RDJ on Superhero Roles: Deserving More Respect

RDJ's Reflection on Superhero Roles

Robert Downey Jr., who portrayed Iron Man for over a decade in the MCU, recently shared that he believes his time as Tony Stark was some of the best acting of his career but is overlooked due to being in genre movies.

Split image of Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark in Iron Man 3 and as Iron Man in Iron Man 2

Iron Man (2008) kick-started the MCU Timeline, propelled by Downey Jr.'s now-iconic performance. Given the character's status as a dominating figure in pop culture, it's disappointing but understandable that he feels superhero performances don't get the respect they sometimes deserve.

Black Widow making her MCU debut in Iron Man 2

Recently, Downey Jr. spoke on the Literally! With Rob Lowe podcast, where he reflected on his experience with the movies of the MCU. Particularly, it was an interesting, challenging, and exciting experience branching out into other movies after spending several years almost exclusively playing Tony Stark. He explains: '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.'

Are Superhero Movie Performances Really Overlooked?

The claim that RDJ makes about the level of recognition for his work in the MCU is an interesting one because it suggests that the history of comic books being viewed as 'lowbrow' writing persists today in the film industry.

T'Challa Black Panther and Shuri as Black Panther in the MCU

Unfortunately, it seems that, despite critical acclaim and fan enthusiasm, this may hold true when it comes to awards, which would certainly be a metric factoring into RDJ's assessment. As of now, only 10 Marvel and DC films have ever won an Oscar, which is astonishingly low given their output over the last few decades.

Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in the DCEU

Angela Basset was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of Queen Romanda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). Joaquin Phoenix won Best Actor for Joker (2019). The list of nominations is much higher, with 39 superhero movies and shorts up for contention at the Academy Awards, suggesting that the films are being recognized even if they don't win. Granted, several of these are technical category nominations, but it seems that the sentiment about the quality of the superhero genre is one of the more prominent ones. On the other hand, plenty of Hollywood talent has publicly criticized superhero movies, so there's some truth to the genre's unfair reputation. Regardless, RDJ's performance as Iron Man remains iconic, regardless of awards - or the lack thereof.

Scarlet Witch in WandaVision series finale costume

The Impact of Superhero Performances

Given the superhero movie genre's general reputation, Downey Jr.'s claim makes sense. In movies regularly dominated by spectacle, it can be easy to appreciate the work and talent that goes into portraying superheroes and villains.

Loki trapped by Mjolnir in Thor

The list of nominations is much higher, with 39 superhero movies and shorts up for contention at the Academy Awards, suggesting that the films are being recognized even if they don't win. Granted, several of these are technical category nominations, but it seems that the sentiment about the quality of the superhero genre is one of the more prominent ones.

On the other hand, plenty of Hollywood talent has publicly criticized superhero movies, so there's some truth to the genre's unfair reputation. Regardless, RDJ's performance as Iron Man remains iconic, regardless of awards - or the lack thereof.