Brendan Fraser was a major breakout star in Hollywood during the second part of the ’90s. The actor first gained widespread recognition with comedies like Encino Man and family flicks like George of the Jungle. But Fraser’s biggest commercial triumph was with the 1999 film The Mummy, in which he portrayed the American adventurer Rick O’Connell.
The third film, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, effectively ended his run with the films. But it did more than that — Fraser states the film changed his career.
‘The Mummy’ trilogy almost ended Brendan Fraser’s career
According to Numbers, The Mummy was quite successful, with a gross of over $400 million worldwide. After the first film’s success, an animated TV series, a spinoff film series, and two sequels followed over the next decade. In terms of box office returns, both sequels—The Mummy Returns and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor—fared exceptionally better than the first film. Despite this, Fraser’s star would quickly fade with the franchise’s cancellation.
After Tomb of the Dragon Emperor was released, the actor continued to work consistently for a while, though not on any projects that would become as popular as The Mummy trilogy. In fact, there was a time in the late 2010s when Fraser appeared to completely leave the film industry. It turns out that the actor’s disappearance at the time was, in part, related to the franchise.
‘The Mummy 3’ injuries changed Brendan Fraser’s approach to acting
In a 2022 GQ video interview, Fraser explained the circumstances surrounding his time away from the film industry. Recently, he has returned to acting. From DC’s Doom Patrol to his Golden Globe-nominated turn in The Whale, the Brennaisance is truly here. However, in the late 2000s, he was exhausted and injured to the point of giving up.
The star discussed his time filming The Mummy trilogy, specifically the third film, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, and how the injuries he sustained on set changed his approach to acting.
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“By the time I did the third The Mummy picture in China… I was put together with tape and ice,” Fraser shared. “Screw-cap ice packs and downhill-mountain-biking pads, ’cause they’re small and light, and they can fit under your clothes. I was building an exoskeleton for myself daily.”
Fraser often served as his own stuntman, causing him to frequently hurt himself. There came the point when his injuries were too many, and he needed surgery. Even then, things didn’t always go as planned. He eventually had enough and had to change his approach to acting.
“I had a few injuries that became another injury,” Fraser explained. “It meant that I needed to start thinking about how to work smart instead of work hard. Around the time I made that movie, it was sort of a fundamental shift in my approach.”
Brendan Fraser opted to slow down
Thankfully, Fraser has decided to take it easy now that he’s had some time to recuperate. His recent works the actor in much less danger. Still, he brings much of the character that made him such a compelling leading man in The Mummy.
The well-liked actor continues to make waves since he was just cast in Killers of the Flower Moon, directed by Martin Scorsese. Fraser’s co-stars in the film are Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, with whom he has yet to share the screen.
Fraser will also be featured in the upcoming Legendary comedy film Brothers. After proving he still has what it takes in Steven Soderbergh’s film, No Sudden Move, the actor’s fans are overjoyed to see him back in the spotlight after the devastating injuries that nearly claimed his life. And we are thrilled to see him back in action.
