Brendan Fraser’s return to prominence has generated warm fuzzies across fandom, with huge amounts of goodwill directed towards an actor whose personal troubles resulted in his virtual disappearance from the limelight for several years. The catalyst was his remarkable performance in Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale, which is already being tipped for a Golden Globe, and the Oscar shortlists announcement may yet see Fraser garner his first Academy Award nomination.

In spite of high-profile appearances in Oscar-winning productions such as Crash, blockbuster hits such as The Mummy, and a wide variety of independent dramas, Fraser has yet to be recognized on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Here are three of Fraser’s best performances that encapsulate why we think that should change.

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Blast From The Past Is A Hidden Gem

     New Line

In 1999, Fraser was hardly an unknown quantity. He had worked steadily in film throughout the 1990s, hosted Saturday Night Live, and international stardom with The Mummy was just around the corner. But a few months before the blockbuster was released, Fraser appeared in a largely unheralded film that did much to underscore his likability and range. Blast From The Past (1999) received only lukewarm reviews on release and underperformed at the box office, but a rewatch reveals a quirky, offbeat rom-com with polished performances from a star-studded cast.

The film begins during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Adam (played by Fraser) and his parents are looking around their newly-installed basement bomb shelter when an out-of-control plane happens to crash into their house. Believing World War III has begun, Adam’s father Calvin seals the shelter, and they remain underground for the next thirty-five years, by which time their stocks of food are dwindling. Adam, now an adult but with a 1962 knowledge of the world, emerges to scout for supplies. Assuming that the suburban world above is a product of vigorous rebuilding after a nuclear holocaust, he bumps into Eve (Alicia Silverstone), who is bemused by his 1960s manners and innocent demeanor.

As with many farces, the outlandish plot requires some equally outlandish misunderstandings between the main characters in order to work. In this respect, Blast From The Past comes through in fine style, and viewers willing to indulge in the batty premise will find much to like.

Aside from winning performances by Fraser and Silverstone (appearing in only her second film after the critical failure of Batman and Robin), the film benefits from a note-perfect performance from Walken in full comedy mode as Adam’s obsessive father, and Sissy Spacek as his mother, who is gradually driven insane by life underground and her husband’s relentlessly optimistic persona. Even if the film’s climax is somewhat telegraphed, the feel-good vibes and the chemistry between Fraser and Silverstone make it one to watch.

The Mummy Is An Iconic Performance

     Universal Pictures

There’s no getting away from Fraser’s top-notch performance in this likable 1999 blockbuster. Fraser’s gung-ho adventurer Rick O’Connell heads an expedition to Egypt where they inadvertently wake the slumbering high priest Imhotep, who goes on to bring biblical plagues upon the population. The remake of the 1932 original was a runaway success and featured a breakout performance by Rachel Weisz as Egyptologist Evelyn and John Hannah (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) playing Evelyn’s brother Jonathan.

Fraser pushes hard in the action sequences and looks every part of the dashing adventurer throughout. Although the film’s two sequels offered diminishing commercial and critical success, Fraser’s performance anchored all three films, providing a charismatic and amiable lead.

It came as no surprise to find Tom Cruise revisiting the franchise in the 2017 remake. If Universal’s abortive Dark Universe project is ever resuscitated, we can be sure filmmakers will look to Fraser’s career-defining performances in this trilogy for inspiration.

Line of Descent Is A Different Direction

     Gravitas Ventures

In the mid-2010s, beset by personal problems, Fraser took a five-year break from film acting. When he returned, it was in this Indian crime thriller. The tale of organized crime in Delhi featured several veterans of Indian film such as Abhay Deol (who previously starred opposite Josh Hartnett in The Lovers) and Ronit Roy, and tells the story of a group of gangsters seeking to recover from the death of the Godfather-like head of their family.

It was about as far away from Fraser’s origins as it is possible to get, but he won plaudits for his high-octane performance. Twelve months later, Darren Aronofsky was knocking on Fraser’s door.

If The Whale turns out to be the Oscar magnet that commentators across the board are making it out to be, Fraser may not have to wait too much longer for his name to be immortalized in the concrete of Hollywood Boulevard.