Brendan Fraser. Remember him?
After starring in string of blockbusters throughout the ’90s and early ’00s, including “George of the Jungle” and “The Mummy,” the action star seemingly disappeared from view at the peak of his popularity.
Now, he’s opening up about where he went, and why.
In a shocking new interview with GQ, the 49-year-old actor says one of the primary reasons his career waned in the early 2000s was due to an alleged sexual assault at the hands of Philip Berk, a former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which hosts the Golden Globes.
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Related: Why do people have so much trouble believing male victims of sexual assault?
The alleged assault happened at an industry luncheon back in 2003. Fraser can still recall it in vivid detail.
“His left hand reaches around, grabs my ass cheek, and one of his fingers touches me in the taint. And he starts moving it around,” he says. “I felt ill. I felt like a little kid. I felt like there was a ball in my throat. I thought I was going to cry.”
Fraser says Berk later apologized, but that he was so disturbed over the incident that he retreated from the spotlight.
“It made me feel reclusive,” he says. “I became depressed. I was blaming myself and I was miserable–because I was saying, ‘This is nothing; this guy reached around and he copped a feel.’”
Fraser credits the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements for giving him the courage to speak about his experience.
“I watched this wonderful [Time’s Up] movement, these people with the courage to say what I didn’t have the courage to say,” he says. “Am I still frightened? Absolutely. Do I feel like I need to say something? Absolutely. Have I wanted to many, many times? Absolutely. Have I stopped myself? Absolutely.”
Related: James Franco erased from “Vanity Fair” cover, “a mess” over sexual assault allegations
“And maybe I am over-reacting in terms of what the instance was. I just know what my truth is.”
Berk denies the allegations, saying “Mr. Fraser’s version is a total fabrication. My apology admitted no wrongdoing, the usual ‘If I’ve done anything that upset Mr. Fraser, it was it was not intended and I apologize.’”
Meanwhile, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced this week that it will be launching an investigation into the incident. In a statement to Us Weekly, the association says:
The HFPA stands firmly against sexual harassment and the type of behavior described in this article. Over the years we’ve continued a positive working relationship with Brendan, which includes announcing Golden Globe nominees, attending the ceremony and participating in press conferences. This report includes alleged information that the HFPA was previously unaware of and at this time we are investigating further details surrounding the incident.
Related: #MeToo and me: Is there such a thing as a gray area when it comes to sexual assault?
ChrisK
I man come on. Doesn’t he know the Hollywood rules. You want to get somewhere you better learn to like getting fingered by guys 3x your age.
Guys like Brian Singer would be really lonely with those kinds of perks.
Brian Lange
ASs usual the queens are now taking the torch of sexual abuse go figure
ChrisK
I have to admit though. I’ve always had a crush on Mr Fraser. I have a thing for cute and dorky guys.
ChrisK
Oh and lastly when he going to come out? Maybe this is the moment like Spacey.
ChrisK
I don’t think one reach around from some creepy guy was what stalled your career though. Most of us would be in therapy if that’s all it takes.
Being type cast and maybe his hair loss issues. He’s practically bald and the hair plugs aren’t exactly the best done. He should’ve done the Vin Deisal look.
nmharleyrider
There we go again, blaming the victim. No wonder they don’t come out. Not every one is so jaded that they would just ignore those actions and forget about them.
Caine
@nmharleyrider #witchhunt the allegation is laughable
Brian
Stop the cliches and learn to read for comprehension Harley, there is no victim blaming here. Most of us have had some variation of the same thing happen to us and somehow we’ve survived without giving up our careers and becoming recluses.
I see you’ve copied and pasted the same response multiple times. Drama queen.
GentlemanCaller
Oh please, precious. Some old guy grabbed your ass once and that caused you to clutch your pearls so hard you lost sight of your career? Either he’s not telling the whole story, or he’s using a single instance of unwanted groping to explain away a career that went off the rails for other reasons (not to be cruel, but like maybe the boyish charm that lofted him (because it certainly wasn’t acting chops) was starting to fade?) At some point we need to recognize that there is a very big spectrum between Harvey Weinstein and someone patting your bum at a banquet, and it’s not all equally devastating.
nmharleyrider
There we go again, blaming the victim. No wonder they don’t come out. Not every one is so jaded that they would just ignore those actions and forget about them.
