The Whale (2022 film)

2022 American psychological drama film by Darren Aronofsky

The Whale

Theatrical release poster

Directed by| Darren Aronofsky
Written by| Samuel D. Hunter
Based on| The Whale
by Samuel D. Hunter
Produced by|

* Jeremy Dawson
* Ari Handel
* Darren Aronofsky

Starring|

* Brendan Fraser
* Sadie Sink
* Hong Chau
* Ty Simpkins
* Samantha Morton

Cinematography| Matthew Libatique
Edited by| Andrew Weisblum
Music by| Rob Simonsen

Production
companies

A24
Protozoa Pictures

Distributed by| A24

Release dates

* September 4, 2022 (2022-09-04) (Venice)
* December 9, 2022 (2022-12-09) (United States)

Running time

| 117 minutes[1]
Country| United States
Language| English
Budget| $3 million[2]
Box office| $57.6 million[3][4]

The Whale is a 2022 American psychological drama film[5] directed by Darren Aronofsky and written by Samuel D. Hunter, based on his 2012 play. The film stars Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, Ty Simpkins and Samantha Morton. The plot follows a morbidly obese, reclusive English teacher who tries to restore his relationship with his teenage daughter, whom he had abandoned eight years earlier. The film was shot from March 8 to April 7, 2021, in Newburgh, New York.

The Whale premiered at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 4, 2022 and received a polarized response. Although critics lauded the acting, particularly Fraser, Chau and Sink, the film's portrayal of obesity-related struggles drew criticism. Notwithstanding, it was received with acclaim in the awards season. At the 95th Academy Awards ceremony, The Whale won the Oscars for Best Actor (Fraser), Best Makeup and Hairstyling and a Best Supporting Actress nomination for Chau. At the 76th British Academy Film Awards, the film was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Make Up & Hair, Best Supporting Actress (Chau) and Best Actor for Fraser's performance, who also received a nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama at the 80th Golden Globe Awards.

It had a limited theatrical release in the U.S. on December 9, before a wide release on December 21 by A24, grossing $57.6 million against a budget of $3 million.

## Plot

[edit]

In early 2016, Charlie teaches online English writing courses to college students, but keeps his webcam off, ashamed of his morbid obesity. Charlie isolates himself, never leaving his apartment in Moscow, Idaho.[a] His nurse and only friend, Liz, enables him by bringing him unhealthy food, while contradictorily urging him to visit a hospital for a heart failure treatment, though Charlie insists he cannot afford medical care. Charlie is also visited by Thomas, a missionary for the New Life Church who wants to save him. Charlie orders pizza almost every night through an established routine with delivery driver Dan, who leaves the pizza outside on his porch and collects cash payment from the mailbox, the two never interacting face-to-face.

Charlie hopes to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter Ellie, whom he abandoned eight years ago when leaving his wife, Mary, for a male student of his, Alan. He reveals that he has been saving money for years and offers Ellie the entire $120,000 in his bank account if she spends time with him without her mother's knowledge. Ellie agrees on the condition that he completes all of her homework for her, though he also requests that she write in a notebook he gives her. As Charlie's health worsens, Liz brings him a wheelchair so he can remain mobile.

Thomas again visits Charlie. Liz arrives and angrily orders Thomas to leave, then changes her mind and has a talk with him outside. Liz chastises Thomas for his efforts to help Charlie, then reveals she is the adopted daughter of New Life's head pastor and that Alan was her brother; Alan's religious guilt drove him to suicide, and Charlie turned to emotional eating to cope with his grief, leading to his current weight. Despite Liz's objections, Thomas still believes his mission is to help Charlie. One day, Ellie places crushed Ambien into Charlie's food, knocking him out. Thomas arrives, and the two smoke marijuana, which Ellie photographs, whereupon Thomas confesses to stealing his youth group's money and running away from home because he felt dissatisfied with New Life's mission work there. Ellie secretly records their conversation.

Out of concern, Liz brings Mary to visit Charlie. When Liz learns about the amount Charlie has saved for Ellie, she storms out, furious over having been lied to about why he avoided medical treatment. Mary and Charlie argue over his decision to leave his family for Alan. Mary is also exasperated with Ellie's sardonic, sullen demeanor, but Charlie expresses hope that Ellie will prove he did "one thing right with his life". Later that night, after delivering the pizza and waiting outside in the rain, Dan sees Charlie for the first time, then leaves. Charlie subsequently has a severe binge-eating episode and sends a profanity-laden email to his students, telling them to disregard the classwork and just write him back "something honest".

Thomas visits Charlie one last time to inform him that he is moving back home after Ellie sent his confession to his former youth group and family, who have forgiven him and implored him to return. He attempts to preach Romans 8:13 to Charlie, but Charlie chastises him when he attributes Alan's death to his sexual orientation and furiously orders him out. During his next class, Charlie tells his students he is being fired for the email he sent, and reads some of their submissions. To reciprocate their honesty, he switches on his webcam for the first time, and the students have mixed reactions. Charlie calmly proclaims that academics and college do not matter, but the honest things his students have written do. He then abruptly ends the class by tossing his laptop against the fridge, destroying it.

