Brendan Fraser notes his ‘autistic’ son has inspired his character in The Whale

Brendan Fraser recently elaborated on how living with his own eldest son Griffin had helped him “understand” his role in new movie The Whale.

Speaking with Interview Magazine, the actor, who played an overweight father in new movie, shared, “I have three kids of my own, my oldest son Griffin has special needs – he’s autistic.”

“He just turned 20, he’s a big kid, he’s six foot five, he’s got big hands and feet, a big body. I understand intimately what it is to be close to a person who lives with obesity,” explained the 53-year-old.

The father-of-three pointed out that Griffin is the “happiest person in his life, and he doesn't know what cynicism is because of his autism”.

“And because of the beauty of his spectrum – call it a disorder if you will, I disagree with you – he knows nothing of irony,” commented Fraser.

The Mummy star stated, “He doesn't know what cynicism is. You can't insult him. He can't insult you. He's the happiest person and is, in my life and many others', also the manifestation of love.”

“Being with my kids and their mom and our family has given me such love that if ever I needed to hold something of value up to try and translate that to what was important to Charlie (character in The Whale), I didn’t have to look far,” he added.