Downey Jr: Iron Man performance went “unnoticed” because it’s in a comic book movie

He is Iron Man…and that was kind of the problem. By 2008, Robert Downey Jr. was giving it an admirable go at getting his career back on track. While A Scanner Darkly and Zodiac showed he was truly taking it seriously, it was Marvel’s Iron Man that made him blow up yet again. But there was only so far people would follow throughout his MCU journey, as RDJ recently opened up about how the stigma of comic book movies kept people from really appreciating his acting.

Appearing on Rob Lowe’s podcast (via People), Downey Jr. remembered, “I felt so exposed after being in the cocoon of Marvel where I think I did some of the best work I will ever do, but it went a little bit unnoticed because of the genre.” While it’s often the case that comedy movies go unnoticed when it comes to recognition of performance, it’s even worse for action movies and superhero fare. But just because a comic book is the source doesn’t mean we should disregard incredible performances.

No doubt Robert Downey Jr.’s overall performance throughout the MCU (concluding perfectly with Avengers: Endgame) is one of the best of the franchise, but we also can’t forget Josh Brolin as Thanos, Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger and Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff.

In the 15+ years since the Marvel Cinematic Universe launched, only one person has been nominated for an Oscar: Angela Bassett for Best Supporting Actress in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which she won the Golden Globe for. This recognition was the subject of a bit by John Mulaney at the Governors Awards this week, where Bassett was being bestowed with an Academy Honorary Award: “Here’s what a great actor Angela Bassett is: She got an Oscar nomination for a Marvel movie. That’s like getting a Pulitzer prize for a Reddit comment.” This – like most of his jokes (now this is a comedian who should host the Oscars) – got a huge laugh from the crowd, including Downey Jr. himself, who was clearly taking his personal connection – and the general truth – in good stride.

Who do you think gave the best performance in a Marvel movie? Where would Robert Downey Jr.’s turn as Tony Stark rank? Let us know in the comments section below!