- Christopher Nolan says Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man is "one of the greatest casting decisions."
- Downey Jr. stars in Nolan's latest movie "Oppenheimer," which hits theaters on July 21.
Robert Downey Jr. might have had second thoughts about playing Iron Man, but Christopher Nolan believes Downey Jr.'s Iron Man is "one of the greatest casting decisions" in movie history.
"When Favreau had the insight to cast him as Iron Man, it's one of the greatest casting decisions in the history of movies," Nolan told celebrity-interview podcast Happy Sad Confused, referencing Jon Favreau, who directed the first Iron Man movie. The podcast episode aired on Thursday.
"You look at what that did and where that went with everything. I think that was Jon just knowing what an incredible actor, what an incredible potential that was from Downey," Nolan told interviewer and entertainment journalist Josh Horowitz, who runs the podcast.
The actor is credited with turning Marvel Studios into a cinematic powerhouse with his portrayal of Tony Stark, Iron Man's alter-ego. Downey Jr. made multiple appearances as Stark between 2008 and 2019, including the "Iron Man" trilogy and all four "Avengers" films.
Downey Jr. himself has questioned the impact of spending so much time in a single role. In an interview published this month, the actor told The New York Times he was worried that playing Iron Man for so long was going to affect his acting skills.
"You start to wonder if a muscle you have hasn't atrophied," Downey Jr. told The Times.
But Nolan's comments in the Happy Sad Confused podcast indicate the director has a different take on Downey Jr.'s acting prowess.
"It's really cool to see somebody who's achieved so much greatness as a movie star, then pivot completely and stretch themselves in a way that a lot of people haven't seen him do," Nolan, who directed Downey Jr. in his latest film "Oppenheimer," said.
Representatives for Nolan and Downey Jr. did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider sent outside regular business hours.