Brendan Fraser’s upcoming film, The Whale, is expected to garner him a 2023 Golden Globe Award nomination. However, he has already revealed he won’t be attending the Awards show after accusing the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s (HFPA) President, Philip Berk, of sexual assault.
The HFPA is the same organization that conducts the Golden Globes Awards ceremony on an annual basis.
Fraser won’t be attending because he has openly criticized and condemned the organization after speaking out about his assault at the hands of Berk.
He plans to stand by his allegations toward the organization and does not want to be seen seemingly supporting them by attending their awards show, regardless if he is nominated or not.
He stated, “It’s because of the history that I have with them. And my mother didn’t raise a hypocrite. You can call me a lot of things, but not that.”
Fraser lost his respect for the HFPA organization based on the actions of its president, and his absence at the ceremony will be a testimony to this.
Brendan Fraser accused the HFPA President of sexual assault
Fraser detailed his history with the HFPA in 2018 when he first opened up about how Berk sexually assaulted him. He alleged the assault occurred in 2003 while attending a luncheon in Beverly Hills.
Fraser had gone for a handshake with Berk but alleged that Berk inappropriately groped him instead. The incident had a profound effect on Fraser, who nearly quit acting as a result of the assault.
Despite keeping silent for many years, he decided in 2018 that he had to speak out on the incident. In doing so, he became a part of the #MeToo movement and stood up against sexual assault, abuse, and harassment.
At the time, Fraser’s allegations sparked an investigation into HFPA. The investigation concluded that the incident did occur in which Berk inappropriately groped Fraser.
However, no action was taken because it dismissed Berk’s actions as a “joke.”
While Berk faced no consequences for his actions in that incident, he would end up being expelled from HFPA in 2021, anyways. He was removed from the organization after a racist e-mail surfaced in which he slammed the Black Lives Matter movement.
Fraser made a comeback with The Whale
At one point, Fraser was one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood. This was a result of his starring in standout hits like The Mummy and George of the Jungle.
However, beginning in 2009, he began to taper off, with his roles becoming smaller and more sporadic. Then, in 2014 he took a 5-year hiatus from film acting.
His sexual assault was part of the reason for his hiatus, as he claimed that he was also blacklisted by Hollywood after it. Injuries he sustained while filming The Mummy and his divorce from Afton Smith also played into him stepping away from the spotlight.
By 2018, he began to make a cautious return. However, the upcoming release of The Whale is anticipated to be his big comeback.
The film sees him as a 600-lb English teacher struggling to reconnect with his teenage daughter after leaving his family. The Whale received a 6-minute standing ovation at its Venice premiere and is expected to scoop up some awards for Fraser.
Knowledge of his past struggles made the moment he received the ovation all the more emotional and touching.