Brendan Fraser is set to take on a gay
role in director Darren Aronofsky's upcoming film adaptation of The
Whale.
According to Deadline, Fraser
will play Charlie, a middle-aged gay man living in Idaho who left his
family after he came out gay to be with his boyfriend. Overtaken by
grief after his lover's death, Charlie, an online writing instructor,
develops an eating disorder.
Stuck on his couch and weighing 600
pounds, the reclusive Charlie tries to reconnect with his estranged
teenage daughter.
MacArthur-winning playwright Samuel D.
Hunter (Greater Clements) will adapt his 2012 play of the same
name.
“Adapting my play into a screenplay
has been a real labor of love for me,” said
Hunter. “This story is deeply personal and I'm very thankful it
will have the chance to reach a wider audience. I've been a fan of
Darren's ever since I saw Requiem for a Dream when I was a
college freshman writing my first plays, and I'm so grateful that
he's bringing his singular talent and vision to this film.”
The Whale has received numerous
awards, including a GLAAD Media Award.
In reviewing the play, The Chicago
Tribune's Chris Jones said that it was, among other things, about
“the price paid by gay couples born in the wrong state or just a
few years too soon.”
Fraser has not starred in a
high-profile film since headlining The Mummy franchise. His
casting in a gay role comes as Hollywood debates whether straight
actors should take on gay characters.