Brendan Fraser returns to Hollywood with 'The Whale'

Actor Brendan Fraser has returned to Hollywood after quietly disappearing from the limelight. The 54-year-old, who gained popularity during the '90s and early 20s, is back with a much-admired performance in Darren Aronofsky's The Whale.

Fraser plays the role of an aloof English teacher struggling to make amends with his daughter, for which the actor has earned his first Oscar nomination at the upcoming Academy Awards.

The actor said about his disappearance: "I've never been that far away, but I did step out of the spotlight for a spell there to sort some things out in my life and to take stock of who I am, where I'm going, and what my aspirations are," he told host E!News. "I've learned that it's going to do me good to work smart instead of work hard."

"For that, I feel so much more receptive and gratitude for the positive attention that I'm receiving at this time," he said of the buzz surrounding his work in The Whale. "It's really humbling."

As for what prompted his return he said: "For me, currency is confidence and I didn't always have that," he explained. "It ebbs and flows, but feeling like I'm at home in myself makes me have a stronger sense of ownership over the work I've done and what I'm capable of."

Fraser's film work diminished from the late 2000s to mid 2010s amid various health problems, personal losses. Fraser is widely loved for his performances in Blast From The Past, George of the Jungle, and The Mummy trilogy and Bedazzled.