Brendan Fraser to play obese 600lb recluse in new drama The Whale

00:53

The Whale: Brendan Fraser to play obese 600lb character in new drama

Brendan Fraser is set to star as a 600lb reclusive man in Darren Aronofsky's new drama The Whale.

The film is an adaptation of Samuel D. Hunter's off-broadway play about a morbidly obese recluse who is desperate to reconnect with his teenage daughter.

To inhabit the role, Fraser underwent a significant physical transformation and the first images of his character have been shared ahead of release.

It is the Hollywood star's first lead role in nearly a decade, following 2013’s straight-to-DVD thriller Breakout.

Click here to sign up for our newsletters.

Up next

Scott Mills opens first BBC Radio 2 Breakfast show with special pledge

01:11

Scott Mills opens first BBC Radio 2 Breakfast show with special pledge

Paul McCartney urges government crackdown on AI copyright

01:07

Paul McCartney urges government crackdown on AI copyright

Ariana Grande responds to the ‘holding space’ meme

02:03

Ariana Grande responds to the ‘holding space’ meme

Megyn Kelly rants against trans Emilia Perez star after Oscars nod

02:13

Megyn Kelly rants against trans Emilia Perez star after Oscars nod

Editor’s Picks

Cancelled: The rise and fall of Aung San Suu Kyi Documentary

56:11

Cancelled: The rise and fall of Aung San Suu Kyi Documentary

WWE duo Pretty Deadly take us through a workout

03:34

WWE duo Pretty Deadly take us through a workout

Travel along with us on the Silk Road to Uzbekistan

05:17

Travel along with us on the Silk Road to Uzbekistan

The Brookside kiss that made a lesbian storyline mainstream

03:22

The Brookside kiss that made a lesbian storyline mainstream

More Editor’s Picks

Travel Smart

What to do when you visit Jamaica

04:42

What to do when you visit Jamaica

How to make the most of your trip to Italy’s Amalfi Coast

04:46

How to make the most of your trip to Italy’s Amalfi Coast

Here’s where to avoid the tourist crowds in Spain

06:17

Here’s where to avoid the tourist crowds in Spain

How to make the most of your city break in the USA

05:14

How to make the most of your city break in the USA

More Travel Smart

That Dress

How Melania and Donald Trump’s awkward kiss got everyone speculating

02:03

How Melania and Donald Trump’s awkward kiss got everyone speculating

The Brookside kiss that made a lesbian storyline mainstream

03:22

The Brookside kiss that made a lesbian storyline mainstream

The Spider-Man kiss was an ordeal for both actors but it was worth it

02:15

The Spider-Man kiss was an ordeal for both actors but it was worth it

The green dress Keira Knightley wore everyone wanted

02:22

The green dress Keira Knightley wore everyone wanted

More That Dress

Binge Watch

How filming took an actor to the Sahara and Arctic Ocean

06:11

How filming took an actor to the Sahara and Arctic Ocean

The ‘intense challenge’ of filming Netflix’s American Primeval

07:50

The ‘intense challenge’ of filming Netflix’s American Primeval

Nicholas Hoult and Bill Skarsgård faced their fears filming Nosferatu

06:21

Nicholas Hoult and Bill Skarsgård faced their fears filming Nosferatu

How Gotham got a fresh spin with The Penguin

02:19

How Gotham got a fresh spin with The Penguin

More Binge Watch

Music Box

Lemoncello perform ‘Old Friend’ in Music Box session

05:49

Lemoncello perform ‘Old Friend’ in Music Box session

Lemoncello perform ‘Sunflower’ in Music Box session

05:45

Lemoncello perform ‘Sunflower’ in Music Box session

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Wishes’ for Music Box session

04:13

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Wishes’ for Music Box session

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Mudroom’ in Music Box session

03:58

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Mudroom’ in Music Box session

On The Ground

Searching for the ‘Whitby Woman’

03:51

Searching for the ‘Whitby Woman’

On the campaign trail with Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg

04:18

On the campaign trail with Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg

Life at 50C: Delhi’s streets struggling to cope with heatwave

06:26

Life at 50C: Delhi’s streets struggling to cope with heatwave

Indian farmers use election to make voices heard against Narendra Modi

04:30

Indian farmers use election to make voices heard against Narendra Modi

More On The Ground

Behind The Headlines

What would a President Trump 2.0 look like?

10:42

What would a President Trump 2.0 look like?

When will the Cost of Living Crisis end?

06:27

When will the Cost of Living Crisis end?

How airlines greenwash the skies

07:23

How airlines greenwash the skies

Is it time to panic over AI? | Behind The Headlines

06:35

Is it time to panic over AI? | Behind The Headlines

More Behind The Headlines

Decomplicated

What is tactical voting - and why could it be a powerful tool?

07:25

What is tactical voting - and why could it be a powerful tool?

Are ultra-processed foods bad for you?

04:31

Are ultra-processed foods bad for you?

Why are UK councils going bankrupt?

07:30

Why are UK councils going bankrupt?

What causes the winter flu and how does it differ from other types?

03:34

What causes the winter flu and how does it differ from other types?

