Without question, Robert Downey Jr. is one of the most famous actors of his time. Downey Jr. has become a household figure thanks to his highly lauded performances in the role of Charlie Chaplin and his iconic portrayal of Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, he faced many obstacles on the road to success.
Downey Jr.’s dr*g abuse and legal problems were so severe that they nearly wrecked his career. After committing to recovery, he finally turned his life around and threw all his dr*gs into the ocean.
The Struggle with Addiction and Legal Troubles
Robert Downey Jr. had experience being in the spotlight. In the 1980s, he became one of Hollywood’s most talked-about young performers, and his career took off from there. But Downey Jr. was also notorious for his dr*g and alcohol-fueled wild antics.
The consequences of his reckless behavior on the set of Ally McBeal led to his dismissal from the show in 2003. Robert Downey Jr. realized he had reached his lowest point and had to make some changes. He promised to stop using narcotics and dump them all into the water. After making this choice, Downey Jr.’s life and profession would never be the same.
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Downey Jr. has always been a talented actor, but his troubled past prevented many studios from taking a chance on him. However, filmmaker Jon Favreau thought Downey Jr. was the best choice to portray Tony Stark because of his unique abilities.
Though Marvel Studios eventually decided to employ him, they were hesitant to do so at first, opting instead to cast someone younger and with less of a reputation. Favreau advocated for Downey Jr., and Marvel Studios agreed to let him try out.
What happened after that is, well, history. In the first Iron Man film, Downey Jr. performed remarkably as Tony Stark, solidifying his status as the MCU’s public face.
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Iron Man’s Lasting Impact
The role of Tony Stark, played by Downey Jr., has achieved legendary status. He contributed levity, emotion, and depth to the role, making the character one of the MCU’s fan favorites. Iron Man’s triumph opened the path for the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and catapulted the careers of performers like Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth.
The role of Tony Stark brought fame and money to Downey Jr. He reportedly made $500,000 for the original Iron Man movie, but he obtained a raise for himself for each sequel. Before his role in Avengers: Endgame, Robert Downey Jr. brought in an average of $75 million for each movie.
Downey Jr. realized he needed help from an industry veteran who had already played a superhero on the big screen. Therefore, Wesley Snipes, who had already portrayed the Marvel hero Blade in three films, was his first choice.
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Snipes and Downey Jr. had been through their fair share of legal difficulties before working together on multiple films. He was prepared to help Downey Jr. deal with the stress and responsibility of playing a comic book character.
Snipes later revealed that Downey Jr. had approached him for advice on playing the role of Iron Man. Snipes had made a good impression on Downey Jr. while working together on films like One Night Stand and U.S. Marshals. Snipes said he was too busy to return Downey Jr.’s call, but he deeply regretted not being able to assist his buddy and colleague in any way he could have.
Source: New York Times
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