In 2022, fans proclaimed the ‘Brenaissance’: The portmanteau of “Brendan” and “Renaissance” describes the return of Brendan Fraser after the actor’s career was inactive for a long time due to depression. With ‘The Whale’, ‘The Mummy’ star finally made a triumphant comeback, which was rewarded, among other things, with an Oscar for Best Actor. But what did Fraser do between his great successes in the 90s and Darren Aronofksy’s Kammerspiel?
There were no major role offers especially in the 2010s, and even a decade earlier, Fraser struggled to return to his heyday. He played his last major leading roles in 2008 in ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth’ and ‘Inkheart’, after which the star fell silent.
But it wasn’t just moviegoers who often wondered how Brendan Fraser was doing during this phase – The 54-year-old also left a lasting impression on fans of the series. Among his TV roles, one performance clearly stands out: In 2002 and 2004, Fraser appeared for a total of three episodes in the legendary hospital sitcom “Scrubs – The Beginnersto see.
Here he played Ben Sullivan, the ex-brother-in-law and friend of Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley), who visits Sacred Heart Teaching Hospital after a board is nailed through his hand – and is unexpectedly diagnosed with leukemia on the spot.
Zach Braff’s moving words about Brendan Fraser
Fraser responded to Sullivan’s sad story with an unwavering optimism that moved many of the millions of Scrubs viewers to tears – and made Ben a fan favorite, even though he wasn’t part of the cast of the tragicomic sitcom for long. In conversation with came leading man Zach Braff to Fraser’s short but impressive performance – and couldn’t stop raving about it.
“I got goosebumps when you asked me about him,” Braff told the interviewer. “I have such a warm place in my heart for this man. I loved spending time with him. I think his episode on Scrubs is probably the most talked about episode in nine seasons of the show.
“People loved his character and supported him. They just love this man, and they love the actor. Brendan has stayed in my life all these years simply because I have nine million Polaroid photos that I took just because of him.” Both Fraser and his character are avid amateur photographers – a passion that also extends to Braff.
“I’m so happy for him,” Braff added, referencing Fraser’s successful (and long-awaited) big-screen comeback. “You really couldn’t meet a nicer person. He is simply the best!”