Robert Downey Jr, Iron Man 2 Interview

Robert Downey Jr spills the good on Iron Man 2 and the upcoming Avengers! At Comic Con we were invited by Paramount to participate in Round Table interviews with the entire cast including Jon Favreau, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson and Robert Downey Jr. Below you can read our interview with Robert Downey Jr.

Q: Do you enjoy working a crowd, like you did for the panel?

Robert: Yesterday, for Sherlock Holmes, I became love dizzy and I thought I might lose my footing, so I was transported by it. Today, I had my legs under me a little better. Jon and I worked out a bit, which to me is a huge deal ‘cause usually Jon likes going, “You say something funny and then I’ll come back. Let’s go!” And, he pulls me out on stage, which to me is a little anxiety provoking. Today, we actually worked out a bit, so that was nice.  

Q: This movie looks like it’s so much fun. How much more fun did you have, this time around? And, did you have a greater degree of confidence, playing this character again?

Robert: The confidence was higher, but fun was not necessarily the word I would use to describe it. We felt more responsible to spend more time, and we had broadened our cast and horizons, and the story is actually significantly more complex and subtle, while you can still follow it. I don’t want to say that it was as fun. It flew by, which was also odd, because we felt every punch, moment, laugh and everything last time. It was a really, really, really trying process to get this done to the best of our ability.  

Q: What was the trickiest thing to work out, story wise?

Robert: What does everybody best offer? How do we make sure that all these insanely gifted people who are used to being #1 on their own call sheet, who have come to join us to play, have a real beginning, middle and end? How do we make them pertinent to a story that actually could have easily been told, just continuing along the same lines we were, bringing in another non-descript bad guy and kicking ass? The trickiest part was living up to the ambition.  

Q: In the first film, there was a show-stopping moment when your heart was taken out, where there are no effects and it’s just all acting. Is there a moment like that in this film?

Robert: A big through-line for this has to do with what did after the credits last time, when Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) comes in and says, “You’re part of something bigger than you know.” Jon and I are both big Writer’s Journey and Joseph Campbell fans. Pretty much everyone is. But, there is something to be said about legacy and there’s something that’s missing in him. And, obviously, what’s kept him alive is a miniaturized version of something his father created, but things aren’t always as they seem and someone arrives on the scene. How bad-ass was Mickey Rourke with those whips?  

Q: What was that thing?

Robert: I don’t quite understand. [Laughs] But, it seems like it’s similarly powered. All I know is that Jon really made some smart moves, in the things he decided to prioritize. To me, this film really is about Tony’s secret journey into his deepest fears, his sense of obligation, his sense of legacy with his father, a sense of brotherhood with Rhodey and his ongoing deep love and respect for Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow)

Q: Was the suit any easier this time?

Robert: Yeah, it was a little easier. Not enough for my taste.  

Q: Is there a love triangle between Tony and Pepper, and Tony and the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)?

Robert: We essentially started off saying it’s a love triangle, and then we realized that love triangle is done in these superhero movies, all the time. What we wanted to do was something just a little bit freakier than that, and I believe we have succeeded. Black Widow is a great character because she is not what she appears to be. It was a great opportunity. I don’t even know if it’s so much a love triangle. Pepper is exactly what she appears to be, except there’s a lot more going on under the surface, and that’s brought to bear, this time.  

Q: How surprised are you that this Iron Man franchise has changed people’s perceptions of you as an actor?

Robert: It’s pretty miraculous. But, in the realm of miracles, I think it’s probably a two or three ‘cause it’s a movie industry thing. Nonetheless, it’s mind-blowing to me because I’d always felt like I wanted to and could do something like this. It’s wild.   Q: How is Tony Stark different, this time around? How has the arc changed?
Robert: Last time, we saw him as this hapless, charming prick who has his ass handed to him, and turns it around and then is almost snuffed by the very person he thought he could trust above everyone else. To dial it back a little bit, you have to imagine that just because someone has a life-changing experience doesn’t really mean they’ve changed. Tony is seeking solace in the archetype. It’s one thing to say you’re Iron Man and it’s another thing to actually be a righteous person, and I think he struggles with that because he’s not really all that different.  

Q: So, he has to wrestle with that?

Robert: Oh, sure. That’s not really the point of this one, but if he has a birthday party, expect it to go desperately sour.  

Q: Has the prospect of The Avengers set in for you yet?

Robert: Not entirely. I’m not as savvy about that stuff. I just know that, right now, we’ve got a really good thing going on and it’s most important to not sully that. So, I’ll listen to the professionals and I’ll just keep selling soap until otherwise notified.  

Q: You had such a great year with Iron Man and Tropic Thunder, and now you have Sherlock Holmes and Iron Man 2. Are you feeling it? Is the Robert Downey, Jr. renaissance in full swing?

Robert: [Laughs] The best thing I can do, and I think this is the thing that’s been my saving grace, is consider myself a worker amongst workers. When I deviate from that, things just don’t turn out so sweet for me.  

Q: Can you talk about Due Date?

Robert: I’m doing it. 

Q: And, you’re the straight man to Zach Galifianakis?

Robert: What?! Why would I want to do that? I think Zach and I will have a nice time.