Brendan Fraser helped Dwayne Johnson start his Hollywood career, for which he has expressed his gratitude.

The Rock has a Soft Side

Fraser, who was visibly moved, recently received a six-minute standing ovation for his picture The Whale at the Venice Film Festival.

The movie is about an overweight recluse English teacher, played by Fraser, who tries to get in touch with his daughter, 17, played by Sadie Sink.

The Rock has now paid respect to Fraser, who acted in Johnson’s debut movie, The Mummy Returns, in 2001, after a video of the actor sobbing went viral.

The wrestler turned actor wrote: “Man this makes me so happy to see this beautiful ovation for Brendan.

“He supported me coming into his Mummy Returns franchise for my first ever role, which kicked off my Hollywood career.

“Rooting for all your success brother and congrats to my bud Darren Aronofsky. #TheWhale.”

The movie has received a 75 percent rating from Rotten Tomatoes critics after only eight reviews.

For the South China Morning Post, James Mottram wrote: “This is a transcendent, triumphant film. Without doubt, the Oscar race has begun and Aronofsky and Fraser are at the head of the queue.”

The Playlist’s Jack King said: “What The Whale boasts in abundance — in this riveting study of a deeply broken man, suffocated by nine years of self-immolation — is a rare and deep compassion, elevated by Brendan Fraser’s transformative turn.”

Robert Ruggio from AwardsWatch said: “The Whale wouldn’t be as effective if it wasn’t for the incredible lead performance given by Brendan Fraser…and I don’t think anyone could have played Charlie the way Fraser did.”

The Next Big Picture‘s Tom O’Brien said: “The fact that Fraser is so good in the role and that Aronofsky is so skilled at shaping the performance combine to make The Whale a uniquely powerful film experience.”

Collider‘s Brian Formo wrote: “It is inorganic, gimmicky, manipulative, and its lessons are simplistic. As a character, Charlie remains mostly a body. He has a kindness to him, but this role is mostly to react to the wants and needs of others.”

TheWrap‘s Ben Croll thought: “Most of the fatalism comes from a heavy-handed style that sees this closed world as a closed circuit, a place for figurative characters to come and express what they Represent. And then to come back the next day and do it again.”

The Whale is set to hit US cinemas on Friday, December 9, 2022.

See you there!