At age 57, Robert Downey Jr. is still considered one of Hollywood’s most desirable stars. The actor who has done the gamut of roles in different genres ranging from action to comedy to romance, has an arresting personality and charisma that got women of different generations swooning over him. The star though has always been contemplative and down to earth about his relatability to audiences especially concerning his age.
When he turned 50, Robert Downey Jr. confessed that he had a reality check about getting older, the kind of roles he would do, and the leading ladies he worked with. The actor spoke candidly about embracing his age and also gave an insight into the kind of characters he would definitely shy away from as he aged.
Robert Downey Jr. Did Not Want To Be Seen As Creepy
Marvel superstar Robert Downey Jr. got pensive on the occasion of his 50th birthday and spoke about the kind of roles that he would want to do as he grew older. Discussing the fact that many of his co-stars and love interest in films were getting younger, the Iron Man actor confessed his trepidations about how he would be viewed as an older actor.
“I think I just never wanted to be the creepy guy where people say, ‘why do his leading ladies keep getting younger and younger? Why do they think he’s so hot even though we know that the girl who’s playing this part actually has a handsome boyfriend?”
The Due Date star also reflected on the changing nature of the leading man in Hollywood and the fact that he was one of the older actors in the Avengers franchise as well. The star quoted co-actors Mark Ruffalo and James Spader as the only stars who belonged to the same generation as him.
Iron Man 3 Was A Reality Check For Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr. has never been one to step back from a challenge as an artist. The MCU star has embraced risky action sequences and stunts in his stint as Iron Man as well as with his character Sherlock Holmes. But Downey Jr. was in for a shock when he realized that filming Iron Man 3 involved far greater commitment as an action star. Speaking of the reality check he got on set, the Oscar nominee stated,
“I think the main lesson for me was that I momentarily ceased to take the precautions that I’ve taken every other time, and obviously what caused it was a psychological point of view that I had that is just not realistic.”
The Judge actor went on to add that he became fully aware of his age and limitations during the filming of Iron Man 3 and realized that while he could still nail action scenes on set, he needed to be more aware of his body as he grew older.
Source: Deadline
