Brendan Fraser was overcome with emotion when he accepted the best actor trophy for his role in “The Whale” at Sunday’s Critics’ Choice Awards.
The 53-year-old actor plays Charlie, a 600-pound gay and reclusive who feels as if his life is coming to an end.
“It was Herman Melville who wrote that there are only five critics in America. The rest are asleep,” he said.
He said, “I don’t know what that means either, but I’m glad you woke up for me. Where have you been for ‘Furry Vengeance’?” Ken Jeong.
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“The Whale” star Brendan Fraser gave an inspiring acceptance speech at the Critic’s Choice Awards on Sunday.
(Kevin Winter)
“The movie ‘The Whale’ is about love. It’s about redemption. It’s about finding light in dark places. I’m so lucky to work with such an incredible ensemble,” said Fraser.
With a trembling voice and a handshake, he said, “It took me 32 years to get here.”
He called screenwriter Sam Hunter “the lighthouse” and praised director Darren Aronofsky.
“Maybe I should have left a trail of breadcrumbs in the wilderness, but you found me and, like all the best overseers, where I go to get where I need to be.” Just let me know if it’s okay,” said Fraser.
With tears in his eyes, he said, “I want you to know if you’re like the Charlie I played in this movie, and you’re either struggling with obesity in some way, or you’re feeling like you’re in a dark sea. Stand up and light up.” Good things will happen if you can go to
Fraser faced Austin Butler in “Elvis,” Tom Cruise in “Top Gun: Maverick,” Colin Farrell in “Banshees of Inisherin,” Paul Mescal in “Aftersun,” and Bill Nighy in “Living.” .
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Brendan Fraser accepts Best Actor for “Whale” on stage at the 28th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards.
(Kevin Winter)

Brendan Fraser and Jeanne Moore smile while attending the Critics’ Choice Awards.
(Matt Winkelmeyer)
He was largely out of the spotlight after dealing with a physical illness for performing many of his own stunts on screen.
This is Fraser’s first lead role in almost a decade.
This year, the ‘The Mummy’ star will play a role in Martin Scorsese’s latest Western film ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ and will star Dawn Olivier in ‘Behind the Curtain of Night’. I performed with Li and Marcia Cross.
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Here is the full list of winners of the 28th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards:
Best photo: “All at once”
Best Actor: Brendan Fraser “Whale”
Best Actress: Cate Blanchett “Tar”
Best Supporting Actor: Ke Huy Quan, “All at once anywhere”
Supporting Actress Award: Angela Bassett, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
Best Young Actor: Gabriel Lovell “The Favermans”
Best Performing Ensemble: “Glass Onion: Knife Out Mystery”
Best Director: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Best Original Screenplay Award: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Best Adapted Screenplay: Sarah Polley “Woman Talking”
Best Cinematography Award: Claudio Miranda, “Top Gun: Maverick”
Best Production Design: Florencia Martin, Anthony Carlino “Babylon”
Editing Award: Paul Rodgers “Everything Everywhere All At Once”
Costume Design Award: Ruth E. Carter, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
Best hair and makeup: “Elvis”
Visual Effects Award: “Avatar: Path of Water”
Best Comedy: “Glass Onion: Knife Out Mystery”
Best Animated Feature: Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro
Best Foreign Language Film: “RRR”
Best song: Natu Natu “RRR”
Highest Score: Hildur Guznadottir “Tar”
Best Limited Series: “The Dropout”
Best Drama Series: “Better Call Saul”
Best Actor in a Drama Series: Bob Odenkirk “Better Call Saul”
Best Actress in a Drama Series: Zendaya “Euphoria”
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Giancarlo Esposito “Better Call Saul”
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Jennifer Coolidge “White Lotus”
Best Comedy Series: “Abbott Elementary School”
Best Actor in a Comedy Series: Jeremy Allen White “The Bear”
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Best Actress in a Comedy Series: Gene Smart “Hux”
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Henry Winkler “Barry”
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Sherry Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary School”
The best movies made for TV: “Strange: The Al Yankovic Story”