Martin Scorsese defends Brendan Fraser's ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ performance after backlash

Warning: Spoilers ahead for “Killers of the Flower Moon”

After an intense online debate over Brendan Fraser's appearance in Martin Scorsese's new film, "Killers of the Flower Moon," the legendary director is weighing in.

Fraser's performance has been a topic of conversation on social media since the film arrived in theaters on Oct. 20. While fans have been split in their reaction to Fraser's acting choices, Scorsese has defended the Oscar winner, calling his dramatic scene "perfect."

The filmmaker repeatedly praised Fraser's portrayal of lawyer W.S. Hamilton and added that he enjoyed working with the actor.

"We thought he'd be great for the lawyer and I admired his work over the years," Scorsese said, per LADBible, when explaining the casting choice.

He continued, "He actually came in for I think a couple of weeks on the picture, particularly when it was in our later shoot. We had a really good time working together, particularly with (Leonardo DiCaprio). Particularly in the scene where he says 'They're putting a noose around your neck, he's saving you dumb boy.'"

Scorsese was satisfied with the way the scene played out.

"Really for us, when we heard that he brought the whole scene down on Leo, it was perfect. And had that girth, he's big in the frame at that time. He's a wonderful actor, and he was just great to work with," he concluded.

The film depicts the true story of the Osage murders, during which dozens of Osage Nation members were murdered for their wealth after discovering rich oil deposits. Fraser plays Hamilton, the loud and emotional lawyer representing Robert De Niro's character, William Hale.

Although he appears for just a few minutes in the nearly three-and-a-half-hour film, social media users had intense responses to his character and voiced them on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Some compared his performance to the other stars in the film, like DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, De Niro and Jesse Plemons, and said Fraser added another dynamic to the movie.

"Not gonna push this, but as Brendan Fraser single-handedly making Killers of the Flower Moon trending on its opening day with his 7 minute screentime. Can we seriously start a campaign for his best-supporting role this year?" user @prince_0306 tweeted.

“I am on Team Brendan Fraser is Good in Killers of the Flower Moon. My dude knew he had limited screen time and decided to make the absolute most of it. It works,” @cevangelista413 tweeted.

Other fans criticized Fraser's latest role following his best actor win at the 2022 Academy Awards.

"As someone who admired Brendan Fraser's acting in the movie 'The Whale,' his acting in 'Killers of the Flower Moon' was one of the worst acting performances I have ever seen in my life," X user @messyandhappy wrote.

Many X users discussed the accuracy of Fraser's portrayal, arguing that lawyers often get loud and rowdy as Fraser did. It even appears that lawyers have defended Fraser's over-the-top delivery of his lines.

"As both an actor and a lawyer, I’m obviously the final authority on Brendan Fraser’s performance in KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON," one person wrote, adding, "He was good."

Another person tweeted: "Wait. People don’t like Brendan Fraser’s performance in KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON?…have y’all never been to court? Do you not understand grandiose men? That character is the living embodiment of the Plankton 'CORRECT' meme. The confidence tricks people into believing you."

Some have said that Fraser acted too similar to his character in "The Whale," which sparked its own set of audience debates last year.

Nonetheless, fans have already turned Fraser's performance into memes. "Why did brendan fraser come into killers of the flower moon acting like this," one person wrote, alongside a clip of a kid having a meltdown.

And as more and more people watch the film, which has brought in an estimated $52 million domestically over the past three weeks (per Variety), the debate around Fraser's performance will likely continue to grow.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com