Caine
@nmharleyrider #witchhunt the allegation is laughable
Brian Lange
when Corey Feldman was talking about REAL actual sexual events dude was somehow involved out of nowhere
robert_moore
“because it certainly wasn’t acting chops”. My bet is you have seen one or two movies. He has quite a few “acting chops” and not just a few awards. Here are a few of his best outside the action-adventure genre. Gods and Monsters, Crash, The Quiet American, School Ties. I suppose that doesn’t suit your general impulse to queenly snark.
Sam6969
It is likely that this event triggered past wounds, substantiating them and opening (or continuing) the path to a painful process, paved with other core-related painful events in various degrees. Here, it seems abuse, exploitation, belittling, rejection and their consequences on his body and mind were involved.
The fact this particular abuse of power was sexual in nature shook him to the core, even more deeply, and he felt like it was a cardinal moment for him in the decline of his career.
We all have weaker spots and often hidden wounds, men included…and such a sexual abuse might be (almost) nothing for someone, while it opens the can of worms for others.
Whatever the abuse, big or small, from an outsider point of view, do not judge someone, if you do not know what impact it has on his inner life.
Larry Topping
Very good, Sam6969. I was having those same thoughts, after I read the interview. What you’re saying is very likely. Maybe he can’t reveal his deeper past trauma, his “… hidden wounds …” at this time OR maybe it’s repressed and he can’t consciously remember it … it’s an explanation that would make sense of why such a groping would have “… shook him to the core …” as you say.
Sam6969
Larry Topping,
Yes, that is what I felt reading his account. I think particular events can revive and deepen a low self-esteem, in breaking defense mechanisms against painful subconscious contents. However, it seems everything goes a bit better for him, now. It seems his horse plays almost the role of a therapist 🙂 Animals can have such a soothing/healing effect.
Brian
His career was already well into decline by 2003.
seaguy
That would explain how an ass grab with a bit of finger poking could lead someone to become withdrawn and depressed to that extent. I think most people would have moved on after being a little angry or weirded out by it.
Andrew Yang
Well said Sam6969. This may have been a secondary trauma that reignited one or multiple primary traumas. Trauma is a complex issue, which affects different people in different ways.
I am really so alarmed at how quick we are to judge before getting all the facts. When will we change?
Sam6969
Also, I forgot to say I read the original interview…not sure everyone did…;)
JaredMacBride
Fraser wasn’t a kid at the time; he was 33. At that age most good looking guys in the movie business had been groped like that, or worse. You’d expect an adult to have better coping skills.
nmharleyrider
There we go again, blaming the victim. No wonder they don’t make these incidents public. Not every one is so jaded that they would just ignore those actions and forget about them.
JaredMacBride
#mharleyrider – In this case the only one doing any blaming is the alleged victim.
Doug
I read a statement that Mr. Berk did admit to pinching Fraser’s butt but is denying that it went any further than that (the “taint” accusation). Since when does the Hollywood Foreign Press have the clout to blacklist an actor like a studio or a producer does? I’m finding it hard to believe that Fraser got this traumatized – in Hollywood, of all places – over this incident. He was an incredibly handsome guy, but he gained weight, lost his hair, and his movies tanked; there were also rumors about alcohol and marriage issues.
gft77
Brendan Fraser had something happen to him that happens to so many others….He got older, put on weight, and started losing his hair. According to IMDB Fraser didn’t leave Hollywood, even though he talked about feeling like a recluse. I would say the images of him in GQ aren’t great, but they’re a lot better than what he looked like not that long ago. Check out his hairline here.
http://i3.lisimg.com/2742173/280full.jpg
Jbaltes
This sounds a bit over the top! One feel supposedly ruins your career! ? Get a grip and wake up to the real world. I’m in no way condoning legitimate sexual abuse, but this is NOT in that category…and if that incident had the impact he described, he was not stable to begin with. I’m thinking a bit of a “wrestling match” with his own sexuality!
Caine
THANK YOU – I totally agree. It is ridiculous to put THIS in the same category as what has happened to some of the real victims.
