Brendan Fraser picks up best actor at Critics Choice Awards
By Sandra Gonzalez, CNN
(CNN, KYMA/KECY) - In what could be the first of many this award season, Brendan Fraser picked up best actor. This was for his role in film festival darling "The Whale" at Sunday's Critics Choice Awards.
Fraser had some overall competition for the award. This included Golden Globe winners Austin Butler, star of "Elvis," and Colin Farrell, who starred in "The Banshees of Inisherin."
Also nominated were Tom Cruise ("Top Gun: Maverick"), Paul Mescal ("Aftersun") and Bill Nighy ("Living").
Ultimately, the organization -- made of up more than 600 media critics and entertainment journalists -- picked Fraser, whose turn as a reclusive, obese teacher named Charlie in the Darren Aronofsky film has turned heads since its standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival.
"It was Herman Melville who once wrote that there are only five critics in America -- the rest are asleep. I don't know what it means, either, but I'm sure glad you woke up for me," Fraser said in his acceptance speech.
Though the film has spurred some backlash, Fraser ended his speech with a message of hope.
"If you -- like a guy like Charlie, who I played in this movie -- in any way, struggle with obesity, or you just feel like you're in a dark sea, I want you to know that if you, too, can have the strength to just get to your feet and go to the light, good things will happen," he said.
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