Brendan Fraser’s body has been under scrutiny for most of his career. Last year, he wore a 300-pound prosthetic, or “fat suit,” for his role in “The Whale.” But in a recent episode of Variety’s Actors on Actors series, Fraser tells Adam Sandler what his body went through for the 1997 comedy George of the Jungle.
To get the Tarzan-inspired look, he was waxed and “carb-starved.” Eventually, his diet started messing with his memory. One evening, on his way home from work, he stopped to get something to eat. “One day I needed some cash and I went to the ATM and I couldn’t remember my pin number because my brain was freezing. Pound that thing. I didn’t eat anything that evening.”
“Starved brain” is a common side effect, according to anorexia studies. Also known as cerebral atrophy, it occurs when the body does not receive adequate nourishment on a regular basis. research shows it can affect concentration, memory, cognitive flexibility, and anxiety responses.
Starving himself wasn’t the only way the film industry affected Fraser physically. He says he “destroyed” his body doing movie stunts and underwent various surgeries for seven years.
The irony? Sandler admits to feelings of jealousy during their conversation. “I was disappointed with how well you looked in [“George of the Jungle”]. You shouldn’t have done that to us. You should stay human!” He adds jokingly: “You made us feel bad.”
But Fraser himself really struggled with the constant pressure to look good on screen. “The closet was there, there was no closet,” he says. “George is wearing a loincloth.” The industry standard of achieving unsustainable and unrealistic body goals for certain roles is still prevalent 25 years after the film’s release. Hopefully Hollywood will take notes as more actors like Zac Efron and Kumail Nanjiani speak out about the dangers of these practices.