The cast of The Whale is one of the highlights of this film directed by Darren Aronofsky. Released in 2023, it tells the story of a man who is dangerously overweight and lonely, trying to reconnect with his daughter. The story captivated audiences and critics alike and became one of the most popular feature films of recent times.
It's based on a play created by Samuel D. Hunter, who also acts as the film's screenwriter, and in today's article you'll find out everything you need to know about the cast of The Whale before you watch it. Are you curious to immerse yourself in this universe? Then come with us to experience it for yourself!
Brendan Fraser as Charlie
The biggest name in the cast of The Whale is Brendan Fraserwithout a doubt. Here he plays the lead role as Charlie, an overweight man trying to establish a more friendly relationship with his teenage daughter. The actor is best known for playing the character Rick O'Connell in the 1990 Mummy franchise, but he has been out of the limelight for a long time and this film is considered his big comeback.
And it was a glorious comeback! His performance was highly praised by critics and worthy of several awards, such as the Oscar for Best Actor he received for the role of Charlie. There are several moments that make him the perfect choice for the role, but all the scenes in which he interacts with his daughter are remarkable for viewers.
Sadie Sink as Ellie
And it's Sadie Sink who brings Charlie's daughter Ellie to life in the cast of The Whale. Fans of Stranger Things will remember her well for her performance as Max in the hit Netflix series, but here she makes her versatility as an actress very clear and delivers touching scenes alongside Fraser, even if some critics have seen some scenes as "over the top".
The character Ellie is central to the plot of The Whale. She has never been able to fully forgive her father for abandoning her mother to live with another man and, despite her efforts to get closer, she continues to treat him with contempt. She's a typical rebellious teenager, but is there more to the story?
Hong Chau as Liz
Another very important character in the cast of The Whale is Liz, played by Hong Chau. Liz is a nurse who appears to be one of the only people really close to Charlie throughout the story. As the movie progresses, the viewer discovers her connections even with her family.
Hong Chau was nominated for an Oscar that year for her performance as Liz, but unfortunately didn't take home the statuette. However, the way she played the role was highly praised by specialized critics. You can also find her in other roles such as Elsa in The Menu, released in 2022, and Lady Trieu in Watchmen, released in 2019.
Ty Simpkins as Thomas
Thomas is not a character with a direct link to Charlie's past among the cast of The Whale, but he does appear frequently. He is an active member of a religion in the United States who talks a lot with the protagonist and ends up frequenting his home a lot, interacting with his daughter Ellie as well.
He is played by the actor Ty Simpkins who, although not nominated for any Oscars, delivers an excellent performance when he is on stage. Simpkins is well known for having already been part of the MCU as the character Harley Keener, who made her debut in the third Iron Man movie.
Samantha Morton as Mary
Mary is Charlie's former wife and is played by Samantha Morton in the cast of The Whale. She doesn't appear very often during the movie, but when she does, it's always in a striking way and, most of the time, in flashbacks of Ellie that don't place her as the friendliest figure on the face of the earth.
However, despite carrying the trauma of having been dumped for someone else, Mary doesn't seem to harbor much resentment towards Charlie and this is well explored throughout the film. Actress Samantha Morton conveys her feelings well, not to mention the fact that she has other works to her name, such as She Said, released in 2022, and The Messenger, released in 2009.
Sathya Sridharan as Dan
Dan may seem like just a pizza delivery man in the plot, but the weight of the scenes in which he appears and receives delivery instructions from Charlie carry their weight. Charlie never opens the door without making sure he's gone, for example, revealing a lot about the protagonist's reclusive personality.
In the cast of The Whale, Dan is played by Sathya Sridharan, an actor who, although he appears a lot, didn't have much space to show his full talent in the feature. However, you can see more of his performance in other works such as the series Kaleidoscope, Little America and Painful Friendship.
Conclusion
As we've seen in this list, the cast of The Whale is full of talented actors who put a lot of effort into their roles. It's well worth checking out all the effort put in by each of them in this touching and controversial story that marks Fraser's return to the world of acting.
But have you ever seen the movie? If so, tell us in the comments what you thought of it! If you haven't seen it yet, let us know what you expect from the title! Your opinion is very important to us! Also check out our article on the 11 best Emma Watson movies you need to see!
Questions that might interest you:
The movie 'The Whale' was nominated for how many Oscars?
The Whale got three Oscar nominations: Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Supporting Actress with Hong Chau and Best Actor with Brendan Fraser.
What was Brendan Fraser's physical transformation like for the movie 'The Whale'?
It was made with body prostheses that weighed a lot! They weighed between 22 and 130 kg.