Liz returns and comforts Charlie as his health rapidly declines. Ellie arrives to furiously confront him over the failing grade she received on an essay he supposedly rewrote for her, which he secretly replaced with an essay she wrote in eighth grade about Moby-Dick that he considers the most honest essay he has ever read. Ellie initially rebukes him as he attempts to reconcile one final time, but reads the paper aloud at Charlie's insistence. Charlie stands up and begins to walk toward her without assistance, which he had tried but failed to do during her first visit. As she finishes reading, they smile at each other. Charlie begins to levitate, engulfed in a bright white light.

## Cast

[edit]

* Brendan Fraser as Charlie, a morbidly obese and reclusive English teacher
* Sadie Sink as Ellie, Charlie's estranged biological daughter
* Jacey Sink as young Ellie
* Hong Chau as Liz, a nurse who is Charlie's only friend
* Ty Simpkins as Thomas, a Christian missionary
* Samantha Morton as Mary, Charlie's ex-wife and Ellie's estranged mother
* Sathya Sridharan as Dan, a pizza delivery man from a restaurant Charlie frequently orders from

## Production

[edit]

### Writing and casting

[edit]

Darren Aronofsky has said that he tried to get the film, an adaptation of Samuel D. Hunter's 2012 play The Whale, made for over a decade, but could not do it because he struggled to find the right actor to portray Charlie. After seeing portions of Brendan Fraser's performance in a trailer for Journey to the End of the Night (2006), he decided that Fraser could be a good choice.[8]

The original play was set in 2009. However, the setting was updated to 2016 in the movie. This was because Hunter wanted to show the events as being before a major "seismic change", and doing so would make it clear that the play's events were prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] Within the film, the television shows the unfolding of the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries.[10] In the original play, Thomas, an Evangelical Christian missionary, is instead a Mormon missionary.[9] The Liz character, in the original play and in the screenplay, did not have her ethnic background or race specified. Hong Chau, the actress chosen to portray Liz, is of Asian heritage. The final screenplay specifies that Liz was adopted as a way of accommodating Chau's casting; this was not in the initial revisions of the screenplay.[11] Chau argued that Liz should have an unkempt look and should be tattooed, aspects that were incorporated into the character.[12]

On January 11, 2021, it was announced that A24 had obtained global distribution rights to The Whale, directed by Aronofsky and starring Fraser.[13][14][15] Chau, Sadie Sink and Samantha Morton joined the cast in February, followed by Ty Simpkins in March.[16][17] Sathya Sridharan joined the cast at an unknown date.[18]

At one point, the film was set to star James Corden with Tom Ford directing, but Ford left due to creative differences. George Clooney also briefly considered directing the film, but ultimately declined.[19]

### Filming

[edit]

Principal photography ran from March 8 to April 7, 2021, in Newburgh, New York. It was shot in 4:3 aspect ratio. Post-production began later in April.[20][21]

For the role, Fraser spent four hours each day being fitted with prosthetics that weighed up to 300 pounds (136 kg). He also consulted with the Obesity Action Coalition and worked with a dance instructor for months before filming began in order to determine how his character would move with the excess weight.[22]

Hunter stated that it is up to the viewer to interpret whether Charlie actually walks in the ending scene and Fraser argued that Charlie is finally "liberated".[23] Sink stated that her character is emotionally traumatized and that Charlie is able to look through a façade that Ellie puts up as a barrier between herself and her father.[24]

### Music

[edit]

Main article: The Whale (soundtrack)

## Release

[edit]

The cast, director and writer holding a press conference during the 2022 Venice Film Festival

The Whale had its world premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 4, 2022, where it received a six-minute standing ovation.[25][26] It made its North American premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2022.[27] It had a limited theatrical release in the United States on December 9, 2022, then expanded to wide release on December 21.[28]

The film was released on VOD platforms on February 21, 2023, and was released on Blu-ray and DVD on March 14, 2023.[29][30][31][32]

## Reception

[edit]

### Box office

[edit]

The Whale grossed $17.4 million in the United States and Canada, and $39.5 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $57.6 million.[3][4]

After several weeks in limited release, the film grossed $1 million in its third weekend (expanding from six theaters to 603) and a total of $1.6 million over the four-day Christmas frame, then $1.4 million in its fourth weekend.[33][34] It then expanded to 1,500 venues on the sixth week of its theatrical run and passed $11 million domestically, somewhat breaking the perceived ongoing trend that the general public was losing interest in prestige films in a moviegoing environment altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. These results were attributed to the praise and awards buzz for Fraser's performance.[35]

### Critical response

[edit]

Brendan Fraser and Hong Chau garnered critical acclaim for their performances and earned Academy Award nominations for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, with Fraser winning.

Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 64%, based on 347 reviews, with an average rating of 6.6/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Held together by a killer Brendan Fraser, The Whale sings a song of empathy that will leave most viewers blubbering."[36] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 60 out of 100, based on 57 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[37] According to MovieWeb, the film polarized critics and audiences.[38]

The Whale received positive feedback at the Toronto International Film Festival, with particular praise for Fraser's, Chau's and Sink's performances.[39] When the film had a limited theatrical release, Variety reported that the reviews "have been polarizing, with others [than Variety's review] criticizing the film's portrayal of fat people".[40] Glenn Kenny of RogerEbert.com praised Aronofsky's direction and Fraser's performance, writing that the "story is one of different levels of heartbreak and human misunderstanding" and "Aronofsky and Fraser have taken substantive risks, in the name of an insistent empathy."[41] Robbie Collin of The Telegraph gave it a perfect five stars, writing: "Fraser seals his comeback in a sensational film of rare compassion."[42]

Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times described the film as an "empathetic, haunting, beautiful, heartbreakingly moving story of a broken man".[43] He named it best film of the year and deemed Fraser's performance as his career's best.[44] Variety chief film critic Owen Gleiberman also praised Fraser, calling him "slyer, subtler, more haunting than he has ever been".[45] Matthew Creith of Out Front wrote: "The highlight of The Whale comes from an outstanding turn from Hong Chau, who gives a memorable performance in a vital role that balances Charlie's outlandish behavior."[46] Hannah Strong of Little White Lies praised Fraser and the "strong ensemble,” highlighting Sink's "tricky role" in which she "captures the anger and sadness that comes from parental abandonment", and stating that while Aronofsky "isn't a particularly empathetic filmmaker" and The Whale is not without flaws, the film "reflects tenderly on shame, guilt, and the human impulse to care and be cared for".[47]

Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair wrote that the film is "meant to be a poignant consideration of guilt, sexuality, religion, remorse" but "we really only know that because the movie shouts it at us". He also criticized Fraser's performance as "lost".[48] Mark Hanson of Slant Magazine felt that Aronofsky reins in his "typically ostentatious style", but that "considering how Libatique's camera leeringly treats Charlie as an unsightly object of pity throughout, it's difficult to deny the film's fatphobia, though its mawkishness is no less oppressive".[49] Katie Rife of Polygon wrote: "If you look at The Whale as a fable, its moral is that it's the responsibility of the abused to love and forgive their abusers. The movie thinks it's saying 'You don't understand; he's fat because he's suffering.' But it ends up saying 'You don't understand; we have to be cruel to fat people because we are suffering.' Aronofsky and Hunter's biblical metaphor aside, fat people didn't volunteer to serve as repositories for society's rage and contempt."[50] Mark Kermode gave the film a negative review. He said the film relies heavily on emotional manipulation to elicit a response from the audience. Kermode also commented that while Brendan Fraser's performance is commendable, the film's portrayal of obesity and its related struggles is problematic and lacks sensitivity.[51]

The film has received criticism for its portrayal of the main character. Time magazine stated: "Some of the film's critics believe it perpetuates tired tropes of fat people as suffering, chronically depressed and binge eating."[52] On the podcast Don't Let This Flop, Rolling Stone writer EJ Dickson said the film was criticized for its use of a prosthetic suit instead of casting a fat actor, with accusations that it "stigmatizes and mocks fat people".[53] On NPR's culture section, Jaclyn Diaz reported that this criticism extends to detractors calling the film's premise "inherently dehumanizing".[54]

Writing for The New York Times, Roxane Gay expressed her opinion that the film's empathy was only superficial and that the depiction of Charlie reinforced anti-fat stereotypes and preconceptions. She wrote that although Aronofsky said he wanted to give an empathetic portrayal she "was bewildered because an empathetic portrayal isn't at all what was conveyed onscreen. As I looked around the audience, I was struck by the fact that there were only four or so fat people in the audience and none on the stage."[55]

Director Darren Aronofsky defended the film, saying the criticisms "make no sense". Aronofsky further said that "actors have been using makeup since the beginning of acting—that's one of their tools. And the lengths we went to portray the realism of the makeup has never been done before", adding that "people with obesity are generally written as bad guys or as punch lines, we wanted to create a fully worked-out character who has bad parts about him and good parts about him". He said of fat people that "they get judged everywhere they go on the planet, by most people. This film shows that, like everyone, we are all human".[56]

### Top ten lists

[edit]

The Whale was on many critics' top ten lists for 2022.[57]

* 1st – Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times
* 2nd – Brian Truitt, USA Today
* 4th – Lauren Coates & Susan Wloszczyna, RogerEbert.com
* 5th – Carla Renata, RogerEbert.com
* 6th – Richard Whittaker, Austin Chronicle
* 6th – Jeff Sneider, Los Angeles Magazine
* 7th – Mike Scott, New Orleans Times-Picayune
* 9th – Peter Debruge, Variety
* 9th – Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

