Brendan Fraser earns first Golden Globe nomination despite saying he won’t attend

Actor spoke earlier about grim ‘history’ with the association that hosts the ceremony

Brendan Fraser has received his first Golden Globe nomination, despite previously saying he wouldn’t attend.

On Monday (12 December), the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which hosts the ceremony, announced the list of nominees for their upcoming 2023 awards.

Fraser, who leads The Whale as an obese and reclusive English teacher attempting to reconnect with his estranged daughter, earned a nod for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture Drama, alongside Austin Butler (Elvis), Hugh Jackman (The Son), Bill Nighy (Living) and Jeremy Pope (The Inspection).

However, before the nominations were released, the 54-year-old actor had told GQ that he “will not participate” in the 2023 Golden Globes even if he received a nomination.

“It’s because I have more history with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association than I have respect for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association,” Fraser said.

In 2018, Fraser alleged that he was groped by Philip Berk, the former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, at a luncheon in 2003.

Berk firmly denied the claims, calling Fraser’s account “a total fabrication”. No charges were ever brought against Berk, but Fraser did receive an apology from the HFPA.

Brendan Fraser in ‘The Whale’ (A24 Via AP)

The Independent has contacted Fraser’s representative for comment.

While Fraser vowed to sit out the 12 January awards show, hosted by Jerrod Carmichael, he did say he’s fully committed to campaigning for the film to win an Oscar.

“I owe it to myself. I owe it to the filmmakers. I know I owe it to those fans who paid to come and see me and stand in line in the sun and, you know, all of that. I owe it to my kids. This is my shot,” he said.

Read The Independent’s four-star review of The Whale here.

The Whale is out in US cinemas now and in the UK on 3 February 2023.

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