Dwayne Johnson Wants to See The Mummy Returns Co-Star Brendan Fraser “On Oscar Stage” for The Whale

Brendan Fraser’s performance in The Whale is already getting a lot of awards buzz ahead of its theatrical debut in December, and while fans of the actor are thrilled for the recognition and attention Fraser is getting, there’s someone else who is just as excited for the star and who wants to see him on the Oscar stage — Dwayne Johnson. The Black Adam star recently told MTV News (via EW) that he wants to see his The Mummy Returns co-star “go all the way” and bring home an Academy Award for his work in The Whale and deliver an amazing speech.

“I want him to go all the way, man,” Johnson said. “I wanna see him on that Oscar stage, and hold that sucker up, and deliver, I’m sure, what will be an amazing speech.”

Johnson made his film debut in 2001’s The Mummy Returns as the Scorpion King, the antagonist to Fraser’s Rick O’Connell. But for Johnson, this wasn’t simply a situation where they worked together for the film. Johnson explained that Fraser had to okay Johnson joining the sequel and it was Fraser’s confidence in him that helped propel his own career.

“I’d just come from WWE. I had no acting experience except in the WWE,” Johnson said. “I had never been on a movie set before and, all of a sudden, I’m in the middle of the Sahara Desert making The Mummy Returns. And I get that kind of nod of acceptance from the star of the movie. It really meant a lot to me. So many years later, I never forgot it.”

Johnson has shared his support and excitement for Fraser on social media recently as well. Last month Johnson shared online that he was “so happy” to see Fraser get a lengthy standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival.

“Man this makes me so happy to see this beautiful ovation for Brendan,” Johnson wrote. “He supported me coming into his Mummy Returns franchise for my first ever role, which kicked off my Hollywood career. Rooting for all your success brother and congrats to my bud Darren Aronofsky.”

What is The Whale about?

The Whale stars Fraser as Charlie, a 600-pound man who tries to reconnect with his daughter—played by breakout Stranger Things star Sadie Sink—years after having abandoned his family. Fraser and Sink are joined in the film by Hong Chau, Samantha Morton, and Ty Simpkins. Darren Aronofsky directed from a script by Samuel D. Hunter, who also wrote the play the feature film is based on.

“This is certainly far removed from anything I’ve ever done but not to be coy, I haven’t seen any of it yet, but I do know it’s going to make a lasting impression,” Fraser told Newsweek of his role last summer.

“I developed muscles I did not know I had,” Fraser told members of the media in attendance at Venice (via Variety). “I even felt a sense of vertigo at the end of the day when all the appliances were removed; it was like stepping off the dock onto a boat in Venice. That [sense of] undulating. It gave me appreciation for those whose bodies are similar. You need to be an incredibly strong person, mentally and physically, to inhabit that physical being.”

He added, “The torso piece was almost like a strait jacket with sleeves that went on, airbrushed by hand, to look identical as would human skin, right down to the hand-punched hair.”

The Whale opens in theaters on December 9th. Black Adam is in theaters now.