"I think it's the mythology about a genre picture like this that I thought could be fun and cool and maybe wind up turning into more than another paycheck. His superpower is his mind. His superpower is his ability to invent and I think that's something that all of a sudden makes it applicable to every man, woman and child who will see it."
After years of circling development hell, "Iron Man" is finally being released in movie theaters this weekend. Of course, nobody during those ten years would have probably guessed that Robert Downey Jr. would land the leading role. "Iron Man" caught the attention of Nicolas Cage and Tom Cruise but ultimately, director Jon Favreau caught everyone by surprise when he announced Downey Jr. as his leading man. Favreau took a chance and as audiences will see this weekend, it pays off. "Iron Man" will do for Robert Downey Jr. what "Pirates of the Caribbean" did for Johnny Depp.
Based on the Marvel comic character, "Iron Man" tells the story of Tony Stark, a playboy billionaire industrialist who finds his life turned upside down when he's kidnapped in the Middle East and imprisoned for three months. Out of his escape comes his greatest personal invention: an indestructible suit that contains high tech weaponry and the ability to fly. Stark (Downey Jr.) witnesses firsthand the impact and destruction that his company has on the world and vows to make right everything he's done wrong.
We talked to Robert Downey Jr. at a New York press day about his venture into the comic book world.
Q: Was it tough to get in physical shape for the role?
ROBERT: Well I turned 41 when I was cast. I turned 42 when we were shooting the desert escape sequence and I turned 43 a few weeks ago. After a certain point, it starts to click along pretty quick. So I decided to make an intervention on myself and see if I could actually get in shape. When I was in my 20s, you train for six weeks and you look good for the next six years. Now, I train for six months and I look good for six minutes. The math is getting really interesting too.
Q: How much of this character was informed by the comics books and how much of it was determined by you, the writers and Jon?
ROBERT: It's funny to me because I have all this reference material [from the comics] and people will go, "Oh, we don't need that." I'm like, "Wait a minute. People have been tweaking this character for forty-five years. I think everything of value is probably right in there." But I wasn't entirely correct.
Jon and I really created this third thing, which was Tony Stark. We really talked about it and really treated it like it was wildly important.
Q: You really nailed the character...
ROBERT: I don't think you get a lot of shots like this where you get a chance to do a couple more. Everyone's watching and I'm here talking to you. I've been on the other side of that where you're doing press with people about a movie you hate and you know they hate and I'm like, "Why are we fucking here?"
Q: As a kid were you into comics?
ROBERT: I think so. I wasn't a comic book enthusiast. But I remember seeing Iron Man and he was with Spider-Man and this and that and I would think, "Oh, is that a robot?"
Q: So what was it about the character of Tony Stark that you like?
ROBERT: I think it's the mythology about a genre picture like this that I thought could be fun and cool and maybe wind up turning into more than another paycheck. His superpower is his mind. His superpower is his ability to invent and I think that's something that all of a sudden makes it applicable to every man, woman and child who will see it. I love this phrase that "there's nothing more serious than a child at play." I know that that's true for me. I think everyone has their thing. I ask around and make it my business to ask someone, "When you're following your joy, what is it?" It tends to be several things but it usually has to do with tinkering with no particular aim. Or, it's a hobby that's not a hobby or all. It's a complete spiritual endeavor for that man or woman or kid. I think that ultimately, that's what saves his ass in the simplest form of the story is his ability to create out of desperation or loneliness or out of industrialism or patriotism.
Q: There was a potential for him to come off as a womanizer and a jerk and even with that there was something endearing about him. Was there any thought about making him this or that?
ROBERT: Well the conversations that I've heard throughout my illustrious career were, "We got to sure he's not…" and I'm like, "Well, what do you know what we have to make sure he isn't? What about the story?" The story takes care of it. He gets his ass kicked so hard. And then how do you transition? The more important thing wasn't whether he was an asshole before but if he's something other than entirely not an asshole after that, then I can't understand that person.
I think audiences, myself as a movie lover, you forgive a lot. Look at the movies we love and look at the schmucks and bitches people are before the turn, act two or the resolution. You never want them to change entirely because part of the aspect of that aggression, drive or that wit is ultimately what comes to bear at the end. From the little I know about storytelling that seems to be useful.
Q: How was working with Terrence Howard and Gwyneth Paltrow?
ROBERT: Terrence was fantastic. We really got close playing these guys who were really close and it's been an interesting thing because you tend to think you're making friends, and there are people you really feel a brotherhood with and he's one of them. Gwyneth is absolutely crazy about me.
Q: Your chemistry with her is awesome throughout the movie.
ROBERT: It's rare that that happens. Sometimes, you think [someone] is hot, smart and cool. And then you go on set and she's just talks like a wench and you think, "I can't believe I got to spend the next couple of months with this bitch." Gwyneth was a very corrective experience for me.
Q: Regarding the improvisation on set, how challenging was that to work in that style?
ROBERT: We put [the writers] through their paces. I was riding these guys all the time while we were doing the movie. I was like, "Congratulations, you got a nomination. Yeah, yeah, I'm not going to respect you. That doesn't mean anything to me." My nomination meant something to me. (Laughs)
We're writing all this stuff down on this huge cue card and Matty, the poor DP, goes, "I have eight minutes of light. Are you guys partying with your improv over there?" I'd go, "This is the scene we had. Fergus and Ostby wrote this pretty cool scene." We used half of it but we're doing this hodge podge and putting it up on this piece of cork board and Matty the DP goes, "I see his eyes moving." I go, "Cut! Props? Sunglasses, please."
Q: Are you going to be doing more writing? You seem to have an affinity for it.
ROBERT: Yeah, I'll do more writing. Hell, they should probably credit me on this one for it.
Q: Do you see yourself doing an "Avengers" film somewhere down the road?
ROBERT: Maybe.
Q: If Jon directs?
ROBERT: Yeah but I didn't know that things would end up here. I don't have this massive career overview. I'm not like, "Well in addition to this trilogy, I can see how we can cross-pollenate with another thing."
Q: You have a cameo in "The Incredible Hulk" this summer...
ROBERT: I'm so fucking pissed off. I went and did a scene for two hours which they're going to run during the end credits in "Hulk" and everyone's like, "So, your role in 'Hulk'…" I did it as a favor to these guys at Marvel. They're really cool but I have to talk about it every fucking day. But they're smart because they get that you're saying "Hulk" when we're talking about "Iron Man." They know what they're doing.
Q: This movie will probably make more than most of the movies you've done like "Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang." Knowing that, a lot of younger people will be seeing you for the first time. What movies would you recommend them seeing from your career?
ROBERT: I would start in the order of which I was making films. I don't know. That's probably something I should spend more time thinking about. I would start with kids seeing "The Shaggy Dog." I just contradicted myself.
Q: If you could have a superhero power, what would you choose and why?
ROBERT: How do you feel about asking me that question? My one superpower would be to go through an entire press day in four seconds.
"Iron Man" opens in theaters May 2nd.