Mandrake
Yes, Fraser’s account is very hard to believe as to why his career went down hill. And to you, NMHARLEY RIDER, nobody in this thread is “blaming the victim”, but he certain is being questioned, and he should be! And, exactly how would an incident like this from a single luncheon in 2003 be investigated?
pscheck2
It is hard for me to believe that a group of the ass has traumatize a grown man of 33! I was molested when I was 14 by an old prev. employed by this store (I was a stock boy) we worked in. (Had a hard time in confession trying to explain (my sin?) to the priest! Other than that, I suffered no trama over it ( He jerked me o**–must admit I had conflicting feelings while it was happening! No, what is happening he is jumping on the bandwagon of sexual abusers to explain away his failure as an ‘A’ actor and not for the real reason of his ‘fall’ which was his lack of appeal to his fan base.
He BGB
I’ve taken notice that I stopped seeing certain actors for years and years, Brendan being one of those. Mira Sorvino another. And wondered if it was that they just gave up acting for a more family life. Then these stories come out and it has to be more than a coincidence. Their stories are either true or they aged out of the business. I thought the Mummy movies were dreadful so I thought in his case, the roles disappeared after his looks faded.
rand503
Rosie McDonnell said it best. After she had done a couple of movies where she was a supporting actress, someone asked her about her “movie career.” She went off saying, WHAT career? So she did a couple of movies — that’s not a career. That’s about all her quota in life was ever going to be, so she dropped the stars in the eyes thing and got real about her tv show and other show biz. And she said that anyone who thinks they have a movie career just because they did a few movies when they were young, cute ,and the new flavor of the month is just deluding themselves.
o.codone
The good news is that he doesn’t have to worry about that happening again.
dwes09
Ah! precisely the kind of comment we expect from the drug addled mind of a regressive.
Brian Lange
maybe he needs to see if oxycodones are being abused by some indiscreet loser bragging he takes narcotics a jack ass it is so high school
o.codone
Brian Lange. Punctuation is our friend. Try using it and maybe you can hide your illiteracy.
@dwes. Please shut up you old goat.
NCSilverBear
Kudos to Fraser for finding the courage to speak out.
dwes09
It is a shame he never lived up to the promise displayed in “Gods and Monsters”, making poor career choices and appearing in the worst possible films. I suspect that has as much to do with his lack of roles as any sexual advances might have.
As for those laughing about the loss of his looks, hopefully you are all making plans to die young and avoid similar degeneration. That is the only alternative boys except to become a gross caricature of yourself through “cosmetic” surgery or age as gracefully as possible.
Had he played his cards right, he might have had a similar career path to Harvey Keitel as a character actor of note.
jimontp
Thanks for mentioning “Gods and Monsters,” one of the great gay films with Sir Ian McKellan chewing up the scenery as Jimmy Whale, the aging gay director of the Bride of Frankenstein among other memorable films. Fraser plays the role of the “innocent” pool boy/gardener who agrees to pose for Jimmy’s drawings. Having played that role, I have a hard time understanding Fraser’s trauma. Who knows? Maybe playing that role made him hypersensitive to an older man grabbing his ass.
I agree completely about Fraser’s “loss of looks.” Having lived through all the AIDS plague years in SF through the 80s and 90s, I would give anything to have all my friends and lovers living long enough to see them age through their “loss of looks.”
Donston
I mean, it’s a lil hard to buy into the idea that this one instance traumatized him and forced him to become recluse or had a a ton to do with his fading career. He’s always been a goofy, not all that talented dude that happened to stumble upon a decent career (at least decent as in headlining some big budget movies). But many of his movies failed, and he didn’t physically age well. That probably had much more to do with his lagging career. And it’s not like he had the chops to lean back on. When this incident happened he’d already been in the industry for many, many years and likely experienced worse, saw worse and heard about worse. Everyone deals with things differently, but it’s hard to completely buy into his reasoning. However, yeah, that HFPA dude is a scumbag.
ddevine
These comments are outrageous. The taint is an incredibly personal area and not a place anyone needs to be going for out of nowhere. I don’t even like an ass grabbing, let alone that. Imagine, if you will, a female boss of 55 or 60 coming up on you and aggressively grabbing that area right behind your balls. Unlikely you’d want to return to work again. That would be incredibly unsettling.
Donston
That wasn’t his boss though.
If it happened the way Brendan claims (and I have no reason to believe it didn’t) it was incredibly unfortunate. But to say that his career was shattered because of it and it made him go recluse is probably a stretch.