More Decomplicated

News

Kate and William pay emotional tribute to Holocaust survivors

00:50

Kate and William pay emotional tribute to Holocaust survivors

Selena Gomez breaks down in tears discussing deportation policy

00:34

Selena Gomez breaks down in tears discussing deportation policy

Man who stabbed daughter in ‘play fight’ complains about holiday plans

00:43

Man who stabbed daughter in ‘play fight’ complains about holiday plans

Rare moment baby albino turtle hatches right in front of beachgoers

00:29

Rare moment baby albino turtle hatches right in front of beachgoers

Sport

Watch: Amorim takes swipe at Rashford's commitment to Man Utd

01:02

Watch: Amorim takes swipe at Rashford's commitment to Man Utd

Arne Slot says Liverpool were ‘almost perfect’ in victory over Ipswich

01:13

Arne Slot says Liverpool were ‘almost perfect’ in victory over Ipswich

Novak Djokovic breaks silence after retiring from Australian Open

00:41

Novak Djokovic breaks silence after retiring from Australian Open

'Best for everyone' if Rashford leaves Man United, says Rio Ferdinand

00:56

'Best for everyone' if Rashford leaves Man United, says Rio Ferdinand

Climate

Surfers ride powerful 13ft waves amid weather warning

00:49

Surfers ride powerful 13ft waves amid weather warning

Floodwaters rage across Yelville as residents evacuated from homes

00:33

Floodwaters rage across Yelville as residents evacuated from homes

Greece shuts down Acropolis as temperatures hit almost 40 degrees

01:00

Greece shuts down Acropolis as temperatures hit almost 40 degrees

Eerie tornado sirens ring through downtown Chicago

00:31

Eerie tornado sirens ring through downtown Chicago

Lifestyle

Jake Paul parties with 'best friend' Mike Tyson at Trump inauguration

00:20

Jake Paul parties with 'best friend' Mike Tyson at Trump inauguration

Donald Trump leans in to kiss Melania Trump ahead of inauguration

00:24

Donald Trump leans in to kiss Melania Trump ahead of inauguration

Jamie Theakston cries in first radio show back after cancer treatment

01:28

Jamie Theakston cries in first radio show back after cancer treatment

Whale rescued after becoming tangled in discarded ocean plastic

00:24

Whale rescued after becoming tangled in discarded ocean plastic

Will Bayley's Electric Road Trip

Paralympian Will Bayley puts his “Range Anxiety” to the test

03:29

Paralympian Will Bayley puts his “Range Anxiety” to the test

The feel-good perks of living the Electric Vehicle lifestyle

03:07

The feel-good perks of living the Electric Vehicle lifestyle

Paralympian Will Bayley checks the performance of electric vehicles

03:07

Paralympian Will Bayley checks the performance of electric vehicles

To EV or not to EV? Paralympian Will Bayley considers electric cars

03:24

To EV or not to EV? Paralympian Will Bayley considers electric cars

Saudi Cup

Saudi Cup: ‘A true display of horsemanship’, says Prince Bandar

01:36

Saudi Cup: ‘A true display of horsemanship’, says Prince Bandar

Princess Nourah praises young fashion designers on show at Saudi Cup

00:42

Princess Nourah praises young fashion designers on show at Saudi Cup

Andrew Strauss says Saudi is an eye opener

01:26

Andrew Strauss says Saudi is an eye opener

Saudi Arabia is ‘pushing limits’ of fashion creativity

00:32

Saudi Arabia is ‘pushing limits’ of fashion creativity

Galaxy The Ripple Effect

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on the imposter syndrome epidemic

04:23

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on the imposter syndrome epidemic

Finance coach Ellie Austin-Williams on the psychology of money

04:26

Finance coach Ellie Austin-Williams on the psychology of money

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on how to tackle imposter syndrome

01:01

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on how to tackle imposter syndrome

Simple ways to boost your money situation with Ellie Austin-Williams

01:07

Simple ways to boost your money situation with Ellie Austin-Williams

Big In America

Can Willsow’s children’s books pique the interest of the US market?

15:55

Can Willsow’s children’s books pique the interest of the US market?

Will the founders of Spice Kitchen be able to find US retailers?

16:33

Will the founders of Spice Kitchen be able to find US retailers?

Co-founders of See.Sense bring their cycle safe tech to New York City

16:06

Co-founders of See.Sense bring their cycle safe tech to New York City

Collctiv fintech founder Amy Whitell tries to crack the US tech market

15:01

Collctiv fintech founder Amy Whitell tries to crack the US tech market

More Big In America

Saudi Green Initiative

Saudi government doesn’t ‘pay lip service’ on climate action

01:16

Saudi government doesn’t ‘pay lip service’ on climate action

SGI ‘seems like a nest of harmony’, journalist says

00:36

SGI ‘seems like a nest of harmony’, journalist says

SGI ambitions are ‘extremely high’, says Saudi climate envoy

00:48

SGI ambitions are ‘extremely high’, says Saudi climate envoy

Saudi Green Initiative aims to ‘not just preserve, but create’

01:08

Saudi Green Initiative aims to ‘not just preserve, but create’

More Saudi Green Initiative

AlUla

Gérard Mestrallet on the challenges of bringing infrastructure to the region of AlUla

01:51

Gérard Mestrallet on the challenges of bringing infrastructure to the region of AlUla

Sir George Iacobescu, chairman of the Canary Wharf Group on the investment into the historic region of AlUla

02:07

Sir George Iacobescu, chairman of the Canary Wharf Group on the investment into the historic region of AlUla

Oliver Ripley of sustainable hotel group Habitas talks about how AlUla challenged his preconceptions of Saudi Arabia

02:00

Oliver Ripley of sustainable hotel group Habitas talks about how AlUla challenged his preconceptions of Saudi Arabia

Thomas Kaplan of wild cat conservation charity Panthera on the mission to save the Arabian Leopard

02:09

Thomas Kaplan of wild cat conservation charity Panthera on the mission to save the Arabian Leopard