flyby, Fraser became a top contender after his $435 million blockbuster success with The Mummy. Despite clearing the screen test phase, Fraser couldn’t land the role due to “shenanigans and studio politics.”
When asked if he was disappointed at the time, Fraser declared that “it was hard not to be when it came as a huge project”, but there was a small part in him, even during the audition, which knew that the role wasn’t meant for him.
Superman’s Role Could Have Been A Faustian Bargain For Brendan Fraser
Even though Brendan Fraser’s fans would have loved watching some comedy-tinted superhero action had it been Fraser in the cape, the actor did leave home with an enlightenment, that further nurtured his career. During his appearance on The Howard Stern Show in Feb 2023, Fraser once again opened up about his role:
“Everyone in town was reading for Superman. They were testing six or seven guys in 2002 or 2003. Of course, it’s a life-changing, amazing opportunity.
But, I had to reconcile with, ‘Okay, say you do get the job to be the Man of Steel. It’s going to be chipped on your gravestone. Are you okay with that?”
This very thought of living up with one thing felt like a Faustian bargain to him. The actor mentioned that he aimed to try different genres and diversify his professional life. On this, Fraser shared that he prided himself on diversifying his whole professional life because he isn’t a one-trick pony.
The late 2000s to mid-2010s, however, came as a dark phase for Fraser, whose work slowed down due to health issues and fallout from sexual assault by Philip Berk (then-president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association), last year, the actor received an Oscar for The Whale (2022), becoming the first Canadian actor to win under the Best Actor category.
Also Read: The Sentry: Why Brendan Fraser Should Play Marvel’s Psychotic Superman
Source: US Weekly
