Without a doubt, the role of Tony Stark / Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe revived actor Robert Downey Jr’s career and made him a worldwide superstar. In the 1990s, the actor’s reputation was severely damaged as he struggled with drug addiction. The actor’s desperate attempt to bag the role fortunately worked, however, that wasn’t the only time he was desperate to get a role, as he went to director Richard Attenborough to convince him that he was fit to play the role of Charlie Chaplin in his 1992 movie, Chaplin.
Marvel Studios was completely against the idea of casting Downey Jr as Iron Man, but with efforts from Kevin Feige and Jon Favreau, he managed to get the role, becoming a fan-favorite superhero.
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Robert Downey Jr had to convince the director to cast him
In an old interview with Cinema.com, actor Robert Downey Jr recalled the time he had to approach director Richard Attenborough to convince him to cast him for the lead role in his movie,
“When Richard Attenborough was casting Chaplin, I went in to meet him and I said, ‘Dude, I really feel like I could do this’ and Attenborough was like, ‘Right. Nice to meet you. Good day.’ Then it came to, just after screen test and he said, ‘Robert you have been offered the role of Charles Spencer Chaplin,’ and then I had this amazing journey with him.”
Chaplin (1992) received mixed reviews, however, the actor was praised for his outstanding portrayal of the iconic comic actor. He was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.
Robert Downey Jr had to do the same to get the role of Iron Man
In the interview, Robert Downey Jr explained that the director of 2008’s Iron Man, Jon Favreau, was his “second Richard Attenborough” as he once again had to convince the director to hire him. Due to his public controversies, Marvel Studios never considered Downey Jr for the role, however, Favreau believed that his real-life story somewhat resonated with the story of Tony Stark.
With efforts from Kevin Feige, Marvel’s then-CEO, Isaac Perlmutter, and Favreau, Downey Jr got the role and it was his last opportunity to prove himself. Iron Man (2008) grossed over $585 million, becoming the eighth-highest-grossing film of 2008. Marking the beginning of the actor’s MCU run, the film massively contributed to making Downey Jr the successful star he is today.
