Working in a big franchise is a high-risk, high-reward venture for an actor. And even then, the aftermath may not be as favorable as one might think. There are roles that become embedded in the viewers’ minds, like Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man or Daisey Ridley’s Rey, which makes it difficult for them to see the performers in a different role.
Though being in a highly successful franchise brings them copious amounts of wealth and fame, those looking to expand their resume look for more diverse roles. That’s why RDJ did several offbeat projects after his stint in the MCU, finally landing Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. And Star Wars fame Ridley followed in his footsteps.
Daisy Ridley’s Sometimes I Think About Dying was her attempt to find something new after Star Wars
It is way too common for actors who have starred in superhero or similar genres to get typecasted as their persona. It is hard for them to leave their past behind, which leads to their careers often fizzling out like a burnt-out candle.
There are several prominent examples of the same, from Daniel Radcliffe in the Harry Potter films to Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man. And Daisy Ridley wishes to avoid that after becoming a household name with her role in Star Wars. That’s why she chose to star in Rachel Lambert’s dramedy Sometimes I Think About Dying.
The indie title premiered at Sundance last year and gathered critical acclaim. When IndieWire talked to her in a recent interview, she explained her choice of film:
What I was looking for was really nothing in particular, yet everything in particular, if that makes sense. I actually read something that Robert Downey Jr. said [recently]. He said he did so much work in [his] Marvel [films], but people almost didn’t look at it like a performance in the same way that they might’ve done if it wasn’t outside of that world.
And it seems like she was successful in doing so, as her work was greatly appreciated by the attendees of the Sundance Festival.
Robert Downey Jr. too struggled to get out of his Tony Stark persona. And after a few trials and errors, he hit the jackpot.
Robert Downey Jr. felt his MCU performance went “unnoticed” because of its genre
RDJ is beloved among Marvel fans as Tony Stark/Iron Man. His final sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame made entire theaters erupt in tears. However, despite all the love and fame the MCU brought for him, his performance was completely overlooked by the Academy Awards.
In the Literally! With Rob Lowe podcast, Downey Jr. admitted he felt ignored by the Academy despite giving his best as Iron Man. He said:
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. [I] did myself a favor, because 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, boy did they evaporate. And it rendered me teachable.
Downey Jr. went through a period of flops like Doliitle after his run as Iron Man came to an end in the MCU. He did make an emotional documentary, Sr. in 2022, that received critical acclaim as a heartfelt tribute to his father, but largely went unnoticed.
However, the year 2023 bore fruit as he starred in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, and he went on to win his first Oscar.
Sometimes I Think About Dying can be streamed and rented on Apple TV+.
