Everyone recovers from a traumatic event in their lifetime, and it’s difficult. It was hard for Brendan Fraser to recover from several traumatic events. The events directly affected his career and reputation, which made recovery even harder. You might remember seeing Fraser on movie screens in the 90s and early 2000s. Fraser starred in blockbuster movies such as George of the Jungle, The Mummy, and Journey to the Center of the Earth. Fraser became a well-known actor at the peak of his career. Suddenly, he took a break from acting. Years went by, and many people wondered what happened to Fraser and why he disappeared from the film industry. A profile published by GQ in 2018 revealed that Fraser suffered several hardships in his career and was sexually assaulted by a former higher-up in Hollywood.

Fraser took on physically demanding roles. He performed stunts, running around in front of green screens and moving from set to set. Fraser’s body was beginning to deteriorate due to the intense activity. Fraser told GQ’s Zach Baron, “By the time I did the third Mummy picture in China, I was put together with tape and ice.” Eventually, he suffered injuries that required multiple surgeries. Fraser underwent a laminectomy, a partial knee replacement, back surgery, and had his vocal cords repaired. He was in and out of the hospital for almost seven years. 

Unfortunately, the surgeries were not the only painful thing Fraser had to endure in his career. In 2003, he was sexually assaulted at a luncheon held by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA): the organization that hosts the Golden Globes. Phillip Berk, the former president of the HFPA, groped Fraser as he was leaving the event. Fraser was overwhelmed with panic and fear. He became depressed, and the incident made him grow reclusive. He received little support from the HFPA after the incident. Fraser said he was rarely invited back to the Golden Globes after 2003 and wondered if the HFPA blacklisted him. Berk denied the sexual assault and that the HFPA retaliated against Fraser. Fraser took some time to heal before coming back into the public eye.

Fraser returned to acting by starring in the drama film, The Whale. The public could not be more excited to see Fraser back on the big screen. “It’s almost like the public was just waiting for this moment,” says film and media historian Chris Yogerst. “Everyone has missed him. Seeing him back on the screen, it was like an old friend was back.” The film earned Fraser his first Academy Award, and fans were excited to see him getting the recognition he deserved. 

Fraser proves that it is possible to recover and heal from traumatic events and come back stronger than ever.