Brendan Fraser was born in Indianapolis. On May 24, he is going back - to start the greatest race in the world.
The Academy Award-winning actor has been named the honorary starter for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced on May 15. Fraser will stand atop the iconic flag stand above the yard of bricks and wave the green flag for one of the most-watched sporting events on the planet.
The timing is no coincidence. Fraser stars in Pressure, an upcoming World War II drama in which he plays General Dwight D. Eisenhower in the hours leading up to the D-Day invasion of Normandy. The film opens in theaters on May 29, with special nationwide sneak peeks over Memorial Day Weekend - the same weekend as the race.
"Brendan stars in a movie about one of the most pivotal moments in World War II," Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles said. "His presence atop the flag stand is fitting as we honor the service and sacrifice of our military heroes on Memorial Day Weekend."
Fraser was born in Indianapolis and raised in Europe and Canada. He began training as an actor at age 12, studied at Toronto's Upper Canada College, and earned his BFA from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. His career spans The Mummy franchise, George of the Jungle, and Encino Man - before his widely celebrated return to the screen in Darren Aronofsky's The Whale, which earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2023.
For a man whose journey back to the spotlight has been as talked-about as any of his films, waving the green flag in the city where his life began feels like more than a promotional appearance. It feels like a full-circle moment - the kind that reminds us that comebacks, in racing and in life, are always possible.
The 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 takes place Sunday, May 24, with coverage beginning at 10 a.m. ET on FOX.
