Brendan Fraser is, at last, experiencing the adulation for his undeniable skill on the big screen after spending three decades in Hollywood. A significant pre-Oscars honour on the circuit, the TIFF Tribute Award trophy was presented to the 53-year-old actor on Sunday night at the Toronto International Film Festival. He was recognised for his starring role in Darren Aronofsky's upcoming movie The Whale.

"This is new for me. Normally I'm the guy who hands these things out, and I got really good at it. The trick is: Left hand, hold; right hand, shake," he joked, noting that the closest he's come was a Screen Actors Guild Award win he shared with the cast of the 2004 film Crash.

"Apart from being a part of some impressive and talented ensemble casts, I think the last time that I waited to hear my name called aloud to receive an award was in grade 4, and it was from the peewee bowling league... My mom said it was a major award. Also, engraved on the plaque was the name 'Brian Fusher,' so, Brian, if you're in the house, you can pick up your trophy after the show. This one's mine."

Michelle Yeoh, a co-star of Fraser's in Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor and another TIFF honoree, wiped away tears as she sat at a table in the audience and watched Fraser's presentation. The two shared a brief Mummy franchise reunion earlier in the evening while they were seated next to one another.

At TIFF 2022, where The Whale had its North American premiere, Fraser was given a protracted standing ovation and appeared visibly moved. He offered the event moderator a tissue as many viewers were still wiping away tears as the movie's credits rolled when he sat down with director Darren Aronofsky and fellow cast members Ty Simpkins and Sadie Sink for a post-screening Q&A.

In The Whale, Fraser plays Charlie, a man who struggles to restore his relationship with his estranged daughter (Sink) and the memory of his late spouse, Alan. Charlie suffers from obesity, congestive heart disease, and intense spells of sadness.

"Art is about taking a risk, and [Aronofsky and writer Samuel D. Hunter] took a chance on me, and I'm grateful to them," Fraser said of his collaborators at the TIFF gala. "The Whale is a redemption story... he's gone through significant life changes and has forgotten about who he is and the ones he loves, and he's running out of time to tell them that — if he can at all. But, he has a superpower: Charlie sees the good in others when they can't see that in themselves, and he can bring that out in them. I'm a firm believer that we need more of that in this world. It's the audience that gives cinema life, so I must thank you for keeping me in the job that I love because it's nice to work if you can get it."

Fraser received standout praise for the project at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival in addition to winning one of the 2022 TIFF Tribute awards, which have previously gone to eventual Oscar-winning performances like Joaquin Phoenix's (The Joker) and Jessica Chastain's (The Eyes of Tammy Faye) in the past.

The Whale will debut on December 9 on A24.

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