AceShowbiz - Academy Award winner Brendan Fraser has withdrawn from the Off-Broadway production of Samuel D. Hunter's "Grangeville". On January 6, Signature Theatre announced that the actor won't be taking the stage due to due to "unforeseen circumstances."

Paul Sparks has been cast in Fraser's place, joining Tony nominee Brian J. Smith in the production, which runs from February 4 to March 16 at the Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre in New York City.

The Signature Theatre stated on Instagram, "We are excited to announce Paul Sparks has joined Brian J. Smith as a member of the Grangeville cast, replacing Brendan Fraser, who has had to step away due to unforeseen circumstances."

Details of the circumstances surrounding Fraser's decision to back out of the stage show is still unclear.

Paul Sparks, known for his roles in "Boardwalk Empire" and "Lost on a Mountain in Maine," is making his return to Signature Theatre after appearing in Edward Albee's "At Home at the Zoo" in 2018. Artistic Director Emily Shooltz described Sparks as "one of the very best actors of his generation" and expressed gratitude for his involvement in the production.

"Grangeville" tells the story of two half-brothers who tentatively reconnect across a vast distance to care for their ailing mother. The play explores the fallibility of memory, the complexities of forgiveness, and the stories we tell to make sense of our suffering.

Fraser's withdrawal comes after his recent attendance at the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia, where he spoke about the completion of Anthony Maras' thriller "Pressure."