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Brendan Fraser has spoken about his eldest son Griffin, who is autistic and obese, and said he ‘understands’ what it is like to be close to someone who lives with obesity.
The actor, 53, plays an overweight father in his latest film The Whale and he reflected on living with his own son Griffin as he discussed the role.
Brendan shares three sons – Griffin, 20, Holand, 18, and Leland, 16 – with his ex-wife Afton Smith, who he divorced in 2007 after nine years of marriage.
Father: Brendan Fraser has spoken about his eldest son Griffin, who is autistic and obese, and said he ‘understands’ what it is like to be close to someone who lives with obesity
Speaking about his son Griffin, Brendan said he ‘understands intimately’ what it is like to know someone who lives with obesity as he discussed his role in The Whale.
He told Interview Magazine: ‘I have three kids of my own, my oldest son Griffin has special needs – he’s autistic.
‘He just turned 20, he’s a big kid, he’s six foot five, he’s got big hands and feet, a big body. I understand intimately what it is to be close to a person who lives with obesity.’
Opening up: The actor, 53, plays an overweight father in The Whale (pictured) and he reflected on living with his own son Griffin as he discussed the role
The father-of-three went on to say that Griffin is the ‘happiest person’ in his life, explaining that he doesn’t know what ‘cynicism’ is because of his autism.
In psychological drama The Whale, Brendan underwent a physical transformation to play an overweight man confined to a wheelchair, who is trying to reconnect with his daughter (Sadie Sink).
To play English teacher Charlie, who weighs 600 pounds, he had to wear prosthetics and spend four hours every day having the heavy 300-pound suit fitted.
Brendan described the role as the ‘hardest thing’ he’s ever done but said he was able to understand what was important to Charlie because of the love he has for his own children.
Family: Brendan shares sons – Griffin, 20, Holand, 18, (both pictured with his ex-wife Afton) and Leland, 16 – with his ex-wife Afton Smith, who he divorced in 2007 after nine years of marriage
Project: In The Whale, Brendan underwent a physical transformation to play an overweight man confined to a wheelchair, who is trying to reconnect with his daughter (Sadie Sink)
Weeks before The Whale is set to arrive in theatres, Brendan took to the red carpet with his two youngest sons on Tuesday.
He hit the red carpet with his handsome sons Holden, 18, and Leland, 16, at a New York City screening of The Whale.
He was also joined by his longtime partner, makeup artist Jeanne Moore, at the screening, held at Alice Tully Hall.
The Whale follows Brendan’s character Charlie as he tries to reconnect with his 17-year-old daughter Ellie (Sadie) after leaving her and her mother years earlier for another man.
The guilt over his relationship with the man – who would later die – leads Charlie to overeat and get to his current weight of 600 pounds.
Its official synopsis reads: ‘A reclusive English teacher suffering from severe obesity attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption.’
The movie is based on the off-Broadway play of the same name, written by Samuel D. Hunter, who came on board as the screenwriter for the film.
Darren Aronofsky, known for helming films such as The Wrestler (2008), Mother! (2017) and Black Swan (2010), which earned him an Academy Award nomination, first saw the play in 2012 and asked the writer to work on a screenplay.
The Whale marks Brendan’s first Hollywood project in almost ten years and his first lead role in a movie since straight-to-DVD thriller Breakout in 2013.
He shot to stardom when he was cast in children’s favourite film franchises George of the Jungle and The Mummy.
Family: Weeks before The Whale is set to arrive in theatres, Brendan took to the red carpet with his two youngest sons Leland, 16, and Holden, 18, on Tuesday
