Overcoming hurdles and shunning the haters on his way, Robert Downey Jr. finally won his first Oscar for Oppenheimer, which he quite certainly deserved long back. With his co-stars and supporters by his side, the actor is now creating new milestones in his career, following his comeback in Hollywood.
Meanwhile, the renowned director/actor Jon Favreau who believed in Robert Downey Jr. and helped him restart his career after Hollywood blacklisted him, recently sang words of praise for the actor. Following Downey Jr’s Oscar win, Favreau revealed why it’s so gratifying for him to see the actor sweep awards, during the auspicious ceremony.
Jon Favreau Always Believed in Robert Downey Jr’s Potential
Receiving his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor in 1993 for Chaplin, Robert Downey Jr. was starting to pave his way in Hollywood. Unfortunately, not only did the star lose the award to Al Pacino for Scent of a Woman, but also gradually lost his career to thin white lines. From getting addicted to drugs to facing legal action, Downey Jr. eventually got blacklisted by Hollywood.
Almost losing his rising career, when the actor finally sought redemption, there was barely anyone in the industry who believed in him. However, fortunately, Downey Jr. still had one individual who took a risk and relaunched the actor’s career. And that was Jon Favreau. When no one believed in the star, Favreau took on the challenge and cast him in MCU’s Iron Man.
Speaking with PEOPLE, Jon Favreau revealed how he could see through Robert Downey Jr. and his impact on films. Even before the actor became a bankable star and an Oscar winner, Favreau found an interesting aspect in Downey Jr. that eventually helped him restart his career. “Robert is always interesting, that is a superpower” the director noted.
Tapping into Robert Downey Jr’s interesting nature, Jon Favreau admitted hiring the actor as the lead in 2008’s Iron Man. Going forward, the movie cemented Downey Jr’s leading-man status in Hollywood and launched the multi-billion-dollar Marvel Cinematic Universe. Holding hands with MCU and Favreau, the actor eventually rose to fame and found the success that he deserved long back.
Jon Favreau Sings Word of Praise for the Actor’s Oscar Win
After decades of serving the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. finally left the franchise to explore other roles and projects. Diving into Christopher Nolan‘s World War 2 drama Oppenheimer, the actor appeared as the scheming government bureaucrat Lewis Strauss. Playing an antagonistic role in the movie, Downey Jr. made way for the Academy Awards, with his prolific performance.
Finally, during the 96th Academy Awards in March 2024, Robert Downey Jr. nailed his presence in Hollywood, by taking home the shiny Golden Statue for Best Supporting Actor. Following his Oscar win, Jon Favreau sung words of praise for the star, during his interview with PEOPLE. Revealing why it’s so gratifying for the director to see his friend sweep awards, Favreau hailed Downey Jr.
“He has a tremendous amount of respect for the profession, and he wants to make sure that he’s doing his part. It’s game day… It’s nice that the sun is shining on him because it takes turns. You really get the sense that he’s putting things in perspective, and he seems to be understanding what this moment means.”
Addressing Robert Downey Jr’s dedication towards his stagecraft and respect towards his profession, Jon Favreau implied that the actor deserved this appreciation, long back. But finally, as the sun is shining on the actor, Favreau feels grateful to see Downey Jr. come a long way in his career, from once being blacklisted.
