Christopher Nolan Has High Praise For Marvel’s Casting of Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man
Despite the flack that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has gotten from Hollywood luminaries, including Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Nolan had nothing but praise for Robert Downey Jr.’s turn in the comic book franchise.
In an interview on The Late Show, Nolan was effusive in his praise of Downey’s time as Iron Man, calling the decision to cast the actor “one of the most consequential” decisions in movie history.
Source: polygon.com
“I’ve always wanted to work with him. I’ve always seen that in his work,” Nolan said. “And he has such charisma as Tony Stark. Him playing Iron Man is one of the most consequential casting decisions that’s ever been made in the history of the movie business.”
Photo: THR
Downey, of course, recently starred as Lewis Strauss in Nolan’s Oppenheimer. The actor is seen as a front-runner for Best Supporting Actor for the role.
Downey’s Secret To Success
In addition to his acting talents, Nolan singled out Downey Jr.’s ability to connect with audiences as one of his best talents.
Photo: Marvel
“You’re looking for some kind of generosity. He has this incredible generosity of spirit. It means when he’s in a scene with other people he’s making sure they are all doing their best, that they are all able to bring their best to the table. He’s helping them clarify those emotional connections.”
Downey Jr. and Nolan Go Way Back
Interestingly, things haven’t always been so copasetic between Nolan and Downey Jr. Following a screening of Oppenheimer in Los Angeles, Downey Jr. revealed that he met with Nolan about playing Scarecrow in 2005’s Batman Begins.
Photo: Variety
“I remember meeting for tea, and I was like, ‘He doesn’t seem like he’s really leaning in on this interview.’ And he was polite and all that, but I mean, you know. You can tell when someone is kind of like, ‘It’s not gonna go your way.’”
