Robert Downey Jr. Is Right About His Iron Man Performance Being Overlooked - CBR - Comic Book Resources
Summary
- Robert Downey Jr. believes his performance as Tony Stark aka Iron Man is some of his best work.
- Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal of Tony Stark captivated audiences of all ages and brought joy, comfort, and inspiration.
- The success of the MCU and the impact of Robert Downey Jr.'s work will touch generations to come.
While appearing on fellow Brat Packer Rob Lowe's podcast, Robert Downey Jr. casually mentioned he believed his performance as Tony Stark is some of his best work. It was part of a discussion about the failure of his first post-Marvel project, Dolittle, and how he bounced back from that with Oppenheimer. While some scoffed at this notion, considering how Marvel Studios films dominated the box office for its first decade of existence, Downey Jr. is absolutely correct. Rob Lowe had some choice words about the current state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, while advising his friend and former High School classmate about reprising his role. Downey Jr. laughed it off, jokingly calling the suggestion "hostile."
Since first landing the role as Tony Stark, Downey Jr has been unapologetic about his appreciation for both his films and the larger impact of Marvel Studios films on the audience and industry. Meanwhile, Dolittle earned the Oscar-winner (for 1992's Chaplain) some of the worst reviews of his entire career. "I felt so exposed after being in the cocoon of Marvel where I think I did some of the best work I will ever do, but it went a little bit unnoticed because of the genre,"Downey Jr. said to Lowe, adding, "and I felt…the rug was pulled so definitively out from underneath me and all the things that I was leaning on as opposed to what my understanding of confidence and security was." While the actor's comments seem to about his own approach to the work and the response from the industry, he's correct about the bias against the genre.
Iron Man Gave Robert Downey Jr. His Second Act
Robert Downey Jr. Reveals Similarity Between Iron Man and Oppenheimer
Oppenheimer star Robert Downey Jr. discusses a similarity between his role in the psychological thriller and his time as Tony Stark.Before he built a suit of armor in a cave with a box of scraps, Robert Downey Jr. was working on a professional comeback. During his conversation with Lowe, both of them sober, they often talked about how getting healthy helped their lives personally and professionally. After a series of arrests and stints in treatment facilities, Downey Jr. slowly started to rebuild his career with guest roles in Ally McBeal and supporting roles in films. The one-two punch of Shane Black's 2007 film Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Zodiac, with future MCU co-star Mark Ruffalo, caught the attention of critics, the industry and, most importantly, Jon Favreau and Kevin Feige.
While the director and producer wanted Downey Jr. for Iron Man, Marvel Studios' first official film, the executives in charge of Marvel refused to hire him, according to MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios by Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales and Gavin Edwards. Favreau tipped off the Hollywood Trades he was in consideration for the role, and the overwhelming positive response convinced Ike Pearlmutter and company to hire him. It was the best the decision the fledgling studio could've made. Downey Jr. -- along with Favreau and Jeff Bridges -- were determined not waste this opportunity. While Feige and others had big dreams for the future, they just wanted to make a great movie.
Iron Man was troubled from the beginning, in large part because X-Men: Last Stand, Spider-Man 3 and Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer led many to declare "superhero fatigue" had landed. The film beat expectations and launched the most successful feature film franchise before or since. The MCU became a money-maker, and Downey Jr. earned a lot of credit for its success because of the strength of his performance. However, as is typical, superhero movies that are adored by the masses aren't the kind of films that usually win awards or critical praise by the likes of those celebrating his turn in Oppenheimer and vote for awards.
People Didn't Love Tony Stark Because of Box Office Receipts
10 Most Iconic Iron Man Scenes in the MCU
Iron Man was the beating heart of the MCU. He had some of the most heroic and emotionally poignant scenes in the Avengers and his standalone movies.Despite the mythic, archetypal nature of the storytelling, there are those who will never believe that superhero stories are anything but entertainment spectacles for children. Avengers: Endgame -- Robert Downey Jr.'s last Marvel film -- earned so much money, James Cameron had to re-release Avatar again to retake the highest-grossing title. The success of the MCU is yet another reason cinema enthusiasts dismiss the work. It's as if no great piece of filmed art comes with branded bedroom sets and multiple toy lines. This is, of course, nonsense, and also completely irrelevant to the quality of Downey Jr.'s performance.
There are too many artists responsible for Marvel's success to name, but the face of the MCU -- both literally and figuratively -- was Tony Stark. Luckily, Robert Downey Jr. already kind of looked like him. Through his performances in the Iron Man films, Avengers films and Spider-Man: Homecoming, Downey Jr. made this larger-than-life character seem as real as Lewis Strauss. There are hundreds of videos on social media of packed theaters going absolutely wild when the portals opened up in Endgame and the Avengers assembled. Just 15 minutes later in the film, Downey Jr. turned those cheers to tears just by sitting down and delivering a mostly silent performance.
Of course, the death of Tony Stark wouldn't have hit audiences like it did if Downey Jr. hadn't spent the last decade making them love the character. It's not "easy" to deliver an amazing performance as real-life figures like Chaplain or Strauss. Yet, it's certainly more difficult to captivate audiences of all ages while delivering lines about Infinity Stones and time travel. Despite comic book-accurate subject matter, Robert Downey Jr.'s performance as Tony Stark gave kids (and adults) a character they can turn to for joy, comfort and inspiration for the rest of their lives.
