Over the span of two decades, Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow have stood by each other’s side through the highs and lows of life. Their enduring friendship has been a source of strength for both of them. During an interview, as they delved into their experiences working on Iron Man 3, they couldn’t help but reminisce about how their connection originated long before they embarked on the Iron Man franchise.
It is well known that Downey Jr. has faced his fair share of encounters with the law and struggled with drug-related issues in the past. In light of this, Paltrow openly shared her initial reservations when she first met the actor at a film festival in the 90s.
Gwyneth Paltrow Was Hesitant to Meet Robert Downey Jr. Due to His Problematic Nature
Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert Downey Jr’s friendship took root at a film festival in the 1990s. However, Downey’s remarkable talent and early promise were overshadowed by his turbulent personal life, characterized by excessive partying and struggle with addiction, and daily run-ins with the law. These challenges raised concerns among many in the entertainment industry, including Paltrow. In an interview with Oregon Live, while promoting the third installment in Iron Man, the Oppenheimer actor revealed he got to know Paltrow was enquiring about him from a mutual friend and stated,
“She was like, ‘What is wrong with him? Who is this guy?’ She called him up asking, like, if it was going to be essentially bad for her reputation to be hanging out with me.”
Although the actress retaliated and claimed the fact to be false, she did admit he was “wild” back then and stated,
“He was really wild, and I was very naive. I immediately took a shine to him. … Then he went off the radar for a little while.”
After their initial meeting, Paltrow and Downey lost touch when the actor took a hiatus from the industry to focus on rebuilding his life. However, fate had other plans, and their friendship rekindled the moment they crossed paths once again upon his return. Despite the stark differences in their life experiences, they both expressed immense pride in the significant progress they had made since they first saw each other.
Gwyneth Paltrow hated kissing Robert Downey Jr.
The two shared the screens in Avengers franchise as lovers and Paltrow did not have a good time when it came to shooting the romantic scenes with her old pal. Regarding their chemistry, Paltrow had revealed to People that she finds it absolutely disgusting to kiss the actor.
Despite their strong offscreen friendship, kissing Robert Downey Jr. proved to be not so much of an enjoyable moment for the actress, as she stated,
.“My relationship with Robert Downey Jr. was obviously forged through all the Iron Man and Avengers movies. I feel like I was able to find an incredible, lifelong, inspirational partner and friend,—With Robert, like, when I kissed him, I was like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me, this is literally like kissing my brother.’”
Their deep mutual admiration and respect for one another, both as colleagues and friends, are evident in their work dynamics and interactions, and that is exactly what made “Pepperony” so great!
Source: Oregon Live
