Actor Brendan Fraser has shared a harrowing experience he had while filming the 1999 adventure film, The Mummy.
During a sequence where his character, Rick O’Connell, had a rope around his neck, Fraser had a near-death experience when the rope was pulled up higher than expected.
He had nowhere to go but down and fell on the ground, injuring himself in the process.
Fraser, who is currently campaigning for an Oscar for his role in The Whale, shared the story during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show.
He recounted how director Stephen Sommers had asked him to sell the choking sequence better.
“You only got so far to go,” Fraser said, standing on his toes to demonstrate.
On the next take, the camera swooped around Fraser, and the person holding the rope pulled it up a little higher.
Fraser was stuck on his toes and had nowhere to go but down.
“And then the next thing I knew, my elbow was in my ear, the world was sideways, and there was gravel in my teeth,” he said.
Fraser needed to be resuscitated after the incident, and when he regained consciousness, a stunt coordinator working on the film told him, “Congratulations, you’re in the club – same thing happened to Mel Gibson on Braveheart.”
To which Fraser replied: “Thanks, I think? I wanna go home!”
The actor reflected on his career and how he has come to terms with aging.
“I mean, I’m older now; I don’t look the way I did in those days, and I don’t necessarily want to,” Fraser said.
“I’ve made peace with who I am now. And I’m glad that the work I can do is based in an emotional reality that’s not my own life but is one that I can strongly identify with.”
Fraser’s role in The Whale, in which he plays a 600-pound man, has garnered critical acclaim and nominations for several awards, including the Golden Globe and the Critics’ Choice Award.
He has also recently starred in the hit TV series Doom Patrol.
During his interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Fraser praised the cast and crew of Doom Patrol, saying, “It’s a great group of people. We’re all invested in the material, and we all take care of each other.”
He also spoke about his upcoming projects, including the Darren Aronofsky-directed film The Whale.
Fraser’s candid retelling of his near-death experience on The Mummy set is just the latest example of his willingness to share personal stories with fans.
In a 2018 GQ interview, he discussed how his physical appearance changed over the years, attributing it in part to a number of injuries he had sustained while working on films.
Fraser’s fans were delighted to see him return to the spotlight with his acclaimed performances in The Whale and Doom Patrol.
The actor has continued to work steadily throughout his career, appearing in a variety of films and TV shows, from the comedy Encino Man to the drama Crash.
His resilience and talent have earned him a dedicated following, and his upcoming projects are eagerly anticipated.
