“George of the Jungle” actor Brendan Fraser said his memory was affected by the lack of carbohydrates while filming. The actor talked with former “Airheads” costar Adam Sandler about his role and diet for “George of the Jungle” in a Variety “Actors on Actors” conversation published on Tuesday.
The film, starring Leslie Mann and John Cleese, was a spoof of the Tarzan story. In this movie, Fraser played an ape-raising man abandoned in an African jungle as a baby after a plane crash. Fraser says his wardrobe in the film had nothing to do with his look. George eats bananas, swings all day, and wears a loincloth.
Sandler said, “You did right by the character, but you did wrong by us, man. You made us feel bad about ourselves.” It prompted Fraser to discuss his challenges in achieving his muscular-but-lean physique.
Fraser recalled, “I was waxed, greased, starved of carbohydrates. I would drive home after work and stop to get something to eat. My brain was misfiring one day, so I couldn’t remember my PIN at the ATM when I needed cash.”
As an actor, Sandler mentioned how hard it is to prepare for a role if a strict diet or workout regimen is required for months. They then discussed Fraser’s new film, “The Whale,” in which he plays a man with an eating disorder. Sandler said, ” The whole movie broke my heart.”
While Fraser used prosthetics to transform into Charlie physically, he also used personal experience to understand the character.
Fraser told Prince Jr. “I have three kids of my own. My oldest son, Griffin, has special needs. He’s autistic and has turned 20. He has broad hands and feet, as well as a muscular body. I understand intimately what it is to be close to a person with obesity.”