The whale

These ancient whale temples not only offer hope to the locals but also to researchers. Find out what information these skeletons hold and what we can learn ...

The dugong is a marine mammal and a cousin to the manatee. The people in the coastal villages pray and give offerings at whale temples for safe passage. But their bones are found in the country’s temples, meaning researchers can add another species to the area’s record. The temple was built in 1762 and is considered the oldest in the area. These places of worship are vitally important to the people in these communities. Some other notable ancient whale temples include the Lang Ong Nam Hai Temple and the Lang Tan Temple.

Makeup artist Adrien Morot accepted the award at the Sunday ceremony at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, delivering his speech as a photo of Brendan Fraser in ...

[Guy Branum](https://www.them.us/story/guy-branum-brendan-fraser-the-whale-fatsuit) similarly criticized the movie, both from the perspective of using “extreme fatness as a metaphor for gay pain” and because of the casting. “People with obesity are generally written as bad guys or as punchlines,” the director said. “I think it allows people to talk about that character as an object in a way that wouldn’t be possible if it were an actual fat person who you had to look in the eyes.” Aronofsky added that he and Morot intended to make the prosthetic realistic and not a joke. ?’” Franzese told the magazine. “We can’t take it!”

Brendan Fraser completes his comeback with a 2023 Oscar for his transformative, but controversial, lead performance in 'The Whale.'

[ he has also alleged ](https://www.gq.com/story/what-ever-happened-to-brendan-fraser) [that eight-term HFPA president Philip Berk sexually assaulted him](https://people.com/movies/brendan-fraser-says-2003-groping-incident-caused-him-emotional-and-personal-distress/). Berk was later expelled from the organization when it came out he had [sent an email](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2021-04-19/former-hfpa-president-faces-a-backlash-over-email-calling-black-lives-matter-a-hate-movement) calling Black Lives Matter a “racist hate movement,” spurring Globes broadcaster [NBC to call for his removal](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2021-04-20/nbc-dick-clark-productions-condemn-former-hfpa-presidents-actions-ask-for-his-ouster).) [Austin Butler](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/awards/drv22mcy-io-123)‘s highly praised turn as the King of rock ‘n’ roll in “Elvis.” Fraser had said in advance [he would “not participate” in the Globes ceremony](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2022-11-16/award-favorite-brendan-fraser-will-not-participate-in-the-2023-golden-globes). Though Fraser has worked steadily in television and smaller movies in recent years, he hadn’t headlined a major theatrical release since 2010’s “Extraordinary Measures” with Harrison Ford. Hunter’s play), Fraser had won more than 20 lead actor prizes from critics’ groups including the Critics’ Choice Assn., and collected the most reliable Oscar precursor: the Screen Actors Guild Award. [Journey to the Center of the Earth](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jul-13-ca-fraser13-story.html),” best picture winner “Crash,” “Gods and Monsters,” “George of the Jungle” and many others.

"The Whale" star Brendan Fraser took home the 2023 Academy Award for Best Actor, beating out Austin Butler and Colin Farrell.

“From a health perspective, it’s prohibitive…There was a chapter in the making of this film where we tried to research actors with obesity. [The Whale](https://www.indiewire.com/t/the-whale/)” debuted at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival and immediately was labeled as Fraser’s role of a lifetime. “There was really no actor that got me out of bed in the morning to make this film,” the “Mother!” helmer said. “It’s an impossible role to fill with a real person dealing with those issues,” the “Black Swan” filmmaker said. It was accurate, that was what we strived for.” “I allowed myself to acknowledge the little voice inside you that says, ‘You must do this,’” Fraser said. [Academy Awards](https://www.indiewire.com/t/academy-awards/) for his turn as a reclusive English professor grappling with his obesity and will to live. The suit was crafted by Aronofsky’s frequent collaborator, Oscar-nominated digital makeup artist Adrien Morot. Fraser, who transformed into a 600-pound man for the role by carrying between 50 and 300 extra pounds per scene, addressed the fatphobic backlash at the film’s New York City premiere. If that rapturous applause carries on throughout awards season, that may prove the most wonderful and moving moment of this whale’s journey.” [wrote Leila Latif in her review for IndieWire,](https://www.indiewire.com/2022/09/the-whale-review-brendan-fraser-darren-aronofsky-1234758357/) adding that Fraser’s emotional response to the film’s reception added to his endearing role. Hunter wrote the script based on his semi-autobiographical play of the same name.

An emotional Brendan Fraser won his first Oscar for The Whale, thanking director Darren Aronofsky "for throwing me a creative lifeline and hauling me aboard ...

Though he received acclaim in 1998 for Bill Condon’s Gods and Monsters, Hollywood mostly overlooked Fraser’s abilities. And I just want to say thank you for this acknowledgement because it couldn’t be done without my cast. “I started in this business 30 years ago and things didn’t come easily to me,” Fraser said.

An emotional Fraser got on stage and exclaimed, “so this is what the multiverse looks like!” He then continued down a nautical-themed speech thanking his cast, ...

Putting Brendan in the film was a reason to make the movie.” Despite the pedigree of the playwright and the fact that previous Oscar nominee Aronofsky was attached to direct, it took 10 years to cast the role of Charlie. When asked what he thought of the Oscar buzz back at the start of it all at the [Variety TIFF studio](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByKhfjRyymg), Fraser quoted author Herman Melville, saying: “I know not all that may come, but come what may, I will go to it laughing.” I want to tell you that only whales can swim at the depth of talent of Hong Chau [fellow nominee].” “I started in this business 30 years ago, things didn’t come easy to me but there was a facility that I didn’t appreciate at the time, until it stopped. “I’m grateful to Darren Aronofsky for throwing me a creative lifeline and hauling me aboard the good ship ‘The Whale,'” Fraser said.

Brendan Fraser won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for The Whale at the 95th Academy Awards this evening.

The 73-year-old had received widespread critical acclaim for his deeply moving performance as a terminally-ill gentleman in Living. Fraser's powerful and moving performance as a 600lb school teacher in Darren Aronofsky's The Whale had given his career a massive resurgence, while Colin Farrell had also been nominated for his career-best turn in The Banshees of Inisherin. [Will Smith](https://collider.com/will-smith-oscars-slap-affect-emancipation-reception-comments/) take home the Oscar for his portrayal of tennis patriarch Richard Williams in King Richard - although his evening was [remembered for other reasons](https://collider.com/will-smith-chris-rock-oscars-fight-slap/).

Everything Everywhere All At Once” has 11 nominations, more than any other film.

But this year, three were nominated for the top prize: Top Gun: Maverick, Avatar: The Way Of Water and Elvis. The CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Bill Kramer, said the group has implemented a “crisis team” to handle surprises at the event going forward. Will Smith was banned from attending the ceremony for 10 years. Sound: All Quiet on the Western Front, Avatar: The Way Of Water, Elvis, Top Gun: Maverick (WINNER), The Batman Original Score: All Quiet on the Western Front (WINNER), Babylon, The Banshees of Inisherin, Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Fabelmans Production Design: All Quiet on the Western Front (WINNER), Avatar: The Way Of Water, Babylon, Elvis, The Fabelmans