Movies › The Whale
The Whale 2022
IndependentPsychological drama
A 2022 American psychological drama film, The Whale was directed by Darren Aronofsky and written by Samuel D. Hunter, adapting his own 2012 stage play. Starring Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, Ty Simpkins, and Samantha Morton, the story centers on a severely overweight, isolated English teacher attempting to reconnect with his teenage daughter after abandoning her eight years prior. Filming took place between March 8 and April 7, 2021 in Newburgh, New York.
The film made its debut at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 4, 2022, generating mixed reviews. While critics praised the performances—especially those of Fraser, Chau, and Sink—the depiction of obesity sparked controversy. Despite this, it earned widespread acclaim during award season. At the 95th Academy Awards, The Whale took home the Oscar for Best Actor (Fraser) and Best Makeup and Hairstyling, with Chau earning a nomination for Best Supporting Actress. The film was also nominated at the 76th British Academy Film Awards in categories including Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Make Up & Hair, Best Supporting Actress (Chau), and Best Actor for Fraser, who additionally received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama at the 80th Golden Globe Awards.
The Whale had a limited release in the U.S. on December 9, followed by a broader distribution on December 21 through A24, collecting $57.6 million against its $3 million budget.
Cast
- Brendan FraserCharlie
- Sadie SinkEllie
- Jacey Sinkyoung Ellie
- Hong ChauLiz
- Ty SimpkinsThomas
- Samantha MortonMary
- Sathya SridharanDan
Crew
- Director
- Darren Aronofsky
- Writer
- Samuel D. Hunter
- Producer
- Jeremy Dawson, Ari Handel, Darren Aronofsky
- Cinematography
- Matthew Libatique
- Editing
- Andrew Weisblum
- Music
- Rob Simonsen
Details
- Production
- A24, Protozoa Pictures
- Distributor
- A24
- Budget
- $3 million
- Box office
- $57.6 million
