The professional relationship between Robert Downey Jr. and renowned director Christopher Nolan dates back well before the much-discussed 'Oppenheimer.' Surprisingly, their collaboration traces back to the early 2000s when the two first met for a director's project. However, Nolan initially decided against including the famous actor in the project. Dive into the details below! 👇
Robert Downey Jr., who gained attention with the film 'Oppenheimer,' had expressed his interest in being part of one of Christopher Nolan's projects in the early 2000s. Downey had aimed to portray the villain Scarecrow in Nolan's 2005 superhero film, 'Batman Begins.' However, Nolan was not particularly interested in hiring Downey for the role, a fact he openly acknowledged in a recent interview with The New York Times.
Nolan stated, 'I was 100% certain he (Downey) wasn't the right guy for Scarecrow.' Eventually, Nolan selected Cillian Murphy to play the antagonist in 'Oppenheimer.' He further expressed his desire to meet Downey, despite knowing that the actor wasn't suitable for the Scarecrow role, emphasizing his admiration for Downey.
Their first encounter predates Downey's iconic role as Iron Man and was during a time when Downey was dealing with legal issues in the early 2000s. Downey's troubled past includes arrests for drug-related offenses, leading to legal troubles. However, their paths crossed before Downey's transformation into the Marvel superhero.
Despite being the initial choice of former Marvel Studios president David Maisel, concerns about Downey's past struggles with addiction made the studio hesitant to entrust the future of the company to what they described as the 'hands of an addict.' However, Maisel's persuasion ultimately led to Downey being cast as Iron Man, a role that became a turning point in his career.
In a recent appearance on 'The Late Show,' Nolan referred to Downey playing Iron Man as one of the most impactful casting choices in the history of the film industry. Nolan commended Jon Favreau's decision to cast Downey as Tony Stark, stating that it defined the industry and acknowledging the importance of such choices, especially during the post-COVID era.
Downey's performance in 'Oppenheimer' has positioned him as a favorite among Oscar contenders. Nolan entrusted Downey with the role of Lewis Strauss, which garnered praise from critics and accolades at the Golden Globe Awards.
Expressing his desire to work with exceptional actors, Nolan acknowledged that capturing a moment in their lives and careers is crucial. He wanted to offer Downey something he hadn't done before or hadn't done in a long time. Nolan confessed, 'I always wanted to work with him, really. Just stopped being scared of him, really.' This transformation in Nolan's approach allowed them to collaborate successfully on the complex portrayal of a dramatic character in 'Oppenheimer.'