The MCU began its ambitious storytelling journey with 2008’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. as the charismatic Tony Stark. With his suave personality and sparkling wit, the Golden Globe winner brought the essence of the Marvel superhero to life, and became a talisman for the whole franchise leading up the culmination of his character in Avengers: Endgame.
The celebrity recently stated that he believed his run as Iron Man qualified as one his best acting performances that did not get enough credit owing to the MCU being regarded as purely a symbol of entertainment. On the back of these comments though, fans are now enjoying his reaction to comedian John Mulaney’s joke on the franchise at a recent awards ceremony.
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Robert Downey Jr. Took MCU Jibe In His Stride
There is no doubt that Robert Downey Jr. has played an integral role in putting the MCU on the global map. Over 11 years, the Oppenheimer star has regaled Marvel buffs with his dazzling portrayal of Tony Stark aka Iron Man. His emotional farewell at the end of Avengers: Endgame left fans teary-eyed and sad, not just with his performance, but also the fact that Iron Man had officially said goodbye to the franchise.
While Downey Jr. is currently ruling the roost with his Golden Globe winning performance in Oppenheimer, he revealed that his role as Iron Man did not get the recognition it deserved owing to the general opinion that the MCU prioritized entertainment over art which he felt, was an unfair assessment.
However, fans picked up on the actor’s reaction to comedian John Mulaney’s dig at the Marvel franchise at the recent Governor’s awards which is a precursor to the Academy Awards. According to Mulaney, a Marvel movie winning an Oscar was comparable to a Reddit comment winning a Pulitzer Prize.
Following this jibe, Downey Jr. was shown laughing uncontrollably along with his peers on either side of him. Netizens too, had a field day with this visual and took to social media to express their hypothetical opinions on the repercussions of the Marvel alum’s reaction, especially after his comment on his Marvel performances. One fan on X stated,
“Kevin Feige saw the clip of him laughing at John Mulaney’s Marvel movie diss and showed up to his house with a gun”
Downey Jr.’s reaction to the Mulaney jibe is also an indicator that the actor is sportive enough to take these comments in a lighthearted fashion and laugh along with everyone else.
Robert Downey Jr. Almost Couldn’t Let Go Of Iron Man In Avengers: Endgame
For actors, the characters they play become so much a part of their personal lives and experiences, that bringing their stories a full circle is sometimes heartbreaking. While Robert Downey Jr. left Marvel fans in a a puddle of tears at the end of Avengers: Endgame, the actor found it equally difficult letting go of his beloved character.
In a book titledBennett and Paul Terry, the Russo Brothers who directed the Avengers films, spoke about seeing Downey Jr.’s eyes well up with tears on realizing his character’s fate, and why that was a reassuring sign for them.
“When we started winding down the pitch, and getting to his death, Robert started crying. And when we were done, he said ‘That’s f–king awesome.’ That’s when we knew that we had to do it. Because he felt it.”
The Sherlock Holmes star’s emotional breakdown proved to the Russo brothers that he was not only invested in his character, but also had a deep respect for the Marvel franchise and their work which gave him huge stardom for over a decade.
