Brendan Fraser

Tall and athletic, with a boyish charm and keen comic sensibilities, actor Brendan Fraser moved easily between crowd-pleasing entertainments and critically acclaimed dramas. Fraser's versatility was first exploited in a pair of vastly different films concerning high school social life, the Valley-centric teen comedy "Encino Man" (1992) and the period melodrama "School Ties" (1992). The actor followed with a slew of equally divergent projects like the baseball dramedy "The Scout" (1994) and the slapstick cartoon adaptation of "George of the Jungle" (1997) as he attempted to make the transition to major stardom. Fraser upped his reputation considerably when he earned accolades opposite Sir Ian McKellan in the award-winning drama "Gods and Monsters" (1998) before breaking out as a bona fide action hero in the horror-adventure blockbusters "The Mummy" (1999) and "The Mummy Returns" (2001). Enjoying his new box office clout, he alternated big-budget movies with such serious-minded ventures as "The Quiet American" (2002), alongside Michael Caine, and the Oscar-winning "Crash" (2005). Following more genre offerings like "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (2008) and the third franchise installment "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" (2008), Fraser began appearing on screen less frequently, co-starring in smaller films including medical drama "Extraordinary Measures" (2010) and romantic comedy "A Case of You" (2013) before beginning an extended hiatus from acting that ended with a starring role in the Indian crime drama "The Field" (2018). Equally adept at low-brow comedy, thrilling adventure or high drama, Fraser proved time and again why he was one of the most dependable leading men Hollywood had to offer.