Q+A Robert Downey Jr
TONY STARK HIMSELF LOOKS BACK ON A DECADE OF IRON MAN, SCIENCE BROS, AND HIS NEXT PROJECT
Iron Man was the Big Bang that gave birth to the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe back in 2008 and Robert Downey Jr was the spark that ignited it. Back then, Tony Stark was considered a B-list superhero and Downey was reaching for a comeback after recovering from addiction, which threatened not only his career but his life. Both proved to be stratospheric stories of success and redemption. In conversation, Downey is as freewheeling as a man in an iron suit, swept by currents as he glides from one point to the next. Here’s an edited version of where he took us.
In the past few movies, Tony has been trying to find a way out of the hero game. Is that still where he is?
Well, let’s compare him to me. If I was going to not be playing Tony for the next 10 years, I wouldn’t be doing it with no plan of what I would do instead. I don’t think Tony is idle, I think he is wondering ... Look, when he tried to make a suit of armour around the world [in Avengers: Age of Ultron], that didn’t pan out so well.
If the suits do the heavy lifting without Tony, what’s his role?
I always feel bad for guys who still haven’t gotten their relationship together or procreated, and they’re looking at the back nine. Because you kind of go, like, are you going to be that dad who people are wondering if the kid’s grandpa came to the soccer game? So I think there’s probably some of that going on. Stark’s personal life was put aside in recent movies. It was hard to thread Pepper through every story that Tony was in, so we took opportunities to say, “We’re taking a break, and it’s my fault.” [ Laughs] Now he and Pepper have kind of locked it up. We were talking about them living in some eco-lodge together, but then we thought, “Eh, anytime they move somewhere [villains] just blow it up, so no-one’s gonna believe that it’ll stay long.”
Since there are so many characters in
Infinity War, I wasn’t sure how personal their stories could be here.
Pepper remains the heart of the story. I think we wanted to get back to that reality. Not just for them, but let’s really see how that can add to the stakes and the something-worth-fighting-for of it all.
Your team is Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and warrior-librarian Wong. Then Bruce Banner crashes to earth.
I love how Cumberbatch just comes in and kind of draws flaming circles anywhere and can basically step into your movie. That’s fun. And we wanted to keep a little bit of the science-bros thing alive, even though Ruffalo has been on such an amazing Banner/hulk journey himself.
Spider-man, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, also lends a hand.
I think [Marvel] is smart: “Oh, yeah, we like the Parker/stark thing. So let’s keep them at close quarters as long as we can.” Someone under your tutelage is now firing on all cylinders, but you’re responsible for bringing them into deeper water.
What do we need to know about the threat that they’re facing?
Believe me, I’m tired of every movie, you know: “It’s the end! It’s Armageddon! It’s the be-all, end-all, forever!” And then it’s ... not. This one actually is. [ Laughs] They’re not kidding. This is a heads-willroll scenario.
The Iron Man of the comics had a different personality. How much of yourself did you put into him?
Pause] I wonder. [ I ain’t him, I’ll tell you that flat out. There’s always a bit of a burn-off period when they run out of call sheets for me. I’m just a f--king actor. I’m just a guy who does have a very interesting past, who does not regret it, who wished to shut the door on it. I think that translates.
What’s next? You and your wife [producer Susan Downey] have the Team Downey production company. You’re shooting The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle.
First of all, the missus is front and centre with Joe Roth producing Dolittle. I have a million ideas, but I can tell you the God’s honest truth. Having done
Avengers 3 and 4 back-to-back, and now doing [ Dolittle] ... When I’m done with this, if you hear I’m not taking a break, call me and tell me I’m crazy.