### Accolades

[edit]

Awards and nominations for The Whale Award  | Date of ceremony  | Category  | Recipient(s)  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

AACTA International Awards | February 24, 2023 | Best Actor | Brendan Fraser | Nominated  | [58]
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards | January 28, 2023 | Best Actor | Won  | [59]
Academy Awards | March 12, 2023 | Best Actor | Won  | [60]
Best Supporting Actress | Hong Chau | Nominated
Best Makeup and Hairstyling | Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Annemarie Bradley | Won
Alliance of Women Film Journalists | January 5, 2023 | Best Actor  | Brendan Fraser  | Nominated  | [61]
Best Actress in a Supporting Role  | Hong Chau  | Nominated
Best Screenplay – Adapted  | Samuel D. Hunter | Nominated
Best Woman's Breakthrough Performance  | Sadie Sink | Nominated
Artios Awards | March 9, 2023 | Studio or Independent – Drama  | Lindsay Graham, Bret Howe and Mary Vernieu  | Nominated  | [62]
Austin Film Critics Association | January 10, 2023 | Best Actor  | Brendan Fraser  | Nominated  | [63]
[64]
Best Adapted Screenplay | Samuel D. Hunter  | Nominated
British Academy Film Awards | February 19, 2023 | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Brendan Fraser  | Nominated  | [65]
Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Hong Chau  | Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay | Samuel D. Hunter  | Nominated
Best Make Up & Hair | Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Annemarie Bradley  | Nominated
Capri Hollywood International Film Festival | December 26, 2022 – January 2, 2023  | Best Actor  | Brendan Fraser  | Won  | [66]
Chicago Film Critics Association | December 14, 2022 | Best Actor | Nominated  | [67]
Best Supporting Actress | Hong Chau  | Nominated
Cinema for Peace Awards | 2023  | Most Valuable Film of the Year  | Darren Aronofsky  | Nominated  | [68]
Critics' Choice Awards | January 15, 2023 | Best Actor | Brendan Fraser  | Won  | [69]
Best Young Actor/Actress | Sadie Sink  | Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay | Samuel D. Hunter  | Nominated
Best Hair and Makeup | The Whale | Nominated
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association | December 19, 2022 | Best Picture | 7th place  | [70]
Best Actor | Brendan Fraser  | Runner-up
Best Supporting Actress | Hong Chau  | Runner-up
Denver Film Festival | November 2–13, 2023  | Rare Pearl Award  | Darren Aronofsky | Won  | [71]
Dorian Awards | February 23, 2023  | Film Performance of the Year  | Brendan Fraser  | Nominated  | [72]
Supporting Film Performance of the Year  | Hong Chau  | Nominated
Florida Film Critics Circle | December 22, 2022 | Best Actor | Brendan Fraser  | Runner-up[b] | [73]
Georgia Film Critics Association | January 13, 2023  | Best Actor  | Runner-up  | [74]
Golden Globe Awards | January 10, 2023 | Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated  | [75]
Golden Trailer Awards | June 29, 2023  | Best Drama  | "People"
(Woollen & Associates)  | Nominated  | [76]
[77]
Best Independent Trailer  | Nominated
Best Independent TV Spot  | "Acclaim" (GrandSon)  | Nominated
Gotham Independent Film Awards | November 28, 2022 | Outstanding Lead Performance | Brendan Fraser  | Nominated  | [78]
Outstanding Supporting Performance | Hong Chau  | Nominated
Hollywood Critics Association Awards | February 24, 2023 | Best Actor  | Brendan Fraser  | Won  | [79]
Best Supporting Actress  | Hong Chau  | Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay  | Samuel D. Hunter  | Nominated
Hollywood Critics Association Creative Arts Awards | February 24, 2023 | Best Makeup and Hairstyling  | Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Annemarie Bradley  | Won  | [80]
