Robert Downey Jr. took Marvel’s decision to screen-test him for Iron Man in stride, quipping that even his own team thought he was a mess!

Are you ready to leave your current job and find yourself struggling like Tony Stark tried to turn on an arc reactor? Hold your horses! Just ask Robert Downey Jr., the actor who brought Tony Stark to life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and guided a labyrinthine career loaded with pitfalls before achieving stratospheric success. Playing the iconic philanthropist, playboy, and genius arms manufacturer Tony Stark, Downey Jr.’s journey was a total rollercoaster of box office dice rolls and skepticism.

Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man 3 | Credits: Marvel Studios

Back in 2008, we hadn’t thought that Iron Man, featuring a character who was barely a blip on the superhero radar, would turn into a billion-dollar juggernaut. Often, the boardroom of public opinion has been a hard nut to crack. Yet, not only did Downey Jr. rule on screen, but he also became the cornerstone of Marvel’s cinematic empire, turning skepticism into gold.

Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man Screen Test and the Birth of a Cinematic Icon

Sure, the release of Marvel Studios’ Iron Man in 2008 was nothing short of a game-changer. Marvel took a leap of faith with an actor who was considered a bit of a gamble, and from that risky endeavor emerged a cinematic phenomenon that would lay the foundation for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Now, as Iron Man has become the keystone of a colossal universe, and Robert Downey Jr. embodies Tony Stark like nobody else, it’s fascinating to rewind the tape and revisit the origins of this legendary character. Let’s check out the actor’s original Iron Man screen test in the video below—where it all began.

This footage from September 2006, a good year and a half before the film’s May 2008 release, offers a glimpse into how Downey Jr.’s portrayal evolved from a rough diamond to a polished gem. In the initial part of the screen test, Tony Stark’s conversation with reporter Christine Everhart unfolds.

As The Hollywood Reporter pointed out, Downey Jr.’s take is a tad more sinister and less charming. It’s like comparing a rough draft to a final masterpiece; the underlying quality is there, but it hasn’t yet fully blossomed.

Moving to the second part of the screen test, where Stark interacts with soldiers, a glimpse of Downey Jr.’s wit starts to shine through, though it’s a bit more subdued than in the final cut. It’s clear why director Jon Favreau saw potential in Downey Jr. and why he pushed to refine his performance.

The transformation from this initial screen test to the suave, lovable Tony Stark we know today was no small feat. In a candid interview with THR (via Screen Time), Downey Jr. reflected on his pre-Iron Man days without any hard feelings. When asked about Marvel making him audition for the role, Downey Jr. had a refreshingly blunt response:

F*ck no… I have my own board and 51% of them thought I was a piece of s*it too.

And let’s just say, he’s not the type to hold a grudge—or at least, not for long.

Are Superhero Movies Bad for Serious Acting? Robert Downey Jr. Weighed In

During a chinwag with Rob Lowe on his Literally! podcast, Robert Downey Jr. took a stroll down memory lane and let us in on his feelings about his Marvel days and beyond. He mused:

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.

Downey Jr., now 59, reminisced about his time as Iron Man, saying:

I did myself a favor, because the rug was pulled so definitively out from underneath me and all the things that I was leaning on as opposed to what my understanding of confidence and security was, boy did they evaporate.

Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man | Credits: Marvel Studios

He confessed that the unexpected tumble from the Marvel pedestal left him feeling like he’d been hit with a sledgehammer of reality. But as they say, when one door closes, another opens. Downey Jr. described this period as a time of personal growth and discovery:

And the crazy thing is they say when the student is ready, the [Christopher] Nolan will come. I mean, the teacher will come. And that’s what happened.

His admiration for his role as Tony Stark is evident, and Downey Jr. has frequently waxed poetic about the character who launched his career into the stratosphere. From the debut of Iron Man in 2008 to the epic farewell in Avengers: Endgame in 2019, Stark has been a significant part of his life’s tapestry.

So, there you have it. Robert Downey Jr. is soaring high, embracing the ups and downs of his career with the grace of a seasoned pilot.

Iron Man is streaming on Disney+.