Quebecer Adrien Morot, a well-known Hollywood visual effects makeup artist, earned the second Oscar nomination of his career on Tuesday thanks to his work in the film The Whale (The whale).
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The Montrealer is in the running for the prize for the best makeup and hairstyles with his colleagues Judy Chin and Anne-Marie Bradley. One of the great architects of the spectacular physical transformation of Brendan Fraser in The WhaleAdrien Morot helped the actor slip into the shoes of a morbidly obese person by custom-designing 3D prostheses weighing over 300 pounds for him.
Photos courtesy of Protozoa Pictures
Brendan Fraser in the movie The Whale.
“It’s always flattering to receive this kind of recognition,” said the Quebecer on Tuesday, in an interview given by videoconference.
“What I find unfortunate, on the other hand, is that there is a certain political game which is played at the level of the candidatures. There are people who are behind the scenes and who have worked with me for years and who are an integral part of the organization at my studio in Montreal. I’m happy to be here, but I find it a shame not to be able to share this with my real team.
Complicity
As much as Adrien Morot said he was disappointed to learn that the director of The Whale, Darren Aronofsky, was not selected among the finalists for the Oscar for best director, as he is delighted with the nomination of Brendan Fraser in the category of best actor. The 54-year-old actor is unrecognizable in this role which marks his return to the cinema following an absence of several years.
“Brendan was the first person to write to me on hearing the news this morning,” the visual effects makeup artist said on Tuesday. “We have become good friends since filming. We write to each other every day. And he is an excellent spokesperson for me because he praises my work in all the interviews he does to promote the film!
This is the second time that Adrien Morot is in the running for the Oscars. In 2011, he earned a Best Makeup Award nomination for his work in the film Barney’s World, in which he managed to age the main character (played by Paul Giamatti) over a period of 35 years.
Photo d’archives AFP
Adrien Carrot
Working in the film industry for thirty years, Adrien Morot has put his expertise at the service of several major Hollywood productions, including A night at the museum, X-Men et The ghost. He also recently designed the terrifying wolf in the thriller series Black Lakelaunched on Club illico last year.
A nomination for the NFB
The ONF also distinguished itself by winning the 77e nomination of his story thanks to the film The Flying Sailor (The flying sailor), which was selected as one of five finalists for the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. Directed by Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis, two animators from Calgary, the work depicts two ships colliding in a port, causing an explosion that blows through a city.
Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis have already been nominated for the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film in their previous collaborations, either When the Day Breaks (1999) et A wild life (2011).