Hollywood Music in Media Awards | November 16, 2022 | Best Original Score in an Independent Film | Rob Simonsen | Nominated  | [81]
Houston Film Critics Society | February 18, 2023 | Best Actor | Brendan Fraser  | Nominated  | [82]
Kansas City Film Critics Circle | January 22, 2023  | Best Lead Actor  | Runner-up  | [83]
London Critics Circle Film Awards | February 5, 2023 | Actor of the Year | Nominated  | [84]
Supporting Actress of the Year | Hong Chau  | Nominated
Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild | February 11, 2023 | Best Special Make-Up Effects | Adrien Morot, Kathy Tse and Chris Gallaher  | Won  | [85]
Mill Valley Film Festival | October 6–16, 2022  | Audience Favorite – US Cinema  | The Whale | Won  | [86]
Montclair Film Festival | October 21–30, 2022  | Junior Jury Prize  | Won  | [87]
New York Film Critics Online | December 11, 2022  | Best Supporting Actress | Hong Chau  | Won  | [88]
Online Film Critics Society | January 23, 2023 | Best Actor | Brendan Fraser  | Nominated  | [89]
Palm Springs International Film Festival | January 5–16, 2023  | Spotlight Award  | Won  | [90]
[91]
Producers Guild of America Awards | February 25, 2023 | Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures | Jeremy Dawson, Ari Handel and Darren Aronofsky  | Nominated  | [92]
San Diego Film Critics Society | January 6, 2023 | Best Actor | Brendan Fraser  | Nominated  | [93]
Best Adapted Screenplay | Samuel D. Hunter  | Nominated
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle | January 9, 2023 | Best Actor | Brendan Fraser  | Nominated  | [94]
Best Adapted Screenplay | Samuel D. Hunter  | Nominated
Santa Barbara International Film Festival | February 8–18, 2023[95] | American Riviera Award  | Brendan Fraser  | Won  | [96]
Satellite Awards | March 3, 2023 | Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama | Won  | [97]
Best Adapted Screenplay | Samuel D. Hunter  | Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards | February 26, 2023 | Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role | Brendan Fraser  | Won  | [98]
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role | Hong Chau  | Nominated
Seattle Film Critics Society | January 17, 2023 | Best Actor in a Leading Role  | Brendan Fraser  | Nominated  | [99]
Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards  | February 15, 2023  | Outstanding Original Score for an Independent Film  | Rob Simonsen  | Nominated  | [100]
[101]
St. Louis Film Critics Association | December 18, 2022 | Best Actor | Brendan Fraser  | Won  | [102]
Toronto Film Critics Association | January 8, 2023 | Best Actor | Runner-up  | [103]
Toronto International Film Festival | September 8–18, 2022 | Tribute Actor Award | Won  | [104]
Tromsø International Film Festival | January 16–22, 2023  | Aurora Award  | Darren Aronofsky  | Nominated  | [105]
[106]
Venice Film Festival | August 31 – September 10, 2022 | 10th Interfilm Award for Promoting Interreligious Dialogue  | Won  | [107]
[108]
[109]
[110]
[111]
Leoncino d'Oro Award  | Won
Premio CinemaSarà Award  | Won
Sorriso Diverso Venezia Award for Best Foreign Film  | Won
Golden Lion | Nominated
Queer Lion | Nominated
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association | December 12, 2022 | Best Actor | Brendan Fraser  | Nominated  | [112]
Best Adapted Screenplay | Samuel D. Hunter  | Nominated
Best Youth Performance | Sadie Sink  | Nominated
Women Film Critics Circle | December 19, 2022  | Best Actor  | Brendan Fraser  | Won  | [113]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ The film only claims that it is set in "Idaho", but because the play is set in Moscow, the prevailing opinion is that the film is also set in Moscow.[6][7]
2. ^ Tied with Park Hae-il for Decision to Leave

