First Man star Jason Clarke has branded criticism over the lack of a flag-planting scene in the film as “nonsense”.

His reaction follows accusations that Damien Chazelle's moon-landing film is unpatriotic, which have been led by Republican senator Marco Rubio.

The controversy was first sparked after a press conference at the Venice Film Festival on 29 August when star Ryan Gosling, who plays Neil Armstrong, said he believed the astronaut’s moonwalk “was widely regarded not as an American, but as a human achievement”.

He added: “I also think Neil was extremely humble, as were many of these astronauts, and time and time again he deferred the focus from himself to the 400,000 people who made the mission possible.

“He was reminding everyone that he was just the tip of the iceberg—and that’s not just to be humble, that’s also true. So I don’t think that Neil viewed himself as an American hero. From my interviews with his family and people that knew him, it was quite the opposite. And we wanted the film to reflect Neil.”

This observation was turned into a false report published by news websites including The Telegraph, Breitbart and Business Insider which claimed there were no American flags in the film. Rubio then picked the story up, despite not having seen the film himself.

“The American people paid for that mission, on rockets built by Americans, with American technology & carrying American astronauts. It wasn't a UN mission,” he tweeted, stirring up more outrage.

However, the Daily Beast’s Marlow Stern contradicted Rubio’s claim, writing: “Having actually seen the film, can confirm that while the physical act of planting the American flag into the moon is not portrayed, there are several shots of the American flag flying on the moon — including one long shot as Armstrong and co. disembark.”

Armstrong’s own sons contributed their own view on the row and said they approved of the film. They also confirmed Gosling’s comment, that their father did not see himself as an American hero.

“It's nonsense, it's just nonsense. The film itself can be interpreted as patriotic,” Clarke said, speaking at the Deauville Film Festival, where he was accepting a career honour. “It's just silly and naive I think. Of course, it celebrates one of the greatest acts of America and Americans and humanity and mankind.”

He added: “People look for conspiracy theories rather than looking for the truth.”

