Dwayne Johnson Applauds Brendan Fraser’s Comeback: He ‘Kicked Off My Hollywood Career’

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is honoring Brendan Fraser’s return to the big screen.

Johnson credited former “Mummy Returns” co-star Fraser for helping launch his own film career after making history in the WWE. The “Black Adam” actor tweeted in support of Fraser after the standing ovation for the Venice Film Festival premiere of “The Whale,” starring Fraser as a 600-pound teacher, went viral.

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“Man, this makes me so happy to see this beautiful ovation for Brendan,” Johnson wrote. “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”

Johnson starred as the Scorpion King in 2001’s “The Mummy Returns” before landing his own eponymous character spinoff film in 2002. His career later took off with “Walking Tall,” “Be Cool,” “Doom,” “Gridiron Gang,” and “Get Smart.” Up next, Johnson is set to appear in “Red One” opposite Chris Evans, star in Robert Zemeckis’ “The King” based on Hawaiian ruler King Kamehameha, and lead Shane Black’s superhero film “Doc Savage.” Additionally, Johnson is slated to star in the remake of “Big Trouble in Little China.”

As for Fraser’s comeback tour, the “Batgirl” actor will be honored at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival for the A24 and Darren Aronofsky father-daughter drama also starring Sadie Sink. Canadian-American actor Fraser will receive a TIFF tribute award for his “power and nuance” in “The Whale” performance, according to TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey.

“This former Torontonian has been an action star, a screen comic, and a romantic lead,” Bailey said of Fraser. “We’re thrilled to welcome him home as the actor behind one of the finest performances of the year.”

Fraser transformed into a reclusive English teacher looking to reconnect with his teenage daughter (Sink).

“I want to learn from the people I’m working with at this point in my career,” Fraser recently said of the role. “I’ve had such variety, a lot of high highs and low lows, so what I’m keen for, in the second half of my time doing this, is to feel like I’m contributing to the craft and I’m learning from it. This is a prime opportunity. I wanted to disappear into it. My hope was that I would become unrecognizable.”

He added, “I wanted to know what I was capable of.”

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