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The Whale". La Biennale di Venezia. Venice Biennale. June 30, 2022. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
2. ^ "Orange County among filming locations for new Brendan Fraser movie The Whale". Mid Hudson News. December 22, 2022. Archived from the original on January 4, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
3. ^ a b "The Whale (2022)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
4. ^ a b "The Whale (2022)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
5. ^ Syed, Armani (December 9, 2022). "What to Know About 'The Whale' Controversy". TIME. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
6. ^ https://www.idahostatesman.com/entertainment/arts-culture/article271657352.html
7. ^ "The Whale Cast & Character Guide". Screen Rant. December 9, 2022.
8. ^ "Actor Brendan Fraser Charts a Major Comeback With 'The Whale'". NBC Los Angeles. September 5, 2022. Archived from the original on September 6, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
9. ^ a b Wilkinson, Alissa (December 12, 2023). "The Whale screenwriter on writing about religious fundamentalism, bodies, and hope". Vox. Archived from the original on March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
10. ^ Wilkinson, Alissa (September 20, 2022). "Inside Darren Aronofsky's messy movie The Whale is something wise about religious trauma". Vox. Retrieved June 17, 2023. "[...]has updated his Obama-era play to be set during the 2016 GOP presidential primaries in Idaho."
11. ^ Wong, Stevie (December 12, 2022). "'The Whale' Star Hong Chau on Going from Wanting to Stay Home and Do Nothing to Making Four Films: "It Was a Really Nutty Year for Me"". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
12. ^ Suh, Elissa (December 12, 2022). "'I'm Not Trying to Be America's Sweetheart': Hong Chau on Her Banner Year". Vogue. Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
13. ^ Lang, Brent (January 11, 2021). "Darren Aronofsky, Brendan Fraser Team on 'The Whale' for A24". Variety. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
14. ^ Kroll, Justin (January 11, 2021). "Darren Aronofsky Sets Next Film 'The Whale' at A24 With Brendan Fraser Set to Star". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 2, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
15. ^ Romano, Nick (January 11, 2021). "Brendan Fraser to star in Darren Aronofsky's The Whale, about man with compulsive eating disorder". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 12, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
16. ^ Kroll, Justin (February 10, 2021). "'Watchmen's Hong Chau to Co-Star with Brendan Fraser in Darren Aronofsky's Next Film for A24". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
17. ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (March 4, 2021). "'Insidious' Star Ty Simpkins Joins Darren Aronofsky's 'The Whale' at A24". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
18. ^ "Sathya Sridharan". A Class Act NY. September 17, 2021. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
19. ^ Hammond, Pete (December 30, 2022). "Oscar's Cash Value; Hello, Dolly De Leon; James Corden in 'The Whale' & Where Have the Globes Parties Gone? – Notes on the Season". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 1, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
20. ^ "The Whale". Production List. February 1, 2021. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
21. ^ "Film and TV Projects Going Into Production – The Whale". Variety Insight. Archived from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
22. ^ Lang, Brent (October 12, 2022). "Brendan Fraser's Triumphant Comeback: How Playing a 600-Pound Gay Man in 'The Whale' Resurrected His Career". Variety. Archived from the original on January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
23. ^ Nolfi, Joey (December 22, 2022). "The Whale ending explained: Brendan Fraser breaks down Charlie and Ellie's final scene". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
24. ^ Shrishty (December 30, 2022). "'The Whale': Sadie Sink on Ellie's Dark Moments". Collider. Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
25. ^ "Biennale Cinema 2022 | The Whale". Venice Biennale. June 30, 2022. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
26. ^ Setoodeh, Ramin; Sharf, Zack; Keslassy, Elsa (September 4, 2022). "Brendan Fraser Breaks Down in Tears as 'The Whale' Gets Huge 6-Minute Standing Ovation in Venice". Variety. Archived from the original on September 5, 2022. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
27. ^ Grobar, Matt (August 22, 2022). "'The Whale's Brendan Fraser Set for 2022 TIFF Tribute Award for Performance". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 22, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
28. ^ Canfield, David (August 31, 2022). "Inside Brendan Fraser's 'The Whale' Transformation: "I Wanted to Disappear"". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on October 5, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
29. ^ "The Whale DVD Release Date". DVDs Release Dates. Archived from the original on February 22, 2023. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
30. ^ "The Whale Blu-ray (Blu-ray + Digital)". Blu-ray.com. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
31. ^ McCall, Kevin (February 8, 2023). "Oscar Nominated 'The Whale' Sets Blu-Ray, Digital, and DVD Release Dates". Collider. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
32. ^ "2x Oscar-winner 'The Whale' now on Blu-ray with Digital Copy for only $14.99". HD Report. March 14, 2023. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
33. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 25, 2022). "Studios & Exhibition Hope for Christmas Miracle at Box Office After Being Buried by Winter Weather; 'Avatar 2' Still Sees $82M 4-Day, But Could Go Higher – Sunday Update". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
34. ^ "Domestic 2022 Weekend 52: December 30 – January 1, 2023". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on January 1, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
35. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (January 14, 2023). "Brendan Fraser's 'The Whale' Passes $10 Million at Domestic Box Office". Variety. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
36. ^ "The Whale". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on November 20, 2024. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
37. ^ "The Whale". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
38. ^ Sayre, Will (December 18, 2022). "The Whale: Why Brendan Fraser's Latest Movie Has Divided Viewers". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on February 22, 2023. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
39. ^ Lindert, Hattie (September 12, 2022). "Brendan Fraser tearfully touches on The Whale's themes of "redemption" while accepting TIFF performance award". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on September 13, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
40. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (December 11, 2022). "Box Office: Brendan Fraser's 'The Whale' Scores Biggest Arthouse Opening of the Year". Variety. Archived from the original on December 12, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
