He’s an Oscar winner known for his transformative roles.
Whether its “The Whale” where he played a 600-pound English teacher, “Killers of the Flower Moon” or the more recent film Japanese drama “Rental Family,” his films are packed with memorable characters across a variety of genres.
Fraser, a Canadian-American actor, says he didn’t know much more about Eisenhower other than a few iconic images, and spent weeks reading every biography to prepare for the role.
“Pressure” is the story of James Martin Stagg, a British meteorologist who as the chief weather forecaster to Eisenhower, gave crucial advice on weather conditions for the Normandy Invasion during World War II.
It follows Eisenhower and Stagg as they face an impossible choice—launch the largest and most dangerous seaborne invasion in history or risk losing the war altogether.
A stage play adapted for screen, Stagg’s forecast decided the fate of the largest seaborne invasion in history. D-Day is considered one of history’s most consequential military campaigns.
Eisenhower went on to serve two terms as the 34th President of the US. In 1961, while preparing for his inauguration, JFK, himself a soldier in World War II, asked Eisenhower what gave him the edge on D-Day. He replied: ‘Because we had better meteorologists than the Germans.’
The film also stars Irish actors Andrew Scott and Kerry Condon, Chris Messina and Damian Lewis.
“Eisenhower was someone that America loved and trusted, and I think Brendan Fraser is someone that the world loves, and trusts,” says director Anthony Maras. “Brendan brings a real complexity and vulnerability to a leader who was more multidimensional than you might expect.”
