“He’s the most accessible character I’ve ever played”: Before Tony Stark Came Along, Robert Downey Jr. Felt Bonded to One Forgotten 1989 Film

Robert Downey Jr. found his most relatable character in 2008 with MCU’s Iron Man!

It was the year 1989 when veteran actor Robert Downey Jr. portrayed the role of Alex Finch in a forgotten movie titled Chances Are. Chances are, you probably haven’t heard of this film but for RDJ, the role of Finch was the most accessible role that he had ever portrayed, until Iron Man came along.

From being a person in jail to an Oscar-winning actor in 2024, Downey Jr.’s life has been incredible over all these years. Taking a look back at what he has achieved over the years, Downey Jr. revealed that his forgotten film Chances Are stands right near the top!

Robert Downey Jr. And A Forgotten Film From 1989

Well, no offense to Mr. Downey Jr., but back in 1989, he wasn’t as famous compared to the present. Hence, starring alongside Cybill Shephard and Ryan O’Neal, the actor starred in a film titled Chances Are.

With a comedic twist to a classic tale of love and romance, the film wasn’t a bad project, but it simply wasn’t memorable enough. The Oppenheimer actor portrayed the role of Alex Finch in the 1989 film, and he surely enjoyed it.

In a recently uncovered article from 1989, Downey Jr. sat alongside writer Kenneth Turan for an interview. As per Interview Magazine, here’s how the conversation went between the two gentlemen.

TURAN: What position does Chances Are occupy in your body of work?

DOWNEY: Probably in the upper colon. No, it’s a nice film; he’s [Alex Finch is] a nice guy, and he’s the most accessible character I’ve ever played. Now you’ll think I’m the person who’s in Chances Are, which is nice because he’s a nice guy.

Robert Downey Jr. complimented the character of Alex Finch and even referred to it as the “most accessible character” that he had ever played. However, that was about to change as Downey Jr.’s life turned upside down.

After the whole ordeal, the actor reformed his persona by donning the role of Tony Stark aka Iron Man in the 2008 film Iron Man. In a recent interview, the Dolittle actor stated that Iron Man was the one character that resembled RDJ the most.

Robert Downey Jr. On Returning As Iron Man

In a recent interview, Downey Jr. was asked the infamous question about returning as Iron Man for the hundredth time. This time, however, the actor stated that he had become open-minded to the idea!

Sitting alongside veteran actress Jodie Foster (and a good friend to Downey Jr.), the actor talked about his thoughts on returning as Iron Man. Talking about it in an interview with Variety, Downey Jr. gave fans a glimpse of hope for his return to the MCU!

It’s just crazily in my DNA. Probably the most like-me character I’ve ever played, even though he’s way cooler than I am. I’ve become surprisingly open-minded to the idea.

The actor also mentioned that Tony Stark was “the most like-me character” that he has ever played, since the real-life Robert Downey Jr. and Tony Stark are pretty much the same. On the other hand, the world would literally go crazy if RDJ were to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The actor was last spotted in the TV mini-series titled The Sympathizer wherein he portrays the role of a spy. The series received a rating of 7/10 on IMDB and a whopping 89% on Rotten Tomatoes. With RDJ in the mix, The Sympathizer is available to stream on Max in the U.S.