41. ^ Kenny, Glenn (September 5, 2022). "Venice Film Festival 2022: The Whale, The Ghost of Richard Harris, Don't Worry Darling". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
42. ^ Collin, Robbie (September 4, 2022). "The Whale: Brendan Fraser seals his comeback in a sensational film of rare compassion". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
43. ^ "In 'The Whale', Brendan Fraser brilliantly embodies a man hopeful for others but tired of himself". Chicago Sun-Times. December 19, 2022. Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
44. ^ "Richard Roeper's best movies of 2022". Chicago Sun-Times. December 23, 2022. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
45. ^ Lang, Brent; Sharf, Zack (September 12, 2022). "Brendan Fraser's Comeback Surges: 'The Whale' Gets Five-Minute TIFF Ovation, Actor Fights Back Tears". Variety. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
46. ^ Creith, Matthew (November 12, 2022). "Denver Film Festival Review: 'The Whale'". Out Front. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
47. ^ Strong, Hannah (September 4, 2022). "The Whale – first-look review". Little White Lies. Archived from the original on September 5, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
48. ^ Lawson, Richard (September 4, 2022). "The Whale Misses the Mark". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on September 5, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
49. ^ Hanson, Mark (September 13, 2022). "The Whale Review: Fatphobia Sinks Darren Aronofsky's Drama". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on September 14, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
50. ^ Rife, Katie (December 10, 2022). "Darren Aronofsky's The Whale is an act of hate disguised as tough love". Polygon. Archived from the original on December 12, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
51. ^ "Mark Kermode reviews The Whale - Kermode and Mayo's Take". YouTube. February 3, 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
52. ^ Syed, Armani (December 9, 2022). "What to Know About the Controversy Surrounding The Whale". Time. Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
53. ^ Dickson, EJ (September 7, 2022). "Welcome Back, Brendan Fraser, You Sexy MF". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 14, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
54. ^ Diaz, Jaclyn (September 6, 2022). "Why Brendan Fraser's Hollywood comeback story is both warming hearts and raising ire". NPR. Archived from the original on September 13, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
55. ^ Gay, Roxane (December 10, 2022). "Opinion | The Cruel Spectacle of 'The Whale'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
56. ^ Walsh, Savannah (December 13, 2022). "The Whale Director Darren Aronofsky: Fatphobia Criticism "Makes No Sense"". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
57. ^ "Best of 2022: Film Critic Top Ten Lists". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023.
58. ^ Pedersen, Erik (February 23, 2023). "Australia's International Awards: 'Avatar: The Way of Water', Cate Blanchett, & Austin Butler Take Top Prizes – Full List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
59. ^ Malkin, Marc (January 28, 2023). "'Top Gun: Maverick' Named Best Picture at AARP's Movies for Grownups Awards". Variety. Archived from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
60. ^ Nordyke, Kimberly (March 12, 2023). "Oscars: Complete Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
61. ^ "2022 EDA Awards Winners". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Archived from the original on January 5, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
62. ^ Coates, Tyler (March 9, 2023). "Artios Awards: 'Everything Everywhere All at Once', 'The Fabelmans', and 'Marcel the Shell With Shoes On' Among Winners". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
63. ^ Whittaker, Richard (January 4, 2023). "Austin Film Critics Association Announces 2022 Awards Short Lists". The Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on January 5, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
64. ^ Whittaker, Richard (January 11, 2023). "'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Wins Everything at the Austin Film Critics Association Award". The Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
65. ^ Yossman, K.J.; Ravindran, Manori (February 19, 2023). "'All Quiet on the Western Front' Dominates BAFTA Awards With Record-Breaking Seven Wins". Variety. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
66. ^ "Capri Hollywood Celebrates Cinema Stars At Mercadante Theater – Awards List". Capri Hollywood International Film Festival. January 11, 2023. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
67. ^ Tallerico, Brian (December 14, 2022). "The Banshees of Inisherin Named Best Picture by Chicago Film Critics Association". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
68. ^ "Cinema for Peace Doves 2023". Cinema for Peace Awards. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
69. ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 15, 2023). "'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Takes Best Picture at Critics Choice Awards – Complete Winners List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 2, 2023. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
70. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 19, 2022). "2022 Dallas-Ft. Worth Film Critics Associations winners". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
71. ^ "Denver Film Festival Announces Award Recipients for 45th Annual Program". Denver Film. November 16, 2022. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
72. ^ Hipes, Patrick (February 23, 2023). "'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Dominates Dorian Awards with 9 wins". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
73. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 22, 2022). "2022 Florida Film Critics Circle winners: 'Decision to Leave', 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' are top winners". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on December 23, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
74. ^ Anderson, Erik (January 14, 2023). "2022 Georgia Film Critics Association (GFCA) winners". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
75. ^ Lang, Brent; Moreau, Jordan (January 10, 2023). "'The Fabelmans', 'The Banshees of Inisherin' Win Big at Revamped Golden Globes (Complete Winners List)". Variety. Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
76. ^ Tinoco, Armando (June 5, 2023). "Golden Trailer Awards Nominations List: 'Stranger Things', 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever', 'Ted Lasso', & 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery' Among Most Nominated". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
77. ^ Pedersen, Erik (June 29, 2023). "Golden Trailer Awards: 'Cocaine Bear', 'Only Murders in the Building', & 'Oppenheimer' Among Top Winners – Full List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 30, 2023. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
78. ^ Reul, Katie; Lang, Brent (November 28, 2022). "'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Wins Best Feature at Gotham Awards". Variety. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
