Martin Scorsese has defended Brendan Fraser's acting in Killers of the Flower Moon, saying he was "perfect" for the role.
Following the film's release, Fraser's performance has proven to be been divisive amongst fans, with online critics calling his acting 'over-the-top' for the film.
However, in a recent press conference for the film (via LADBible), Scorsese praised the Oscar-winning actor's portrayal of lawyer W. S. Hamilton.
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"We thought he'd be great for the lawyer and I admired his work over the years," Scorsese said of casting Fraser. "He actually came in for I think a couple of weeks on the picture, particularly when it was in our later shoot."
Related: Killers of the Flower Moon - true story of the Osage murders
Recalling a particular stand-out moment of Fraser's on set, he continued: "We had a really good time working together, particularly with Leo [DiCaprio]. Particularly in the scene where he says, 'They're putting a noose around your neck, he's saving you dumb boy'.
"Really for us, when we heard that… he brought the whole scene down on Leo. It was perfect. And he 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."
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon is an adaptation of journalist David Grann's 2017 book, which investigates the real-life story of the Osage Native American tribe murders, after oil was found on their land.
Related: Martin Scorsese defends Killers of the Flower Moon's epic runtime
Killers of the Flower Moon has proven to be a huge success for Scorsese, grossing a global total of $44 million at box office over its opening weekend and becoming his third-best opening for a film.
The film also received a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising Scorsese as well as Gladstone's performance.
Killers of the Flower Moon is in cinemas now.
Reporter, Digital Spy
Brenna Cooper is a freelance journalist, who currently specialises in entertainment reporting. She joined Digital Spy in 2022, writing TV and movies stories for the site. After graduating with an NCTJ accredited Journalism Masters from the University of Sheffield in 2020 she has since embarked on a freelance career.
Brenna previously produced lifestyle content for Checklists.co.uk and has a specific interest in music, reviewing live acts and interviewing bands such as Confidence Man and Amyl and the Sniffers.
