By Filmmaker Martin Scorsese has praised actor Brendan Fraser’s performance in Scorsese’s period epic “Killers of the Flower Moon” as being ‘perfect’ for how he wanted the role portrayed.
Oscar-winner Fraser is one of countless character actors in smaller roles who have a few minutes of screen time in the drama – appearing in the last hour of the film as the De Niro character’s attorney W.S. Hamilton.
Frasier plays the role of the bombastic lawyer to the hilt, shouting and chewing the scenery in his few minutes of scenes. The over-the-top nature of the role has sparked debate on social media, some criticising its tone whereas others say Scorsese knew exactly how he wanted that character to come across.
Turns out the latter were correct according to Scorsese. As part of an interview with LADbible, the master filmmaker defended the divisive performance:
“We thought he’d be great for the lawyer and I admired his work over the years. 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 Leo. 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 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.
The scenes are part of a turn toward dark comedy sensibilities which pop up on occasion within the three-and-a-half-hour film which is otherwise a dark saga about the real-life atrocities carried out against the Osage Nation in the 1920s.
“Killers of the Flower Moon” is currently in cinemas.
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