Brendan Fraser has starred in many action-packed adventure movies over the years, from The Mummy franchise to george of the jungle Y Journey to the Center of the Earth. However, as he has aged, the 53-year-old has been challenging himself with his work, most recently taking on the role of a 600-pound man in Darren Aronofsky. The whale.

The psychological drama tells the story of Charlie, a lonely English teacher struggling with severe obesity while trying to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter.

Brendan Fraser attends the premiere of The Whale in Venice, Italy — John Phillips/Getty Images

While attending the project’s Italian premiere at the Venice Film Festival on Sunday (September 4), Fraser spoke at a press conference about what this character taught her, particularly about people living in obese bodies.

“It made me appreciate those whose bodies are similar,” the 53-year-old said. “I learned that you need to be an incredibly strong person, physically and mentally, to inhabit that being.”

Speaking specifically about the upcoming film, Fraser explained, “Charlie’s physical mobility is limited to the space of his home, which is his couch. His story is told behind closed doors. He’s a light in a dark space. I think it’s poetic that the trauma he carries manifests in the physical weight of his body.”

“I needed to learn how to move in an absolutely new way. I built muscles I didn’t know I had. I even felt a sense of vertigo at the end of the day when all my braces were removed, like you were getting off a ship at the dock here in Venice” added the actor.

Fraser wore a cumbersome costume to complete his transformation into Charlie, admitting he had trouble wearing it on set and felt weird after taking it off at the end of the day.

What daily mail Notes, several Twitter users who attended the premiere revealed that the Indiana native’s performance brought several members of the audience to tears and, of course, earned him a round of applause for his work.

The whale is Fraser’s first lead role since 2013, when she starred in the direct-to-DVD thriller, Escape; many fans hope that this is the return of the father of three to Hollywood.

Check out a photo of Charlie below and hit back with HNHH later for more pop culture news updates.

[Via]