Robert Downey Jr. has certainly made a name for himself. Throughout his career, he has gone from a questionable star to one of the most talented and respected actors in the world, and he only has his hard work and raw skill to thank for it.
After playing the role of Tony Stark, he gained an immense amount of respect from the masses and has gone on to prove that he is deserving of the status in the years since he left the MCU. Despite his standing and reputation, there was one particular movie where he was made fun of, and there was nothing he was able to do.
During the filming of the iconic film Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, the legendary Val Kilmer would often belittle Downey’s character, and the Iron Man actor was perfectly fine with it.
Val Kilmer Loved the Power He Had On Robert Downey Jr.
A few years before he put on an iron suit, Robert Downey Jr. was a part of the 2005 Shane Black classic, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, starring alongside Val Kilmer. If there is one thing fans collectively agree on, it is that one of the most entertaining aspects of the movie is the dynamic shared by Downey’s Harry Lockhart and Kilmer’s Gay Perry.
The two characters are completely unlike each other. However, the chemistry they share is like no other. Lockhart is famously quite clueless in the film, constantly being the butt of jokes, and Perry frequently makes full use of it. During an interview with CityLife Magazine, Kilmer talked about what it was like for him to be so mean to Downey.
He’s actually very smart but because he’s acting dumb he can’t say anything back to me.
Even though Downey was playing a dumb character, he has a reputation for being very smart. Despite this, he was unable to showcase his quick wit. Speaking along these lines, Kilmer revealed that he enjoyed being able to make fun of Downey and the actor not being able to say anything back to him.
Robert Downey Jr. Was in Awe
While Val Kilmer was having fun pulling Robert Downey Jr.’s leg during the filming of the movie, the latter was simply in awe of the legendary presence that he was in. Kilmer had been one of the most respected figures in Hollywood, even when the movie was being made. He had already been a part of massively successful films like Top Gun, Tombstone, Heat, and The Doors.
Knowing this, Downey was naturally enjoying his time working with the actor. During the interview, he went on to mention just how good Kilmer was at improvising during scenes, using an example to show just how good he was at his job.
He’s Val g*ddamn Kilmer […] He’s amazing. The stuff he came up with on the spot was great. Like when he’s supposed to tell me to put my cigarette out and I ask him where and he just deadpans, ‘Throw it in that clump of dry bushes, you moron.’
Amazed by how good he was at coming up with a joke spontaneously, it is safe to assume that Downey had to match his energy. Small, insignificant lines of dialogue often turned into something hilarious, thanks to how quick Kilmer was on his feet.
While fans are more used to seeing Val Kilmer in serious roles, there is no denying that he is excellent at comedy as well.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is available for streaming on Apple TV.
