Brendan Fraser Shares the Sweet Way His Kids Surprised Him After His Oscar Nomination

Brendan Fraser's kids made sure receiving his Oscar nomination was a moment he'd never forget.

The actor scored an Oscar nomination, his first, when he was named among the five nominees for Best Actor, recognized for his performance in The Whale. Speaking to Extra about the exciting milestone, Fraser said his three sons helped to make the moment even more special.

Asked what was going through his mind when he heard the news, the 54-year-old shared, "Astonishment and surprise, because my kids surprised me with cake and balloons."

"They sneaked into the house, they had a plan," he said with a laugh. "That and the feeling that sharing that moment with my loved ones is now a core memory of mine."

Fraser shares sons Leland, 16, Holden, 18, and Griffin, 20, with ex-wife Afton Smith.

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After receiving the nomination last week, Fraser reacted to the news in a statement obtained by PEOPLE, saying he is "absolutely overjoyed and deeply grateful to The Academy for this recognition and for recognizing Hong Chau's beautiful 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!"

David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Brendan Fraser

Fraser and Smith split in December 2007, and the former couple has continued to co-parent their children together, with Fraser noting in a 2018 GQ interview that his children visit him "all the time."

Though Fraser doesn't share much about his kids, he has talked about them from time to time in interviews. Most recently, his sons Holden and Leland made a rare public appearance as they joined Fraser for a screening of his film The Whale.

The actor posed for photos with his boys ahead of the screening, where he was also joined by girlfriend Jeanne Moore.