Robert Downey Jr was concerned Marvel role would affect his acting skills
Robert Downey Jr, best known for his iconic portrayal of Marvel superhero Tony Stark/Iron Man, recently confessed that he was wary of the potential impact the role may have had on his versatility as an actor.
Having donned the high-tech suit for over a decade, Downey Jr expressed fears about a loss of his acting prowess, musing, “You start to wonder if a muscle you have hasn’t atrophied,” referencing the 11 years spent as a central figure in the Avengers franchise.
Downey Jr exited the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Avengers: Endgame in 2019, but apart from the widely panned Dolittle the following year, the actor has been rarely spotted on the big screen. His next theatrical performance will be as Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming Oppenheimer.
Downey Jr’s concerns surfaced during an interview with The New York Times. When probed about whether his extended tenure in the MCU could impact his performance in Oppenheimer, the actor was candid, explaining: “Yes. 100%, and I knew there was a point where Chris Nolan was endorsing, let’s work those other muscles, but let’s do it while rendering you devoid of your usual go-to things.”
Downey Jr’s well-known “fast-talking, charming, unpredictable” persona was scaled back to embody the character of Strauss, a two-term member of the US Atomic Energy Commission. The actor described the film as a “quality product” and expressed satisfaction over reconnecting with a “more purist approach to making movies”.
Oppenheimer, starring Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, also known as the “father of the atomic bomb,” will hit theatres on 21st July. The star-studded cast includes Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, and Kenneth Branagh.
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