The Truth About Brendan Fraser's Disappearance From Hollywood In The Early '00s

This article includes discussion of sexual assault. 

At the height of his career, Brendan Fraser abruptly decided to just stop being a movie star. Even more shockingly, he couldn't have made a better decision for himself at the time. Appearing on "Sunday Sitdown," in February 2023, Fraser recalled how he was lucky enough to earn real success, really fast, in Hollywood. However, the caveat of his quick rise to fame was that the actor had to juggle multiple projects simultaneously and then watch them compete against each other at the box office. Additionally, in a 2018 interview with GQ, "The Mummy" star confessed that the back-to-back action movies, in which he did his own stunts, took a tremendous toll on his physical health, too. By Fraser's own admission, he "was put together with tape and ice" when he shot the third installment in 2008. 

To get through the shoot, the beloved star had to put together an "exoskeleton" using ice packs and biking pads under his clothes. Eventually, the makeshift tape wasn't enough to hold the Oscar-winning star of "The Whale" together anymore, and he had to undergo multiple surgeries over a 7-year period just to be able to function in his daily life. The '90s heartthrob who is barely recognizable today told "Today" that when the mounting toll of his work got too much to bear, Fraser realized he was better off making minor appearances in films. "I knew that I was also on a merry-go-round and wanted the music to stop," the actor remarked of his departure from Hollywood. Crucially, at the peak of his career, Fraser went through something traumatizing, which also played a part in his decision to step away.

In Brendan Fraser's 2018 interview with GQ, he divulged that Philip Berk, formerly the president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), had groped him in 2003. The Oscar winner sadly recalled the immediate aftermath of the incident: "I felt ill. I felt like a little kid. I felt like there was a ball in my throat. I thought I was going to cry." Afterwards, Fraser blamed himself for being so traumatized by the occurrence and for letting it dictate his mental health. The "George of the Jungle" star described how the episode "made [him] retreat [...] [and] feel reclusive." At the time, Fraser's team reached out to the HFPA to ask for an apology. Although they managed to succeed in that aspect, the beloved actor later questioned whether bringing the incident up with the esteemed institution had made him persona non grata in its eyes, subsequently causing him to lose jobs. 

Notably, Berk maintained that the HFPA hadn't taken any steps to hinder Fraser's career. In a follow-up with GQ, the 1990s heartthrob detailed how, after their initial chat, the HFPA conducted an investigation into the matter but they ultimately found that Berk was only joking around when he touched Fraser inappropriately. Although the organization sought to release the report's findings in a joint statement with the "Mummy" star, understandably, he declined, reasoning simply, "I don't get the joke." Fortunately, Fraser had a complete transformation in his many years spent behind the scenes. Upon his return to the spotlight, Fraser went viral on TikTok for a good reason and then triggered the "Brenassaince," which culminated in the actor winning his first-ever Oscar for "The Whale." 

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).