James Corden Reveals He Was Almost Cast In โ€˜The Whaleโ€™ Before Brendan Fraser
โ€” Updated on 27 February 2023

James Corden Reveals He Was Almost Cast In โ€˜The Whaleโ€™ Before Brendan Fraser

โ€” Updated on 27 February 2023
Garry Lu
WORDS BY
Garry Lu

Darren Aronofskyโ€™s critically-lauded The Whale was almost a slightly different film โ€“ one that wouldโ€™ve been led by divisive comedian and public persona James Corden.

โ€œI was going to play that part and Tom Ford was going to direct,โ€ James Corden told Deadline, before adding this iteration of the project ultimately didnโ€™t happen due to billionaire fashion designer-cum-filmmakerโ€™s desire for โ€œcomplete control.โ€

The outgoing host of The Late Late Show also believed he may have been โ€œtoo youngโ€ to do the role eventually brought to Academy Nominated-life by Brendan Fraser any justice.

Interestingly enough, at one stage, George Clooney was interested in directing, but on the condition an actual 600-pound unknown could be found to play the lead role. As you can imagine, the complications surrounding that particular demand were a major non-starter for everyone else involved. Which is how it eventually landed with Darren Aronofsky.

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Adapted from the MacArthur-winning stage play written by Samuel D. Hunter, The Whale involves the story of a reclusive English teacher named Charlie (Brendan Fraser) โ€“ an incredibly overweight individual who developed a compulsive eating disorder after his gay lover, who he abandoned his own family for, commits suicide.

Now struggling with congestive heart failure, Charlie attempts to reconnect with his estranged 17-year-old daughter Ellie (Sadie Sink) before itโ€™s too late. And as you will have probably heard, Fraser knocks it out of the park.

In addition to receiving an Oscar nod for Best Actor and an emotional six-minute standing ovation at the 2022 Venice Film Festival, hereโ€™s what the critics had to sayโ€ฆ

โ€œThe Whale wouldnโ€™t be as effective if it wasnโ€™t for the incredible lead performance given by Brendan Fraserโ€ฆ and I donโ€™t think anyone could have played Charlie the way Fraser did.โ€

โ€œYouโ€™ll gaze dumbfounded at the screen for 1 hour 57 minutes. Pulled into an emotional black hole that offers no easy exit. Thatโ€™s an incredible, mind-numbing feat.โ€

โ€œAt times, it feels like youโ€™re watching a stage play, but Fraserโ€™s performance is one for the ages.โ€

โ€œFraser, so good, takes what could be a joke, a flat tragedy, or even a lecture about weight and imbues it with gorgeous humanity.โ€

โ€œThe Brenaissance is here.โ€

Not that weโ€™re implying James Corden is anywhere near Brendan Fraserโ€™s level when it comes to the dramatic arts โ€“ not even in the same universe, if weโ€™re being honest โ€“ but perhaps starring in The Whale wouldโ€™ve made the Brit slightly more likable. God knows he could use the positive PR.

James Corden Was Almost Cast In Tom Ford Version Of The Whale

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Garry Lu
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After stretching his legs with companies such as The Motley Fool and the odd marketing agency, Garry joined Boss Hunting in 2019 as a fully-fledged Content Specialist. In 2021, he was promoted to News Editor. Garry proudly retains a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, black bruises from Muay Thai, as well as a black belt in all things pop culture. Drop him a line at [email protected]

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