The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Show all 55 1 /55 The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Guan Xiaotong wore a stunning sleeveless Oscar de la Renta black embellished gown for the premiere of her film 'Shadow', a period piece set in China's Three Kingdom's era. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Russian actor Marina Orlova walked the red carpet ahead of a screening of 'Capri-Revolution' in a clashing red and pink one-shoulder dress. Orlova has starred in 40 feature films and TV shows in Moscow, Beijing and Rome. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Japanese actor Yu Aoi attended the premiere of 'Killing (Zan)' wearing an ethereal blush-coloured dress. The film, in which Aoi stars, is about a samurai warrior in Japan in the mid-19th Century. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Irish-Italian actor Aisling Franciosi, known for her role on BBC series 'The Fall', wore an elegant black lace Givenchy layered gown for the premiere of 'The Nightingale'. Franciosi stars as protagonist Clare in the film, which is set in the early 19th Century in Australia. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Cristina Cabrini posed on the red carpet before a screening of 'Capri-Revolution' wearing a floor-length white dress embroidered with a black, floral design. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Danish actor Trine Dyrholm effortlessly rocked an ivory power suit on the red carpet before a screening of 'The Nightingale'. The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Natalie Portman stunned in a gold, sequinned, shoulder-padded custom Gucci gown on the red carpet for the premiere of 'Vox Lux'. Portman stars as pop star and protagonist Celeste in the film. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Actor Helena Antonio wore a svelte off-shoulder black velvet dress with a thigh split for the premiere of 'The Summer House (Les Estivants)'. Her hair was styled with sleek waves and swept to one side over her shoulder for a glamorous overall finish. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Model Alice Campello donned an embellished Galia Lahav couture dress for the premiere of 'The Summer House (Les Estivants)'. The dress was backless and featured a thigh split at the front. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Actor Giulia Elettra Gorietti graced the red carpet for the premiere of '22 July' in a sophisticated black patterned dress by designer Tara Jarmon. Canadian-born designer Tara Jarmon is heavily influenced by French fashion. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Actor Araya Hargate wore an ornate dress taken straight from the Ralph and Russo Fall 18 couture collection for the premiere of '22 July'. The Duchess of Sussex famously also wore a Ralph and Russo gown for her official engagement photo shoot with the Duke of Sussex. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Actor Alessandra Mastronardi, known for her roles in 'To Rome with Love' and TV series 'Master of None', wore a floral skirt and white shirt ensemble from the Chanel Spring 18 couture collection for the premiere of 'L'Année Dernière à Marienbad', pairing the look with black boots and a stylish long bob hairstyle. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Actor and model Marine Vacth was a picture of elegance while posing on the red carpet before a screening of 'L'Année Dernière à Marienbad'. She wore an ornate black sheer dress from the Chanel Fall 18 collection. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Argentinian actor, singer and songwriter Lali Espósito graced the red carpet for 'Acusada (The Accused)' wearing a silver, backless dress by El Camarin. She accessorised with stunning floral silver earrings by Maria y Mariola Torres. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Actor Sarah Gadon wore a pink and black Miu Miu dress for the premiere of 'Vox Lux', which was edited by her boyfriend Matthew Hannam. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Stacy Martin plays singer Eleanor in 'Vox Lux' alongside Natalie Portman, Raffey Cassidy and Jude Law. She wore a dazzling 70s-esque jumpsuit from the Chanel spring '18 couture collection for the film's premiere. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Italian dancer Klaudia Pepa walked the red carpet before the screening of 'Vox Lux' wearing a high-neck, floor-length green dress with two thigh splits. The gown featured a large bow at the neck and Pepa paired the dress with nude heels. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 German actor Saskia Rosendahl wore a sheer, floral, floor-length dress for the premiere of 'Werk Ohne Autor (Never Look Away)'. Rosendahl plays Elizabeth May in the film, a drama inspired by the life of German visual artist Gerhard Richter. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Nicole Warne, founder of digital lifestyle brand Gary Pepper, wore a striking yellow Toni Maticevski dress to the premiere of 'At Eternity's Gate', starring Willem Dafoe as Vincent Van Gogh. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Naomi Watts, a member of the jury at this year's Venice Film Festival, wore a sheer, embellished Dolce & Gabbana couture dress for the premiere of 'At Eternity's Gate.' Watts paired the sparkling gown with equally dazzling De Beers jewellery. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Taika Waititi, a juror at this year's festival, looked suave on the red carpet for the premiere of 'At Eternity's Gate' in a dark suit and bow tie. He previously appeared on the red carpet wearing a pale pink and white ensemble for the premiere of 'Suspiria'. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Tilda Swinton matched the red carpet with her chosen outfit at the premiere of 'At Eternity's Gate', wearing a red and white patterned Schiaparella dress from the designer's autumn couture collection with shoes to match. Swinton stars in 'Suspiria' alongside Dakota Johnson and Chloë Grace Moretz. Getty The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Model Linda Morselli wore a grey embellished ombré gown designed by Atelier Emé for the premiere of 'At Eternity's Gate'. She accessorised with a pale pink clutch and had her hair styled in a loose bun. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Actor Hong-Hu Ada attended the premiere for 'At Eternity's Gate' wearing a bold multi-coloured, one-shoulder embellished dress. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Influencer and singer Patricia Manfield opted for a glitzy floor-length gown by designer Amen for the premiere of 'At Eternity's Gate'. Manfield chose to wear her hair down with a slicked back style and accessorised with eye-catching drop earrings and a Jaeger-LeCoultre watch. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Lady Gaga accessorised a pink couture gown from the Valentino Fall 2018 collection with Chopard jewellery for the premiere of her film 'A Star Is Born'. The rain did little to dampen her spirits as she posed for photographers on the red carpet. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Model Madisin Rian, who was recently named the new face of Armani Beauty, wore a Giorgio Armani dress for the premiere of 'A Star Is Born'. Rian was discovered in 2008 at a luncheon during Saint Louis Fashion Week. