Robert Downey Jr’s casting as Iron Man has to be one of the most iconic decisions ever. His presence was such that since his departure, nobody could even imagine that character being played by somebody else. He successfully created a name for himself and became a fan favorite in no time. But interestingly, he also shocked a specific section of the audience by supporting one of the most controversial casting decisions in the MCU.
When the Sherlock Holmes actor appeared in The Joe Rogan Experience, he raised his support for a notion that is widely popular for dividing many fans. Robert Downey Jr claimed that Mark Ruffalo is perfect as the Hulk. While undoubtedly Mark Ruffalo has also contributed a lot to the Gamma-Radiated superhero, Edward Norton’s version still holds a special place among several audiences.
What did Robert Downey Jr say about Mark Ruffalo?
Even though Mark Ruffalo‘s version of Bruce Banner also has a great fan base, not all agree that he’s the best Hulk. This all happened after Edward Norton was replaced in Avengers after he had creative conflicts with the Kevin Feige citadel. Norton’s The Incredible Hulk despite being the lowest-grossing venture in the MCU is still remembered by the fans for several reasons.
Despite a divided audience reception, Robert Downey Jr has always raised his support and shown respect for Mark Ruffalo’s performance in the franchise. It was also evident when he appeared in an interview with Joe Rogan. You can watch the whole interview here:
In the interview, when Rogan raised the topic of how many actors have portrayed the actor till now, he claimed that Ruffalo is his favorite. Supporting his statement, the Zodiac actor immediately added:
“He was just born for it”
Further, it was also said by Joe Rogan about how he didn’t like the idea of the Smart Hulk in the MCU which was also largely criticized by several fans but it was also defended by the Iron Man actor who claimed it to be a bright creative idea.
On the other hand, it was also revealed by the Shutter Island actor himself that Downey Jr convinced him to take on the role of Bruce Banner in the 2012 Marvel venture.
Mark Ruffalo was convinced by Robert Downey Jr to join Marvel
When Mark Ruffalo appeared in an interview with Jimmy Fallon, he was not hesitant to reveal his journey to the world of the MCU. According to him, he was worried when Joss Whedon approached him at first.
“I didn’t know what I could add to what I already thought had been done so well before me. And I had only been doing indie movies up to that point so I was like I don’t know if I am the right person for this role”
It was Robert Downey Jr who took up the responsibility to persuade him for the role.
“Joss Whedon’s like, yeah, you are the right person. And then I got a call from Downey, it must’ve made it to him that I was hemming and hawing, and he just simply said, ‘Ruffalo, let’s go. We got this.’ In true Iron Man fashion. And then after that, I was like, ‘I guess I have to do it.’”
To be precise, the debate over who’s the best Hulk will come up every time we spot the character on the screen. Numerous fans who speak for Edward Norton have often pointed out how Hulk’s powers have been nerfed down in his MCU outings. It was also reported by Screenrant about how it would have been better if the role had never been recast.
It is also rumored that Disney is going to regain the rights for the solo movie with the character in 2023 and we might soon get a solo Hulk movie in the MCU. And if the reports turn out to be true and we get a movie based on World War Hulk, there can also be a revival for the classic Hulk.
Mark Ruffalo can be spotted in She-Hulk streaming on Disney+.
Source: The Joe Rogan Experience/Screenrant
