- Brendan Fraser's ex-wife blamed him for hiding his money to reduce alimony payments.
- The exes became great co-parents of their three sons a few years ago.
- Brendan has a close bond with his younger son, who looks like him in new rare photos with long ginger hair.
In 1998, Brendan Fraser and Afton Smith tied the knot before welcoming three boy children. However, the couple's marriage failed to last forever, and by 2007, they had announced their divorce.
Ina Treciokas, "The Mummy: Returns" actor's publicist, revealed how the former couple would maintain a caring and close friendship despite the separation. Before his divorce, Brendan's body started falling apart due to injuries sustained while doing stunts on his various movie productions.
Brendan Fraser and Afton Smith during the 11th Annual Critics' Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California, on January 9, 2006 | Source: Getty Images
In a 2018 interview, he explained that the deterioration of his body started in 2008 when he was filming the third installment of "The Mummy" franchise in China. The actor said they had to put him together with ice packs and tape to do his stunts as usual.
He used downhill-mountain-biking pads or screw-cap ice packs to put himself together because they were light, small, and fit under his clothes. The star, whose marriage ended after nine years, explained how he was building a daily exoskeleton for himself.
Brendan Fraser, his wife Afton, and their sons Holden and Griffin, at Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times 13th Annual Halloween Carnival on October 23, 2005 | Source: Getty Images
Smith's ex-husband needed multiple surgeries for his various injuries. He required a laminectomy, but the lumbar didn't take, and had to be done again a year later, plus he also underwent a partial knee replacement.
His injuries were so severe that his back was healed by "bolting various compressed spinal pads together." Even his vocal cords needed repairing at one point, and he spent a total of seven years in and out of hospitals.
Brendan Fraser and Afton Smith during The 75th Annual Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, on March 23, 2003 | Source: Getty Images
Brendan and his ex-wife were doting co-parents until she accused him of hiding money after their divorce settlement. In February 2013, the "Gods and Monsters" star filed documents asking a Connecticut court to lower his $50,000 monthly alimony payments.
The actor claimed he wasn't getting enough work to afford the cost. However, Smith filed her petition alleging that her ex-husband was lying and was earning enough to afford the payments due to his recent roles in "Furry Vengeance" and "Extraordinary Measures."
Brendan Fraser onstage during the AT&T Audience Network portion of the Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour on January 11, 2018, in Pasadena, California | Source: Getty Images
The father of three was accused of having a net worth of $25 million, and his earnings had stayed above $3 million yearly. The figure was agreed upon in the former couple's divorce settlement to reduce alimony.
Griffin, Holden, and Leland's famous father vehemently denied hiding any monies from Smith and claimed that the number of "medical issues" he'd faced had affected his earnings. In October 2012, Brendan allegedly experienced a "debilitating" injury to his back.
Brendan Fraser at the "No Sudden Move" premiere during the Tribeca Festival on June 18, 2021, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
The incident reportedly occurred while a clean-up was happening from Hurricane Sandy, causing him to have substantial medical bills. Although things were tense between the former spouses, they had to find a way to make it work for the sake of their children.
Did Brendan Make Peace with the Mother of His Sons?
During his 2018 interview, Brendan lived alone in an angular and tall house down a dirt road. "The Whale" actor's property also had a lawn that opened up to a lake, with him admitting his love for the seasons, forests, and burning wood.
Brendan Fraser and Afton Smith during Opening Night Exhibition of Photographs the actor in Los Angeles, California, on October 9, 2003 | Source: Getty Images
Smith lived with their sons in Greenwich, Connecticut, but the actor revealed the trio were always at his house. The "George of the Jungle" star admitted that the last decade had been bad, with him changing homes to his comfy one and divorcing.
His children were growing older, and he underwent things that molded and shaped him in ways he wasn't ready for until he had to experience them. During a past and rare interview on "The Drew Barrymore Show," Brendan discussed why he disappeared from the spotlight for a while.
Brendan Fraser and his son Holden Fraser during Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times 13th Annual Halloween Carnival in Universal City, California, on October 23, 2005 | Source: Getty Images
The star admitted that being a parent was one of the reasons why he paused his career because he only wanted to do what was best for his children. Brendan also said he needed to re-evaluate his journey and attend to some physical issues with his bones and muscles as he was getting older.
The performance, with an eighties cover band, was unplanned.
Afton Smith and Brendan Fraser during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2003 Collections in New York City, on February 7, 2003 | Source: Getty Images
The "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" actor admitted to growing wiser and wanting to work smart and not hard. When Drew Barrymore asked him what his advice was to be a good single parent to his three sons, Brendan confidently said:
"Have a great relationship with your partner, and that way, you'll never not put your kids first."
Brendan Fraser and Afton Smith during Marc Jacobs Comes to Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California, on March 17, 2005 | Source: Getty Images
The star shared that at age 54, he felt like he was now only coming into his own. However, he wouldn't have been able to if it wasn't for his children, one of whom was his striking lookalike and the trials and errors he made along the way.
Brendan's Younger Ginger Son Looks So Much like His Father
After winning his Oscar for Best Actor on March 12, 2023, Brendan was keen on celebrating, and he seemed to have an especially close bond with Leland, then 16. The duo went out together the following day.
The father-son pair visited Whisky a Go Go in WeHo at night, where the youngest Fraser son played guitar on stage with the actor watching and supporting him in the crowd. The performance, with an eighties cover band, was unplanned.
In early March 2023, Leland uploaded several rare Instagram photos of himself from a photoshoot. Fans were thrilled to see closeup pictures of the teenager with one person noting how he looked like his father.
Fan comment's on Leland Fraser's Instagram post on March 6, 2023 | Source: Instagram/leland_fraser27
Another person couldn't help but drool as they called Brendan's ginger-haired son "a god." Someone else confessed that Leland left them and everyone else breathless, while another follower thought he was "gorgeous."
A fifth person described the actor's son as "so handsome," while someone else admitted they thought they'd fallen in love with him. In the images, Leland appeared dressed in a jean top and pants, a jacket, a long-sleeved T-shirt, branded underwear, and a white vest while posing like a model.
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