Brendan Fraser Recounts the Great Advice Ian McKellen Gave Him on Acting
Brendan Fraser has always been a beloved actor to his devoted fanbase, but he has certainly had a pretty big comeback in the last two years.
Previously known for teen comedies and dramas, then swashbuckling action adventures, Fraser took some time away from the spotlight, only to reemerge in the film The Whale, which resulted in the actor’s first Golden Globe, Critics Choice Award, as well as Academy Award wins.
He is now on an upward trajectory, taking on several new roles that will continue to keep him in the awards circuit.
Fraser talked about his return to major roles in a Deadline video interview, where he mentioned a piece of advice his Gods and Monsters co-star Ian McKellen gave to him, which stuck throughout the years and served him well:
“If it’s something I learned from Ian McKellen, it was that you need to approach this job as if it’s the first time and the last time you ever will ever again. And that’s when the work comes alive.”
He went on to add: “I’m still pinching myself, and I don’t think that’ll ever change. I’m still astonished when people recognize me on the street anyway, because I’ve never really gotten past the feeling of being told, ‘Fraser, get back in the dish pit. You’ve got work to do!’ And I hope that never leaves.”
Fraser really has always seemed like a very kind person, and it feels like this career surge couldn’t have happened to a better guy. It was really cool after the 2023 Oscars, when Fraser and Ke Huy Quan had each won their first awards, and they celebrated together.
Quan had appeared in the film Encino Man in 1992 with Fraser, and they were both so humble and appreciative of the paths their careers had taken, which led them to that night.
It was the year of the underdog, and both actors have soared to new heights since. It sounds like Fraser has used McKellen’s sage advice to help get him to where he is.
