“A big deal”: How Robert Downey Jr was inspired to make his famous comeback by Keanu Reeves and ‘The Matrix’
Everybody loves Keanu Reeves. Not only has he been a part of some great movie franchises, from the action-packed worlds of The Matrix and John Wick to the decidedly less punchy Bill and Ted universe, but, by all accounts, he is a lovely person. His gentle humility, despite decades of being incredibly famous and successful, is admirable. Also, as it turns out, we have him to thank for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Robert Downey Jr is one year younger than Reeves but got his start much earlier due to his position as the son of a famous actor. The second-generation star first rose to prominence as a satellite member of the Brat Pack, appearing in movies such as Weird Science and Less Than Zero. An Oscar-nominated performance as Charlie Chaplin was supposed to be his ascension to the top, but long-standing issues with substances sent him spiralling into obscurity. Many thought that his firing from Ally McBeal in 2001 was the end of what could have been a promising career, but a comeback was on the horizon.
Speaking to GQ in 2008 – the year Iron Man took the world by storm and changed Downey’s career forever – the star recalled the moment that inspired him to turn his life around. “When Tobey Maguire and I were doing Wonder Boys, we went to see The Matrix, and that was a big deal,” he said. “I’ve known Keanu for ages. I watched the whole thing happen for him. Then I saw Tobey with his whole Spider-Man thing. And then I saw, in a different way, what Johnny did with the whole Pirates thing. You get to firmly embed yourself in the unconscious of the planet in a way that’s so clearly not important that you don’t have to take it all that seriously. I just thought it would be really fun not just to get to do this—or maybe a couple of these—but also to get to be endorsed by Burger King and Hasbro and Slurpee cups.”
Knowing RDJ’s wry sense of humour, he’s probably joking about dedicating the vast majority of his professional career to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to get a couple of dollars in his back pocket to shill for burgers, toys and Slurpees. And if that was his sincere intention, it backfired, as none of these companies have endorsed him. They probably would if he asked, though.
Though he’d already made a name for himself in the likes of Speed and the aforementioned Bill and Ted films, Reeves’ role as Neo in The Matrix catapulted him to new heights. It cannot be overstated how mind-blowing the Wachowskis’ bullet-time-loving action flick was at the time of its release. It almost seemed hackneyed by today’s standards, but that’s only because it invented so many of the tropes that are cliches today.
Reeves, who famously landed the gig after Will Smith turned it down, became one of the biggest stars on the planet following his slow-motion heroics. Equally, following the release of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man in 2002, Maguire acquired his status as a household name. It’s no surprise that Downey wanted in on the action.
Of course, his decision to step into Tony Stark’s armour-plated shoes paid off big time. As the figurehead of one of the most successful film franchises ever, Downey earned money, fame, and respect by the bucketful. Fans eagerly await his return to the MCU as the villainous Doctor Doom.
In an alternate timeline, things could have ended very badly for RDJ. Thankfully, he was able to realise the error of his ways and pull off an astonishing rebirth with a little help from everyone’s favourite Canadian.
