Brendan Fraser Will Not Attend the Golden Globes, Even if Nominated

The actor, best known for starring in some old favorites such as The Mummy and George of the Jungle, has had sporadic acting gigs over the years. However, he has remained relatively hidden from the mainstream for the past decade. In 2018, Fraser dropped a bombshell in a 2018 GQ profile, accusing Philip Berk, then-president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), of sexual assault. The incident reportedly occurred at a luncheon in 2003 and stuck with Fraser ever since. Many people, Fraser included, believe that he was subsequently blacklisted from the industry after the incident.

Berk initially denied the assault. According to a 2005 piece in The New York Times, "Mr. Berk wrote a letter of apology to the actor Brendan Fraser for having grabbed the actor's buttocks during a ceremony to announce a charitable contribution, though Mr. Berk said in an interview that he did no such thing and wrote the letter only to mollify the actor." In his memoir, Berk then admitted to it but said it was done jokingly. The HFPA released a similar statement, saying "Although it was concluded that Mr. Berk inappropriately touched Mr. Fraser, the evidence supports that it was intended to be taken as a joke and not as a sexual advance."

Berk was eventually released as a member after calling Black Lives Matter a "racist hate movement" in an email.

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Since coming out with his story, Fraser became part of a larger post-MeToo movement that highlights male victims of sexual assault. Support poured in, and Fraser was eventually announced to have been cast as the lead role in Darren Aronofsky's upcoming film, The Whale, which tells the story of a 600-lb writing instructor (Fraser) who attempts to reconnect with his now-teenage daughter (Sadie Sink) after abandoning his family to pursue a life with a man who eventually dies, spurring Fraser's character's weight gain.

Praise forThe Whale has been rolling in, singling out Fraser's performance as a reminder of his talent. Hollywood loves a good comeback story, and Fraser is ready to go back out into the world.

Fraser recently sat down for GQ's latest cover story to revisit how much has changed since his last chat with them, and with award show season fast approaching, he already knows which ones he will not support.

When asked if he will attend the Golden Globes, which is put on by the HFPA, Fraser refuses. “I have more history with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association than I have respect for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association,” the actor said. “No, I will not participate.” He further goes on to assert, "My mother didn’t raise a hypocrite. You can call me a lot of things, but not that.”

Fraser notes that the HFPA still has not apologized to him for the incident. The organization denies this, and Berk said he wrote Fraser a letter. All the actor wants?

"[The apology] would have to be, I don’t know, what’s the word I’m looking for... sincere? I would want some gesture of making medicine out of poison somehow. I don’t know what that is. But that would be my hope. But it’s not about me."

Photo by Manny Carabel/Getty Images