79. ^ Doster, Tyler (February 24, 2023). "6th Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) awards: 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' emerges victorious". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on February 25, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
80. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 8, 2022). "'Everything Everywhere All at Once', 'Top Gun: Maverick' lead inaugural Hollywood Critics Association Creative Arts Awards nominations". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
81. ^ Anderson, Erik (November 17, 2022). "Rihanna, Billy Eichner, 'Elvis', 'Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio' top Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA) winners". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on November 18, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
82. ^ Darling, Cary (February 18, 2023). "'Everything', 'RRR', 'Banshees' top Houston Film Critics' Awards". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
83. ^ Anderson, Erik (January 22, 2023). "2022 Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) Winners". AwardsWatch. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
84. ^ Pulver, Andrew (February 5, 2023). "Tár and The Banshees of Inisherin take top honours at London film critics awards". The Guardian. Archived from the original on February 5, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
85. ^ Hipes, Patrick (February 11, 2023). "'Elvis', 'The Whale', 'Pam & Tommy' Among Top Winners at Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
86. ^ Anderson, Erik (October 18, 2022). "'Tár' wins Mill Valley Film Festival Audience Award; 'The Whale', 'Close' receive top awards". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
87. ^ Moye, Clarence (October 31, 2022). "Montclair Film Festival Announces 2022 Award Winners". Awards Daily. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
88. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 11, 2022). "2022 New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO): 'The Banshees of Inisherin' wins big". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on December 11, 2022. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
89. ^ Anderson, Erik (January 23, 2023). "2022 Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) winners". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
90. ^ "Film Awards". Palm Springs International Film Festival. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
91. ^ "Palm Springs International Film Awards Presents Brendan Fraser with the Spotlight Award, Actor". Palm Springs International Film Festival. December 20, 2022. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
92. ^ "Producers Guild of America Awards Celebrates 'Everything Everywhere All at Once', 'White Lotus', 'The Bear', 'Navalny', & more with Top Honors" (Press release). Producers Guild of America. February 27, 2023. Archived from the original on March 4, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
93. ^ Anderson, Erik (January 6, 2023). "2022 San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) winners". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on January 7, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
94. ^ Anderson, Erik (January 9, 2023). "2022 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics (SFBAFCC) winners: 'The Banshees of Inisherin' named Best Picture, 'Tár' leads wins with four". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
95. ^ "2023 Guide To SBIFF". santabarbaraca.com. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
96. ^ Guentz, Serena (February 15, 2023). "Brendan Fraser Receives American Riviera Award at Santa Barbara International Film Festival". Noozhawk. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
97. ^ "The International Press Academy Announces Winners for the 27th Annual Satellite™ Awards". International Press Academy. March 3, 2023. Archived from the original on March 4, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
98. ^ Thomas, Carly (February 26, 2023). "SAG Awards: Brendan Fraser Shares Inspirational Words to Other Actors During Acceptance Speech: "Just Stay in There"". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
99. ^ Anderson, Erik (January 17, 2023). "2022 Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS) winners". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
100. ^ "Nominees Announced for 4th SCL Awards". Society of Composers & Lyricists. December 22, 2022. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
101. ^ "4th Annual SCL Awards Held, Winners Announced". Society of Composers & Lyricists. February 15, 2023. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
102. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 18, 2022). "2022 St. Louis Film Critics Association winners: 'Everything Everywhere All at Once', 'Women Talking', 'Elvis'". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
103. ^ "Aftersun Leads 26th Annual TFCA Awards Winners". Toronto Film Critics Association. January 8, 2023. Archived from the original on January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
104. ^ McNiece, Mia (September 12, 2022). "Brendan Fraser Gets Emotional Accepting Highest Honor at TIFF: 'Wow, This is New for Me'". People. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
105. ^ "Program 2023". Tromsø International Film Festival. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
106. ^ "The Aurora Prize". Tromsø International Film Festival. Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
107. ^ "Collateral Awards of the 79th Venice Film Festival". La Biennale di Venezia. September 9, 2022. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
108. ^ "Venezia 79 Competition". La Biennale di Venezia. June 27, 2022. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
109. ^ "Here Are the 2022 Venice Film Festival Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. September 11, 2022. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
110. ^ "Films In Competition". queerlion.it. February 2022. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
111. ^ "16. Queer Lion Award To "aus Meiner Haut" (Skin Deep) By Alex Schaad". queerlion.it. September 9, 2022. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
112. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 12, 2022). "Washington D.C. Critics go for 'Everything Everywhere All at Once', 'Glass Onion', 'The Banshees of Inisherin'". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on December 12, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
113. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 19, 2022). "The 2022 Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC) Winners". Next Best Picture. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Official screenplay
* The Whale at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Films of Darren Aronofsky

Films directed|

* Pi (1998)
* Requiem for a Dream (2000)
* The Fountain (2006)
* The Wrestler (2008)
* Black Swan (2010)
* Noah (2014)
* Mother! (2017)
* The Whale (2022)
* Postcard from Earth (2023)
* Caught Stealing (2025)

Films written only|

* Below (2002)

Other articles|

* Soldier Boyz (1997 video game)
* One Strange Rock (2018 TV series, produced)
* Welcome to Earth (2021 TV series, produced)
* Unrealized projects

*[Ref.]: Reference
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template