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Dean Cain is facing backlash from Superman fans after seemingly mocking Supergirl star Milly Alcock's appearance on social media.
The conservative actor, 59, came under fire after responding to a meme that likened the 26-year-old to the primitive, ape-like human Cha-ka from the 1974 series Land of the Lost.
A troll responded to Cain on X with an unflattering photo of Cha-ka and asked, 'And why does she look like this guy?'
Cain then responded, 'Dang it... I laughed,' followed by a smiling emoji.
The actor's reaction to the cruel comparison quickly spread on social media, leaving a number of superhero fans outraged.
'What a fantastic way to kill your legacy, @RealDeanCain. And what a glorious way to lose the respect of millions of kids that looked up to you three decades ago. What a disgrace,' wrote one.
Another commented, 'Your Superman performance is never going to be looked back upon fondly, your bitter jealousy has tainted any legacy you had left.'
Cain eventually clarified that he 'never said she was ugly', but seemed overall unbothered by the backlash.
The Daily Mail has contacted both Cain and Alcock for comment.
Cain is best known for playing Superman in the '90s TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
In recent years, he has become more known for his right-wing politics and last year announced plans to join the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.
In April, Alcock admitted that she was bracing for backlash ahead of Supergirl's release because she's used to women being harshly scrutinized by fans of popular franchises.
Reflecting on her time starring in the Game of Thrones spin-off House of the Dragon, Alcock told Vanity Fair, 'It definitely made me aware that simply existing as a woman in that space is something that people comment on.'
She added, 'We have become very comfortable having this weird ownership of women’s bodies. I can't really stop them. I can only be myself.'
