‘The Whale’ will be directed by Darren Aronofsky, from ‘Black Swan’ and ‘Requiem for a Dream’
The recently announced ‘The Whale’, a film directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Brendan Fraser, is being accused of fatphobia.
Based on a 2012 play written by Samuel D. Hunter and winner of the Drama Desk Award, Lucille Lortel Award, and GLAAD Media Award, the production revolves around Charlie (Fraser), a middle-aged man who tries to reconnect with her 17-year-old daughter after leaving her family. The plot also focuses on the protagonist’s binge eating, which weighs 272 kilos – he develops the problem after the death of her boyfriend.
Hunter celebrated the announcement in an American press release. “Adapting my play into a script was a real labor of love for me,” he said. “This story is deeply personal and I am very grateful to have the chance to reach a wider audience. I’ve been a fan of Darren since I saw ‘Requiem for a Dream’ when he was a freshman in college, writing my first plays, and I am very grateful that he brought his unique talent and vision to this film. “
While some people have been thrilled with Brendan Fraser’s return to a big project for the big screen – the star of ‘The Mummy’ has not gained so much prominence in Hollywood in recent years – many have also been bothered by the possibility of the 52-year-old actor. years to wear a fatsuit, that is, clothes with fillers (and other makeup tricks) to look like a man weighing 272 kilos. The premise of ‘The Whale’ was also criticized.
Oh noooo, now I'm doubly disappointed. I love Brendan Fraser, but based on the description, there's no way I can watch this movie.
— 𝕋𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕪 🦬 (@Jezebirb) January 11, 2021
“The Whale storyline sounds extremely fatphobic, so honestly, I’m surprised by someone as sensitive and caring as Brendan Fraser agreed to star. That. I hope his presence means that the script is significantly better, more nuanced. and more human than the short blurb suggests “
They going to have Brendan Fraser in a fat suit. It looked terrible on stage. One review from 2012 has this headline:
“The Whale” a drama of gigantic proportions 😒 https://t.co/3WTbwIMkxW pic.twitter.com/E0UFoSfN5h— Zanele (@ZaneleNL) January 12, 2021
“They are going to put Brendan Fraser in a fatsuit. It looked awful onstage [of the play ‘The Whale’]. A 2012 review has this headline: ‘The Whale: A drama of gigantic proportions'”
love brendan fraser but this sounds potentially not great!! in fact, very bad!!
premise itself seems like uhhhhh some mondo fatphobia stuff goin on here https://t.co/bQ2HGxrsH5
— gammonbozia (@Cosmic_Wyrm) January 12, 2021
“I love Brendan Fraser, but this sounds potential, not good! In fact, it sounds really bad! The premise itself sounds like … Huh … There is a fatphobia there”
I love Brendan Fraser and want the best for him but not this fatphobia…no. https://t.co/AkxXlb0gyV
— future tracee ellis ross type auntie (@femmesnfilms) January 11, 2021
“I love Brendan Fraser and I want the best for him, but I don’t want this fat man … No.”
Another point that displeased some people was the fact that ‘The Whale’ – both the play and the film – were not run by obese people, who could have experienced similar to those of the protagonist Charlie. Some Twitter users were also concerned about how Aronofsky, the filmmaker behind the psychological dramas ‘Black Swan’, ‘Mother!’ and ‘Requiem for a Dream’, could portray Charlie.
It is so disheartening, exhausting and profoundly isolating to see this concept created over & over & over again, and reliably created by people who aren't fat.
Fellow fats (people who currently wear plus sizes): how are you feeling? https://t.co/cRWdPoc7iB
— Aubrey Gordon, Your Fat Friend (she/her/hers) (@yrfatfriend) January 11, 2021
“Skinny people are so kind as to write heroic stories for the redemption of fat people that they rarely hire or rarely befriend”
As somebody who has struggled and continues to struggle with food addiction, this new movie from the man who brought us REQUIEM FOR A DREAM is going to fuck me up. The fact that Brendan Fraser is set to the star means I will be there day one for it to fuck me up. https://t.co/guyvaXHP35
— Robert Saucedo (@robsaucedo2500) January 11, 2021
“As someone who has struggled and continues to struggle with food addiction, this new film by the man who brought us ‘Requiem for a Dream’ will f *** me up. The fact that Brendan Fraser is going to star in the feature film that I will be there on the first day for that f *** me “.
So far, Brendan Fraser and Darren Aronofsky have not commented on the criticism.
The fatsuit has already been used by skinny actors in several famous audiovisual productions, such as Chris Hemsworth in ‘Avengers: Endgame’, John Travolta in ‘Hairspray’ and Courteney Cox in ‘Friends’.
