The 55-year-old American actor was asked several times about his performances in the "Spider-Man" franchise at a news conference at South Korea's Pusan International Film Festival late Friday - instead of his more critically acclaimed roles in socially conscious dramas like "Platoon" and "Mississippi Burning."
One reporter even apologized for the line of questioning.
"That's part of my story. Don't be sorry. I'm very proud of that movie," Dafoe responded.
The Appleton, Wisconsin native was in Pusan to promote the film noir "A Woman," which was directed by his wife, Italian filmmaker Giada Colagrande. He plays a novelist who is devastated by the death of his wife but also caught up in a new romance.
Dafoe, however, said he has become more adventurous in choosing new parts because he is now an established actor who can afford to take creative risks.
"I feel like I can be a little more reckless," he said.
The veteran actor has kept up a diverse mix of characters in his recent career. Among his latest releases are "Miral," in which he plays an American who witnesses the development of an orphanage for Palestinian children. He also plays a nine-foot (2.5-meter) tall Martian warrior in the animated film "John Carter of Mars."
"I very much am attracted to strong directors, passionate directors, people who are on fire to express their cinema. I am less interested in exercises in style," he said. "I require more adventure and stimulation."