Sam6969
Actually, as it is reported, he said that this experience was “the final piece” that made him retreat and felt reclusive. So, this event was probably another trigger, like pushing the wrong button that led to a collapse of his self-esteem. The low self-esteem was probably already there underneath (maybe showing as the “goofy guy”), but he says it got worse after that and it played certainly a huge role in his career choices, the way he pushed his body to the limits, and the way he handled things in general.
Btw, the president of HFPA was certainly a powerful and influential figure and it might be enough to freeze for a few seconds, particularly if it calls back to personal history and insecurities. We do not know what kind of fear is passing through people’s mind. Some people are torn about what to do and it can even happen to the strongest ones for various reasons.
Remember:
https://www.queerty.com/terry-crews-reveals-sexual-assault-hands-high-level-male-hollywood-exec-20171011
Sam6969
Quoting from the article: “Fraser eventually was able, he says, to remove Berk’s hand. “I felt ill. I felt like a little kid. I felt like there was a ball in my throat. I thought I was going to cry.” »
roth99
I agree totally. These trolls continue to blame the victims. Even when 250 young women and girls came out against their team doctor, some seemed to think they were not telling the truth or doing it for the publicity. It is not nearly as comparable, but the testimony of the Holocost survivors shows what causes one to fall apart will keep another going for just one more day. Many soldiers returning home suffer from PTSD and they were not anywhere near a battle situation. When I was in the draft during the Vietnam War, some of the guys being drafted were falling apart even during our basic training. Maybe the folks most expected to support and aid the victims were the first to run away and others did not but helped at the expense of their own lives others.
roth99
What one thinks is a sexual abuse, another might think is a love pat. I think if this happened, and there is no reason to think it did not, only Mr. Frasier can know what effect it had upon him. One needs to evaluate every such claim individually. Who would benefit from a false claim of sexual abuse? I would say at this time certainly not he, due to the fame of this actor and his success. Will it enable him to obtain more work in Hollywood? I can’t see that either. For others to say this is nothing and to be expected when you come to Hollywood or any other workspace, again indirectly attacks the victims and allows the abuses to continue with impunity.
OzJosh
I’d be the first to say Brendan Fraser is an under-rated actor, having seen him on stage in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof and in some of his more. recent television appearances. That said, I have no doubt that this is a cynical, opportunistic attempt to jump on the MeToo bandwagon in a desperate attempt to kickstart a career that has not lived up to it’s initial Hollywood promise. That is entirely down to Fraser not ageing well and not carving out a niche beyond the hunky hero he was able to play as a younger man. The incident he describes may well have happened. But the trauma he ascribes to it is utterly unbelievable.
fridaynightlights
More attention seeking by not-so-marketable stars. Although what they have been subjected to – if true – is deplorable. F those sad – azz perverts who prey on those more attractive than themselves.
Kieran
It sounds like if he had shot this guy he’d have a terrific gay panic defense argument.
ptb2016
It seems a bit strange that such a big man, and Brendan Fraser is tall and muscular, or was, should be so traumatised by just a grope. Perhaps he is using this as an excuse for his disappearance from big movies, could it be that his weight explosion or possible alcohol problems be the reason? Being an attractive man who showed off his incredible physique in George of the Jungle, and in God’s and Monsters, in which he played a Gardner being groped by gay director James Whale, be surprised he gets some unwelcome attention. And after years in the business such things should have come as no surprise, and he should have early on learned how to deal with them. And as I said Brendan is a very big man. This comment reminds me of something I read recently about Fabian who was a big star in the 60s, in which he said he left the business because he was fed up with all the Come ons he got from older gay men, including his agent! I mean, why not just say no and get a new agent? Sorry Brendan, but I think I saw a band wagon passing by…
Sam6969
Well, I would say that we can only grasp what is within our reach…
Now, talking about reaching something…it is true that James Whale (Ian McKellen) groped Clayton Boone (Brendan Fraser), but the actual crotch groping was barely suggested. It probably did not happen, as it was acting, though we cannot say for sure 😉
The fact is that the whole scene was clearly traumatic for Clayton Boone, meaning Fraser’s ability to convey panic was very convincing. After just watching the movie, it is uncanny how many symbolic parallels we can make between this scene (and others in the movie), with the (alleged) rubbing of his taint by an already old Berk, and the feelings of rejection (and injustice) he had on how he was treated in his career, just like the painter.