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Actor and model Bruna Marquezine wore a blue couture Alberta Ferretti gown for the 'A Star Is Born' premiere. She paired the summery dress with Jimmy Choo shoes, stunning Chopard jewellery and a sleek bun. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Cate Blanchett mesmerised on the red carpet for 'A Star Is Born' in a glamorous black dress from the Armani Privé Fall collection. The off-shoulder sleeves were embellished with feathers and bezels. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Actor and blogger Paolo Stella appeared on the red carpet for 'A Star Is Born' donning an eye-catching Tom Ford suit. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Bradley Cooper wore a navy suit as he posed for photographers in the rain during the premiere for his film 'A Star Is Born'. Cooper directed the film and also starred as one of the protagonists, musician Jackson Maine. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Annabelle Belmondo wore an ornate Tory Burch dress before attending the screening for 'The Sisters Brothers'. She decided to wear her hair down with a slicked back look and opted for a dramatic, purple smokey eye. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Model Ana Moya Calzado wore a plunging, dark blue Manila Grace dress before attending the screening for 'The Sisters Brothers'. Calzado is the founder and creative director of Ana Moya Jewelry. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Digital influencer Nicole Warne wore an embellished, floral, strapless dress from the Armani Privé Fall '17 couture collection for the premiere of 'Suspiria'. Warne, who's appeared on Forbes' '30 Under 30' list, is the founder of fashion, travel and lifestyle brand Gary Pepper. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Carolina Crescentini wore a glitzy, backless Alberta Ferretti gown for the premiere of 'Suspiria'. She dramatised the look with dark nail polish, red lipstick and a smokey eye. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Cate Blanchett wore a chic, one-shoulder Armani Privé dress for the 'Suspiria' premiere. The couture dress features a metallic top with a black, full-length skirt. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Dakota Johnson, star of 'Suspiria', wore a sleeveless Christian Dior couture gown for the film's premiere. Johnson plays protagonist Susie Bannion in the supernatural thriller. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Taika Waititi, member of the jury at this year's Venice Film Festival, appeared on the red carpet for 'Suspiria' wearing a pale pink and white ensemble. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Lady Gaga attends the ‘A Star Is Born’ photocall, the film about an aspiring singer songwriter, with co-star and director Bradley Cooper. She decided to opt for a chic, white vintage dress by Azzedine Alaia for the photocall, a stark departure from her usual, more eccentric fashion choices. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Jeff Goldblum donned a sleek, white tuxedo as he attended the premiere for his film ‘The Mountain’. Goldblum plays a lobotomist in the film, which is set in the 1950s. AFP/Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Emma Stone wore a lilac and cream embellished Louis Vuitton gown as she walked the red carpet for a screening of ‘The Favourite’. The film depicts two cousins vying to become Queen Anne’s favourite during her reign in the early 18th Century. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Olivia Colman, who has been cast as Queen Elizabeth II in 'The Crown', stars as a frail Queen Anne in period drama ‘The Favourite’. She walked the red carpet in a regal black ensemble with a floor-length cape, paired with a pearled mermaid clutch. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Joe Alwyn on the red carpet ahead of a screening of ‘The Favourite’. Alwyn dressed smartly in a black tuxedo to match his role as a courtier in the film. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Victoria Magrath, founder of travel and fashion blog Inthefrow, appeared on the red carpet before a screening of ‘The Favourite’ wearing a silvery tulle prom-style dress from the Christian Dior Pre-Fall 2018 collection. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Clémence Poésy channeled her French roots by wearing a glamorous Chanel dress on the red carpet for a screening of ‘The Favourite’. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Nicholas Hoult wore a navy Dior tuxedo matched with a white shirt and navy bow tie while walking the red carpet before a screening of ‘The Favourite’. Hoult plays Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer, in the film. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Actor Naomi Watts is a juror at this year’s Venice Film Festival on a jury that also includes Christoph Waltz, Guillermo del Toro, Sylvia Chang and Taika Waititi. She wore a hot pink, tiered dress from Armani Prive’s Fall 2018 couture collection, clashing with the red carpet. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Actor Alessandro Borghi walked the red carpet ahead of a screening of ‘Roma’ wearing a navy, velvet tuxedo jacket. Borghi directs and stars in the film 'Sulla mia pelle (On My Skin)'. Getty Images for Netflix The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Ryan Gosling stars as Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, in biographical drama ‘First Man’. Gosling demonstrated his star power on the red carpet by standing out in a white tuxedo jacket by Gucci. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Portuguese model Sara Sampaio dazzled on the red carpet of a screening for space drama ‘First Man’ in a white fishtail gown with a bow detail by Giorgio Armani Prive. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Actor Olivia Hamilton, who stars in ‘First Man’, went full-on glamour by wearing a dusty pink J. Mendel Pre-Fall 2018 gown for the film’s premiere at the Venice Film Festival. The dress features a full skirt and an embroidered top and sleeves. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Olivia Colman wasn’t the only Queen Elizabeth II to walk the Venice Film Festival red carpet, as her predecessor for her role on 'The Crown' Claire Foy appeared on the red carpet for ‘First Man’ wearing a stunning red and pink Valentino dress. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Charlotte Le Bon, best-known for starring in ‘The Hundred-Foot Journey’ and ‘The Walk’, appeared on the red carpet for ‘First Man’ wearing a blue and white patterned trouser suit by Dior. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Lottie Moss opted to wear a pink strapless tulle gown by Ermanno Scervino. Moss was photographed on the red carpet before a screening of ‘First Man’. Getty Images The best dressed guests at Venice Film Festival 2018 Carolina Crescentini wore a monochrome, embellished Gucci gown on the red carpet. The star decorations on the dress were especially apt for biographical space drama ‘First Man’, the film that was shortly to be screened.

First Man has received rave reviews from critics and is being touted as an early Oscars contender. The Independent gave the film five stars and said: "Ryan Gosling is not exactly a stranger to playing introverted characters. But this was a special challenge: to play such a person while inspiring the audience to view him as still worthy of a form of adulation."