Robert Downey Jr. is a Hollywood veteran and icon. The son of legendary filmmaker and actor Robert Downey Sr., Downey Jr. has grown up in the Hollywood spotlight. He burst onto the scene in the 1980s with roles in movies like Weird Science and Back to School before getting his first Oscar nomination for Chaplin. Following this, the actor had a very public battle with addiction, one that he has since recovered from and has now become one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, whose films have grossed over $14 billion worldwide. Downey Jr. recently was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his turn as Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer. Downey Jr. is the frontrunner to win, and it appears that after years of being known as one of the best actors of his generation, he will finally receive recognition from the Academy.
Yet for millions of people, Downey Jr. will forever be known as Tony Stark, aka Iron Man. The role of Iron Man came at an important point in Downey Jr.'s career and is the movie that truly signaled his return to the Hollywood A-list. He played the role for eleven years across ten films. While some might have dismissed this as a simple superhero movie and Oppenheimer is a return to real acting for Downey Jr., even Downey Jr. himself sees Iron Man as one of his best roles. Indeed, Downey Jr.'s Iron Man is one of the most important cinematic characters ever, and now the persona of Tony Stark is linked to the actor in a way that feels impossible to imagine anyone else in the role. Tony Stark is definitively Robert Downey Jr.'s best role — here's why.
Update January 25, 2024: This article has been updated following Downey Jr.'s recent Academy Award nomination for Oppenheimer.
Tony Stark is Robert Downey Jr.
When you think of Robert Downey Jr., you're likely to think of his portrayal of Tony Stark. Let's be honest; this really doesn't come as a surprise: Downey has played the character in ten iconic movies, which makes his role one of the most important ones in the entire Marvel franchise. With his very own charm and genius comments, Downey Jr. has turned Tony Stark into a complex character who has inspired millions of people all around the world. In fact, the actor and character are so closely linked that it's hard to disentangle them! In many ways, the two are alike.
Jon Favreau said one of the reasons he wanted Downey Jr. to play the role of Tony Stark was how similar the two are to one another. Both Tony Stark and Downey Jr. had to live in the shadows of famous fathers and were thrust into the public spotlight at a very young age. Before Downey Jr., Tony Stark's most famous storyline in the comics dealt with his addiction to alcohol, and Downey Jr. had a very public history of battling addiction. While the MCU did not direct this storyline directly, instead, they tapped into Donwey Jr.'s public persona to fill in the gaps for audiences to bring that to Tony Stark.
Yet Tony Stark and Robert Downey Jr. are two people who drastically turn their lives around. They undergo major life changes not in their youth but in adulthood when many people feel like it might be too late for them. They underwent help thanks to their close friends and loved ones and came out stronger than ever, revitalizing themselves to be the best versions of themselves. Tony Stark is the personification of Robert Downey Jr.'s life—a brilliant man who has descended into darkness and then risen again. Like Downey, Stark's genius takes him to places that are hard for most people to understand. It's no surprise, then, that Downey was so drawn to this role: it's one where he can dig into his own past and use it as a tool rather than letting it drag him down. Just as Tony emerged victorious throughout much of the Infinity Saga, so too has Downey.
Downey Jr.'s Performance Changed Iron Man
Comic book superheroes are larger than life and seem to be bigger than any actor. There have been multiple Batman and Spider-Man actors over the years, and while elements from the comics might be drawn from the movies, they tend to remain separate as they are ideas bigger than one actor. Even someone like Hugh Jackman, who is the definitive Wolverine, has not changed how Marvel Comics depicts Wolverine. Yet Downey Jr. is in a rare class, like Christopher Reeves as Superman and Wesley Snipes as Blade, where he has had an impact so great on the characters that comics have changed the character to align with the movie version.
While Iron Man is now one of the biggest superheroes in the world, it is easy to forget that at the time, he was considered a B-list hero. In fact, many scoffed at the idea of Marvel Studios making an Iron Man movie in the first place. When Marvel Studios decided to make an Iron Man movie, they attempted to make him a bigger part of the comics by making him not only a founder of The New Avengers but also putting him front and center of major storylines like Civil War and World War Hulk and also making him Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Yet, following controversial decisions in the Civil War, Iron Man was not a charming, likable character, and many were anti-Iron Man.
Then, in 2008, thanks to Robert Downey Jr.'s incredible performance, Iron Man became a fan favorite, and Marvel Comics quickly tried to cash in. Tony Stark underwent major changes in the comics to put him more in line with his movie counterpart, and the character was put even more towards the forefront of the comics like never before. Even animated series like Avengers: Earth Mightiest Heroes and Avengers: Assembled modeled their version of Iron Man after Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man. Now if you pick up any Marvel Comic now and it is clear they want Iron Man to look and sound like Robert Downey Jr.
