Robert Downey Jr isn’t buying into influencer culture: “Absolute horseshit”
Robert Downey Jr has made it abundantly clear that he’s not a fan of influencer culture.
In a recent episode of the Conversations for our Daughters podcast, Downey Jr made his feelings known while also rubbishing the belief that influencers will become the biggest stars in entertainment as “absolute horseshit”.
Reflecting on his own youth, Downey Jr initially began, “In the late ’70s, early ’80s, dangerous though it was, there was this sense that the competition wasn’t so stiff that you shouldn’t even bother trying.”
He then compared that with today, adding, “Whereas nowadays, people can create celebrity without ever doing much besides rolling a phone on themselves.”
Downey Jr also shared his hopes for a pushback against influencer culture from the younger generation that is being indoctrinated by it every time they unlock their phone screen. The Hollywood star said he hopes they instead choose to “build something or “educate myself” rather than go down the “self-aggrandising kind of influencer-type thing”.
The Marvel star doesn’t believe that his job is under threat from an influencer either, adding, “When I hear people talk about, ‘Oh, the stars of the future are going to be influencers,’ I go, ‘I don’t know what world you’re living in, but I think that that is absolute horseshit’.”
The 61-year-old actor admitted that his own teenage son “got caught up in this whole influencer thing”, before recalling, “Next thing you know, it’s like, ‘Hey, if you like the way I’m playing this video game, do you wanna send me a donation?’ And really, it becomes a religion.”
Continuing with the religion comparison, Downey Jr elaborated, “So there’s something about the influencers today that are almost like the Evangelical hucksters of the information age.”
As much as he has an issue with the broader notion of influencer culture as a whole, Downey Jr was also quick to point out that he’s met plentiful nice influencers while promoting his movies, adding, “I also know when I am promoting a film now I’ve gotten to know a few of these influencers, and I find many of them grounded, accomplished, cool people.”
Downey Jr will be back meeting influencers all over the world later this year when he undoubtedly takes flight upon an exhaustive promotional run for Avengers: Doomsday, set for release on December 18th, 2026.
The upcoming blockbuster will mark his debut as Doctor Doom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, having previously famously played Iron Man.
Last September, the Russo brothers lifted the lid on production, stating Avengers: Doomsday is “bigger than anything we’ve ever done”.
They also shared, “This movie is, to say the least, a big one for us. It is bigger than anything we have ever done. We are bringing together so many of your favourite heroes to face one of the greatest threats to the MCU.”
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