Robert De Niro defends The Irishman’s most controversial cameo

One seven-word cameo in Martin Scorsese’s epic new film The Irishman has caused a lot of controversy among viewers.

Robert De Niro is sharing his opinion on co-star Anna Paquin’s small role in The Irishman.

The film features Oscar-winner Anna Paquin, 37, as De Niro’s daughter, who says only seven words in the 3-hour-and-29-minute drama.

The Irishman drew backlash from viewers, calling Paquin “underused” despite being the film’s most prominent female character. Others defended the choice:

Everyone is attacking Scorsese for the fact that Anna Paquin has one speaking line in THE IRISHMAN when they should be mentioning that she's doing some of the best work in the film.

— Daniel but make it Festive (@DanDoherty_7) November 27, 2019

Having finally seen The Irishman, I’ve been checking out the takes. It must take a certain mind to see that laconic, wounded, incredible Anna Paquin performance and go: “OMG, she has no lines, lol.”

— Ali Arikan (@aliarikan) December 2, 2019

When people interpret Anna Paquin's silence in The Irishman as an artistic misstep and not a scathing indictment on the type of man who raised her pic.twitter.com/0b9nfUNvWi

— John Frankensteiner (@JFrankensteiner) November 29, 2019

The takes on Anna Paquin's silence in THE IRISHMAN are so bad. For Scorsese, whose characters can't stop talking, her silence is the ultimate rebuke. She refuses to give her father a blowout -- there's no catharsis at all. There is no peace, no rest, no absolution. pic.twitter.com/r1Dr81122e

— Jason Adams (@JAMNPP) December 2, 2019

The Irishman tells the true story of Jimmy Hoffa’s murder, after which Paquin’s character, Peggy Sheeran, finally speaks to her father Frank.

“Why? Why?” Peggy asks Frank in the film.

“Why what?” Frank says.

“Why haven’t you called Jo?” she says.

De Niro, 76, said he feels that Paquin’s role was a perfect fit for the film.

Robert De Niro. Supplied by Netflix.

Anna Paquin. Picture: Getty

“She was very powerful and that’s what it was,” De Niro told USA Today. “Maybe in other scenes, there could’ve been some interaction between Frank and her possibly, but that’s how it was done. She’s terrific and it resonates.”

Rumours also circulated that Paquin was forced to take the role, but the actress took to Twitter to dispel the rumours.

Nope, nobody was doing any “ordering”. I auditioned for the privilege of joining the incredible cast of .@TheIrishmanFilm and I’m incredibly proud to get to be a part of this film. https://t.co/yx54jE4ugy

— Anna Paquin (@AnnaPaquin) November 9, 2019

“Nope, nobody was doing any ‘ordering,’” she said. “I auditioned for the privilege of joining the incredible cast of @TheIrishmanFilm and I’m incredibly proud to get to be a part of this film.”

Paquin won her Oscar for The Piano when she was only 11 years old, making her the second-youngest actor to ever win an Oscar. She also earned an Emmy nomination for her role in Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.

The Irishman, now streaming on Netflix, was directed by Martin Scorsese and also stars Al Pacino and Joe Pesci.

This article originally appeared on Fox News and was reproduced with permission.