The painter James Whale, as described by McKellen, was psychologically scarred and he had a sense of not belonging and being rejected, which rang a little bell in the gardener’s mind and own relationship with his father. Ian McKellen’s character resorted to withdraw, before his time, from his Hollywood career, because he felt he did not fit, was worn out, fed up with the system. He wanted to recover his freedom, but discovered that too much freedom is not good either… So, yes the movie might be an interesting reflexive tool (and an act of synchronicity), almost prophetic in some respects, to try better understand Fraser’s psychology and life.
Granted, it is all about intuition and speculation, as we cannot be sure of anything from where we are, but it is something we can also say of other guesses… 🙂 More investigation would be required.
CarlIsle
Is this a legitimate story or a hoax? I can’t take it seriously.
I don’t deny that it would have been unpleasant but no well adjusted human being could possibly be traumatised and depressed as a result of merely having been touched. If this is true, Fraser clearly needs to learn to put things into perspective.
DuMaurier
I more or less agree with you except I wouldn’t use the word “hoax”. Fraser’s extreme reaction is not the norm, I think it’s safe to say. But I don’t think he’s lying; what I think is that this incident triggered something specific to his experiences and inner “trauma”. That doesn’t change the fact that of course no one should do something like this to someone non-consensually, period. But I don’t think it’s fair to gauge the seriousness of the violation by someone’s individual reaction. Just because Fraser (and again, I’m not judging him) reacted as if he’d been forcibly raped that doesn’t mean we need to classify the perp as a rapist. I also wonder if everything has to be aired in public, except when you’re exposing someone who’s a danger to society, which doesn’t seem the case here. Don’t they have shrinks anymore?
Sam6969
Exposing such things publicly might help him in his personal struggle, but it can also help discover other “victims” (I do not like this word) of that guy (if they exist) and help them talk too. On a bigger scale, it simply helps people realize males can also suffer from sexual assault (not necessarily rape) and subsequent PTSD.
CarlIsle
DuMaurier What makes Fraser’s reaction even more ridiculous to me is that the grope was over clothing, not skin to skin. I find it offensive to all genuine victims of sexual abuse that this is being billed as a case of “sexual assault”.
Also, have you ever performed a reach around from the front on a consenting playmate? You have to be in an embrace to be able to reach the gooch with your hand. Which begs the question, if this really did happen, were Fraser and Berk in an embrace at the time and did Berk misinterpret signs and quite legitimately think Fraser was up for some fun?
Brody
Dear Brendan –
Next time this happens, curl your fingers until your hand becomes a hardened weapon, then apply that weapon to the face of your assaulter. The end result will be that your assaulter is unlikely to pull that stunt again on anyone.
That’s what separates real men from the Brendan Frasers and Terry Crews of the world. Rather than retreat, crying, into a corner, real men will fight back.
CarlIsle
It takes even less effort to step away from the sleazebag when he grabs your butt so he can’t move his hand anywhere near your taint.
GayEGO
Times are changing and victims who are sexually assaulted the first time need to prepare to have proof for the following assaults, and do not take money unless you are OK with it.
jjunke
career down the tubes………got to say something to let people know he’s still around.
seaguy
I googled Phillip Berk to see who he was and one of the top headlines was that homophobic right winger and Trumptard James Woods’ supports Brendan Fraser.
surreal33
Mr Fraser if your tale of sexual abuse was released 5 years ago you might have an ounce of creditability. The timing of your story is EXTREMELY suspect and it has the distinct aroma of bullshit!!!
Also, most men would have beat the shit out of a man who just randomly grabbed their ass?
Why are you such a bitch-ass-trick?
Mr Fraser, your story, and actions seem to be that of an over-the-hill, desperate, has been seeking one last shot at celebrity.
heckles202
I bet you’re a powerbottom.
Greg
Does Brendan know what his taint is? I’m assuming that Brendan was standing when the assault occured. “His left hand reaches around, grabs my ass cheek, and one of his fingers touches me in the taint. And he starts moving it around,” Okay, the left hand grabs his ass cheek, but the guy couldn’t touch his taint unless he reached under. Maybe he means he touched his hole?