Robert Downey Jr AKA the Tony Stark of the real world has made an enormous contribution to the entertainment industry that has made him one of the most legendary stars of all time. However, despite the amazingly vast range as an actor evident from his superhit movies like the Iron Man movie series, for one to count, the young Downey is rather underappreciated for his outstanding works, judging from the only Oscar-nomination he has got throughout his entire career for the $31 million worth movie, Chaplin.
But this movie that got him his only Academy Award nomination, too, was almost snatched from him by another A-lister from Hollywood, Tom Hanks.
Robert Downey Jr’s Oscar-Nominated Role Was Almost Snatched By Tom Hanks
If there’s one movie from Robert Downey Jr that certainly exceeded his fans’ expectations of him besides Iron Man, it’s none other than his other widely renowned masterpiece, Chaplin (1992). And judging from his performance, playing the iconic entertainer in his life’s biopic must be the role that made the young Downey a household name in the industry.
But this widely recognized role from Richard Attenborugh’s biographical film was nearly snatched from him by the renowned Tom Hanks, as the latter was among the other actors being considered for the role besides the Iron Man star.
However, since the Forrest Gump actor wasn’t renowned enough at the time, the fact that he didn’t have enough superhit movies up his sleeve for showcasing might be the reason behind him not getting selected to play the legendary silent film actor. Thus came Robert Downey Jr into the picture, and everything changed – for the better.
Robert Downey Jr Nailed His Performance In Chaplin (1992)
Despite being one of the most controversial figures of all time, Charlie Chaplin was, hands down, one of the most talented-to-the-core performers to ever hit the screens. And Robert Downey Jr made sure to do an exceptionally fine job of portraying his character in Chaplin.
The 1992 biographical film showcased the mischief, magic, and melancholy of the silent performer, and the Iron Man star effortlessly captured all these emotions with utter perfection. Although the movie received mixed reviews from the audience, RDJ’s flawless physical and mental embodiment of Chaplin made the film worth watching.
While the biopic was made on a budget of $31 million and grossed a mere $12 million at the box office, it did end up giving Robert Downey Jr his first and only Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role to date, marking it to be the best performance in his entire career.
You can watch Chaplin on Paramount+.
Source: MovieWeb
