The filmography of the brand new Oscar winner for Best Actor, Brendan Fraser, could have been very different had he starred in these movies and series.
Now it’s all cheers and praise for Brendan Fraser after having won the Oscar Award for Best Actor and having starred in one of the most emotional revivals of recent times in the world of cinema. But, not so long ago, the actor was ignored by Hollywood.
The actor of ‘The Whale’ went from success to ostracism in just a few years, in the early 2000s, chaining commercial failures and roles without substance that plunged him into oblivion in the industry. From ‘George of the Jungle’ and ‘The Mummy’ he went to ‘Dudley of the Mountain’, ‘Monkeybone’ and ‘On War Leg’, and his career went down the drain.
Either because of the demand that he was in his most prolific years or because of the rejection of Hollywood in his exile, the truth is that Brendan Fraser’s filmography could have been very different if we take into account all the papers that were about to fall into his hands. Maybe she would never have had these dry years… Or maybe she would never have won the Oscar, of course, who knows.
‘George of the Jungle 2’
During the height of his career, in 1997, Brendan Fraser wowed with his absurd innocence (and we mean that in a good way) in Walt Disney’s family comedy “George of the Jungle.” While the film was also not a critical success (nor did it need to be), it did well at the box office and a sequel was ordered. However, when it came time for the casting of this second film, Fraser turned down the role of George because he thought the salary was too low for him.. The lead role fell to Christopher Showerman and, without Fraser as the lead, ‘Jungle George 2’ was released direct-to-video and was a huge flop for Disney.
‘Superman Returns’
There is always talk of when Nicolas Cage was about to play the Man of Steel in a movie directed by Tim Burton, but what fewer people know is that Brendan Fraser also auditioned for the role of Superman in a later film that did come to be made. According to the thingsdirector Brett Ratner even lost his job to Bryan Synger because of his casting decisions.
“I auditioned for Superman [en lo que se convertiría en ‘Superman Returns’]. I even put on the suit. She was great, she was pretty great. I mean, I didn’t get the job. He’s gone,” the actor said.
‘Inspector Gadget’
The production of that film collided with that of ‘George of the Jungle’, so Fraser had to decline the offer (and, on this occasion, he was right). Matthew Broderick played the role in his place.
‘Modern Family’
In the celebrated comedy series ‘Modern Family’, Phil Dunphy’s character he is a competitive but ditzy father of three children. Fraser was seriously considered for this role, as were Matt LeBlanc (‘Friends’) and Rob Huebel, who later joined the series as Glen Whipple, Phil’s biggest nemesis. But it was ultimately Ty Burrell who took on the rolefor which he twice won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
Big Bug Man
Do you remember when Brendan Fraser and Marlon Brando made an animated movie together from the writer of ‘The Simpsons’? No? Well, that’s because it never came out.. ‘Big Bug Man’ told the story of a candy factory employee who was bitten by an insect and acquired super powers. Yes, like ‘Spider-Man’.
Marlon Brando was to be the voice of Mrs. Sour, the corrupt owner of the candy company. He completed his shooting from home just weeks before his death in 2004, going so far as to declare it “the funniest movie I’ve made since ‘Julius Caesar.’ [1953]”. For unknown reasons, this movie never made it to theaters.. Will she be lost in some drawer?
‘Batgirl’
And if we talk about movies forgotten in a drawer, we must mention ‘Batgirl’. Brendan Fraser played the villain of the film, Firefly, in a film that was going to be released directly on HBO Max but was canceled with filming already finished. Lead actress Leslie Grace spoke of her experience with the actor: “It was an incredible learning experience to be on set with action veterans like Brendan Fraser and absorb it all. It was very difficult because he’s our villain and he’s not supposed to me. you should like it but It’s a huge teddy bear. He is one of the nicest people I have ever met..”
Source: Fotogramas
Jason Root is a writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth coverage of famous people in entertainment, sports, and politics. He has a passion for uncovering the stories behind the headlines and bringing readers an inside look at the lives of the famous. He has been writing for Gossipify for several years and has a degree in Journalism from UC Berkeley.