Iron Man Revitalized His Career
When Robert Downey Jr. was cast as Tony Stark in the first Iron Man movie in 2008, many fans were skeptical that the actor could take on the role of a beloved superhero. After all, Downey's career had been plagued with legal issues and drug problems since he began acting in the 80s. Even Downey himself was worried about stepping into the role of an eventual superhero. At first, he was concerned that he might not have the skills to portray such a challenging character, whether it was his complex characteristics or his insane superhero moves.
Prior to kick-starting the MCU, he'd only recently begun to revitalize his career, with films like Wonder Boys and Zodiac under his belt. But when he accepted the offer, jumping right into the tumultuous and hectic world of Tony Stark and the first Iron Man hit theaters, it became clear that RDJ was the perfect person to play Tony Stark. Indeed, Downey made a late-career comeback with Iron Man, which was only the beginning of an incredible and widely loved franchise and the start of Downey's impressive career.
Even though he still had worries about how his acting career would continue once he put down his Iron Man suit for good, it is clear now that he is still as skilled in other genres as before. His role in Christopher Nolan's highly acclaimed blockbuster Oppenheimer as Lewis Strauss was praised for his outstanding performance. The actor won a Golden Globe and Critic's Choice Award and was recently nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
His performance as Tony Stark is Hilarious And Heart-Felt
When Iron Man came out in 2008, critics noted that he had the perfect blend of charm and charisma and that his performance as Stark was hilarious and wise-cracking. Through the years, and across multiple MCU movies, from the Iron Man trilogy to the Avengers franchise, we've seen Tony Stark evolve from an eccentric weapons manufacturer to a hero who puts others first. While it didn't seem as though such a transformation would be possible, considering how driven and self-centered he was at first, the change in his demeanor and opinions happened in a wonderfully natural way. We've seen him overcome his mistakes and develop meaningful relationships with the people around him, including Pepper Potts, James Rhodes (Don Cheadle), Peter Parker (Tom Holland), and even Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), despite their differences.
We've watched him discover what it means to be part of a team, learn how to compromise and grow into a leader who is willing to make sacrifices for the sake of others. And still, while all these changes took place, he never lost himself along the way, but rather stayed true to himself by continuing with his sarcasm, funny comments on the side, tricking his friends, and following his passion for technology. He turned into a true inspiration who not only often led the way in the movies but also helped fans to find courage in themselves.
Iron Man Was the Spark for the MCU
As of 2019, Downey has appeared in multiple MCU movies: Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk (in which he has a cameo), Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Iron Man 3, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. The first Iron Man truly launched the MCU, and Downey Jr.'s performance was the spark.
Downey Jr.’s casting as Stark in the original Iron Man was a major risk for Marvel Studios, and success wasn't guaranteed. Not just because Downey's past, unfortunately, made him seen as a liability by studio execs but also because the superhero genre wasn't the box office draw it is today. Aside from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy and the original X-Men films, superhero movies weren't taken all too seriously, and in 2007, they had a series of critical duds (yet box office hits) of Ghost Rider, Spider-Man 3, and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
Iron Man, being the first MCU movie at the time, was a gamble, and a big one, at that, but clearly, all the hard work and the huge risk paid off. The MCU movies have become a valuable part of this genre, leading the way and ensuring that they always deliver something new. A big part of its huge pay-off, of course, was Downey's performance as the titular character, which caught the attention of people all around the world and kick-started a wave of admiration and excitement around this genre.
Downey Jr.'s casting signaled to many that Marvel Studios was going after the best actors they could for the roles, even ones that people might not assume for a superhero role. His impact can be felt in the bold risk of casting a comedic actor like Paul Rudd as Ant-Man or going for an Academy Award-winning actress like Brie Larson, who was not known for action roles to play Captain Marvel. Even casting someone like Chris Pratt, known for playing comedic characters, as the charming, likable Star-Lord can be traced back to Marvel rolling the dice on Robert Downey Jr. Even Christopher Nolan thinks Downey Jr's casting as Iron Man is one of the greatest in movie history.
Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man changed movies forever. While it might not have gotten the awards attention that some of his other roles have, it is clearly, based on his MCU film's massive box office intake and how beloved the character of Iron Man is, that it was a well-regarded performance that can stand toe to toe with any of his others. Awards are not always the end-all and end-all of what makes a great performance. Downey Jr.'s Iron Man joins the ranks of Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones or Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, icons of cinema that will loom large over pop culture for years to come.