During a recent appearance on The Late Show, filmmaker Christopher Nolan openly praised Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Tony Stark/Iron Man, saying he brings charisma to the character.
Expressing his long-standing desire to work with Downey Jr., Nolan revealed his thoughts on the actor’s portrayal of Tony Stark in the MCU, saying:
“I’ve always wanted to work with him. I’ve always seen that in his work. And he has such charisma as Tony Stark. Him playing Iron Man is one of the most consequential casting decisions that’s ever been made in the history of the movie business. I wanted to give him the opportunity to lose himself in a part, lose himself in another human being the way great actors love him.”
You can watch the rest of the episode below.
Downey Jr. Was Obsessed With His Three Roles, Including Iron Man
Meanwhile, Downey Jr. shared insights into his preparation for both Tony Stark and his role as Lewis Strauss in ‘Oppenheimer.’ The actor talked about his deep immersion in these characters and said they were career-defining moments that demanded his full dedication:
“There have been three times in my career when I became completely obsessed with the possibility of playing a role. The first time was Chaplin. The second time was Tony Stark in ‘Iron Man.’ And the third time – I got the trifecta, and you’re lucky if this happens a couple of times – was with Lewis Strauss for ‘Oppenheimer.'”
In another interview, Downey Jr. also shared a glimpse into his past career and revealed he attempted to play Scarecrow in ‘Batman Begins.’ However, this role later went to his ‘Oppenheimer’ co-star, Cillian Murphy. You can read more about that story here.
‘Oppenheimer’ is already generating buzz with its nominations for Academy Awards at the upcoming 96th Oscars ceremony. On the other hand, Downey Jr.’s future projects include ‘Sherlock Holmes 3, The Sympathizer,’ and ‘All-Star Weekend.’
