No one making their Academy Awards predictions back in 1992 would have put any money down on any of the stars of Encino Man being future Oscar contenders. Though a box office success, the Stone Age meets the grunge era comedy was trashed by critics. And yet thirty years later both the lead star Brendan Fraser and Ke Huy Quan, who appeared in a smaller role, are not only nominated but highly favored to win the Oscar in separate acting categories. And their old friend Pauly Shore, who played “Stoney” in the film, is characteristically stoked.
“I’m proud, obviously. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Most people don’t ever expect to get nominated for an Oscar, no matter how much work they do, and I’m stoked,” Shore told Slate when asked about his co-stars’ Academy Awards journey.
Encino Man was a breakthrough film role for both Shore, who had previously been known as an on-air MTV VJ, and Fraser, who would also find success that year in the drama School Ties. Shore told Slate that even thirty years ago Fraser’s acting chops were impressive. “He became the character. That’s what a good actor does. He’s not doing a caricature of—He didn’t do a caricature of either of the roles. That’s why he was so good in Encino Man,” Shore says. “That’s why the comedy popped off him and why the story worked, because he locks into these characters.”
Both Fraser and Quan had to deal with extreme career lows following the success of their early careers. During a Hollywood Reporter roundtable Quan poignantly recounted Fraser telling him that the two of them were “still here” after having paid more dues than many first-time nominees. So could a similar career turn happen for Shore?
“I think with the right role, with the right director, with the right script, doing something against type would be really exciting. I think I would get a lot of attention doing something dramatic,” Shore says. “My story’s no different than anyone’s story. Everyone wants that opportunity to get that call from Darren Aronofsky.”