Robert Downey Jr. Disappoints Young Fan Who Thought He Would Meet Iron Man

As most parents can tell you, kids can be hard to please.  For example, most adults would find it pretty cool to meet Robert Downey, Jr.  After all, he’s a fantastic actor and comes off as quite the character in interviews.

But not for one and a half year-old Jaxson Denno, who cried when he met Downey.  But I guess I could understand it — he was told he was going to meet Iron Man and Downey didn’t show up in costume.  Well, it’s probably a bit more difficult for Downey to bring Iron Man’s gear around than it is for Johnny Depp to bring his Captain Jack Sparrow costume to visit children.

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Rebecca Hall on ‘Iron Man 3′: “This is not ever the kind of film that I wanted to do”

One of the most surprising members of the cast of Iron Man 3 is Rebecca Hall, who plays scientist Maya Hansen.  Hall has had a prolific career since her first film in 2006, but had never been in any sort of big budget film until appearing alongside Robert Downey, Jr. in Iron Man 3.  She spoke to The Los Angeles Times about preparing for the role

Hall was able to get a feel for her character’s personality by reviewing the 2005 comic book storyline that introduced her character.  She reveals,  “I went and had a look at the Extremis comic books and found out who she was, because I just felt like I’d be at a tremendous disadvantage if I didn’t. I’d be very ignorant, and I wouldn’t want to be in that position. And also, you do a disservice to people if you don’t respect where it’s coming from. But the moment I looked at them properly, that was kind of it. I just thought she had very little to do with the script that I’ve got to work on, there’s no point really beyond just sort of the respectful action of looking at it.” Read more

Ben Kingsley: “I think when actors are playing villains, the best key is not to look at how evil they can be, but to look into their total conviction”

Without spoiling much, Ben Kingsley absolutely steals the show in Iron Man 3.  He plays the Mandarin, a terrorist who controls the television airwaves in order to broadcast his vicious acts.  However, there is so much more to the Mandarin than his mysterious yet oddly-accented warnings to the Western world, and much of that comes from the really effective performance of Kingsley. 

He spoke to GQ about playing such an offbeat character opposite Robert Downey, Jr. as the superheroic Iron Man. Read more

Robert Downey, Jr.: “Nothing pleases me more than when somebody who was awe-inspired to be working with me realizes I’m just another schmuck”

Though Robert Downey, Jr. is an acclaimed actor, in an interview with GQ he shrugs off the acclaim to point out how normal he thinks he really is what he calls a “ridiculous industry.”

In particular, he enjoys the surprise people have at finding out that he isn’t some kind of genius artist.  He explains, “Nothing pleases me more than when somebody who was awe-inspired to be working with me realizes I’m just another schmuck that they’re bored of hanging out with on a set. I love that moment. I like it when that persistent illusion is smashed.” Read more

Robert Downey, Jr. on Winning an Oscar: “I know it’s going to happen… That’s just a fact”

In his in-depth interview with Robert Downey, Jr. for GQ, correspondent Chris Heath ends with asking Downey if he aspires to win an Oscar.  Naturally, the twice-nominated Downey responds with the familiar “it doesn’t really matter to me” answer we’re used to hearing from actors. 

However, his reasons for that conclusion are a bit different from the norm — he explains he doesn’t care much about it because he’s convinced he’ll eventually win one… and if not, he’ll simply get awarded one after a long career of acclaimed performances! 

Check out the humorous exchange below: Read more

Robert Downey Jr. on How He Became Iron Man and How Much Longer He’ll Play Tony Stark

Though now it seems that it would be wrong for anyone else but Robert Downey, Jr. to play Tony Stark, when Iron Man was going through casting Downey was only a few years removed from a very public battle with drug addiction and hadn’t been a high profile name in even longer.  He spoke to GQ about how he landed the role despite strong resistance on the part of Marvel Comics and how long he thinks he’ll be starring in movies as Marvel’s Armored Avenger.

When he heard about the film being in production Downey was convinced that the role should be his, even after Marvel passed on him — in fact, director Jon Favreau recalls that Marvel told him, “Under no circumstances are we prepared to hire him for any price.”  On his pursuit of the role Downey confesses, “I don’t know why. I do like a bit of Jung, and it was just this kind of numinous thing.”  When his persistence was rewarded with the opportunity of a screen test, he went into an extreme preparation process, which he refuses to detail besides immersing himself into the script.  He explains, “The missus says she could’ve woken me up in the middle of the night and I’d have recited the audition dialogue in double time.” Read more

Terrence Howard Reveals That His One-Sided Contract Stopped Him From Starring in ‘Iron Man 2′

Being that Marvel Comics — which is now owned by Disney — has created an ongoing connected universe of franchises with its Avengers movies, it’s become clear now that once you sign up to play a Marvel character your character will potentially pop up in other films.  For example, Robert Downey, Jr. does not only star as Tony Stark in the three Iron Man movies, but he also has appeared as Stark in The Avengers and The Incredible Hulk.  And it’s well-known that if the film has anything to do with the Avengers, it’s pretty much guaranteed that Samuel L. Jackson‘s Nick Fury will be showing his face.

However, one actor in particular seemed to have escaped the Avengers franchise — Terrence Howard, who played Stark’s friend James “Rhodey” Rhodes in Iron Man, was replaced by Don Cheadle for Iron Man 2 and 3 (which allowed Cheadle to step into the armor of Rhodey’s superhero alter ego, War Machine).  There were many rumors about why Howard didn’t reprise the role in Iron Man 2, including ones that claimed Howard was the highest-paid actor in Iron Man and that he caused problems on the set. Read more

Rebecca Hall on ‘Parade’s End’, ‘Iron Man 3′ and Finding Projects That Challenge Her

Rebecca Hall has tried to stay away from blockbuster movies, preferring smaller fare like The Town and Vicky Cristina Barcelona.  But, in a departure, she’ll be appearing in Iron Man 3 in May.

“The question became, Why not?” she told The Wall Street Journal about starring in the franchise.  “I kept not doing them and got to a point where I was like, actually, instead of deciding that it’s not going to be for me, I should find out if I might enjoy it.”

It turns out, she does.  Hall loved working alongside the cast as scientist Maya Hansen.  “One of the great things about the Iron Man franchise is that they employ fascinating actors who don’t necessarily do action movies,” the 30-year-old said.  “Before Iron Man you didn’t associate Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow with those kinds of films.  There’s an emphasis on repartee and wit.” Read more

Watch the Awesomeness of the ‘Iron Man 3′ Trailer

Director: Shane Black

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale, Jon Favreau, Ben Kingsley

Synopsis: Marvel’s “Iron Man 3″ pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

In Theaters: May 3rd   Read more

Trailer #2: ‘The Avengers’ starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård , Samuel L. Jackson

The Avengers: Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”–the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012. In “Marvel’s The Avengers,” superheroes team up to pull the world back from the brink of disaster when an unexpected enemy threatens global security.

Writer/Director: Joss Whedon

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård , Samuel L. Jackson

In Theaters: Not freaking soon enough. May 4th, 2012 Read more

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