• The Mummy was about to start.
• To the actor’s pleasure was introduced just before the film started at the Prince Charles Cinema.
• The actor received his first Oscar nomination for his function in the film.

Brendan Fraser is honoring his filmmaking beginnings. The Academy Award-nominated actor, who is presently captivating audiences with his latest movie The Whale, startled a crowded theatre in London on Friday night as his popular 1999 action movie The Mummy was about to start.

To the actor’s pleasure, Fraser, 54, was introduced just before the film started at the Prince Charles Cinema and received raucous applause and a standing ovation.

“I am proud to stand before you tonight,” Fraser began. “This is a film that was made in Britain. You should know that! … Even the second one, too.”

“Be proud. Thank you for being here,” he continued.

When Fraser told the audience that they were filming The Mummy, they weren’t sure how the movie would turn out because he was dressed like his movie character Rick O’Connell in a leather jacket, khakis, and boots.

When this was being shot, “we had no notion what kind of movie we were doing,” he remarked. Were there any hints as to whether the film was a drama, a comedy, a straight-up action, romance, or horror picture, or all of the above?

He continued, “[We] had no idea until it tested in front of British audiences,” and the audience laughed as a whole. I appreciate that.

Fraser has several reasons to smile right now. The actor received his first Oscar nomination on Tuesday for his function in the film The Whale, which will be released in the UK on February 3.

The actor received recognition for his work in The Whale when he was selected as one of the five contenders for Best Actor. Additionally, the drama received nominations for Best Makeup & Hairstyling for the team that turned Fraser into his 600-pound character, Charlie, and Best Supporting Actress for co-star Hong Chau.

He responded to the news by expressing his “totally happy and sincere gratitude to The Academy for this distinction and for recognizing Hong Chau’s lovely performance and Adrien Morot’s incredible makeup.”

“I wouldn’t have this nomination without [director] Darren Aronofsky, [writer] Samuel D. Hunter, A24, and the extraordinary cast and crew who gave me the gift of Charlie,” the actor continued. “A gift I certainly didn’t see coming, but it’s one that has profoundly changed my life. THANK YOU!”

Austin Butler (Elvis), Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin), Paul Mescal (Aftersun), and Bill Nighy are also up for the award in this category (Living).

Fraser, who was nominated for a SAG Award and a Golden Globe, also won the Critics’ Choice Award earlier this month. He was visibly moved as he accepted the award.

He called The Whale a movie “It’s about love,” he continued, “and about redemption. It’s about discovering light in a dark place, and I feel so fortunate to have collaborated with such a fantastic ensemble.”

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