The actress famously likened the director to Adolf Hitler in 2009 after working with him on the first two Transformers movies, and was subsequently replaced by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in the series' third instalment last year (11).

But O'Dowd is appalled by the backlash towards his Friends With Kids co-star.

The Irish funnyman says, ""I don't know the ins and outs of it but it's all down to having a fallout with Michael Bay. But who wouldn't have a fallout with him? It's one of the sexist things (sic) I've ever seen. She called him an a**hole. Well, he is a f**king a**hole. She's not the only one who has said that. Why has she been singled out?""

And O'Dowd doesn't care if his remarks mean he will never have a chance to work with the successful filmmaker, adding, ""I would never f**king watch his films, never mind go and act in them.""

O'Dowd also stars alongside Fox in the forthcoming Knocked Up spin-off comedy This is 40.