The Russo Brothers Describe Robert Downey Jr.'s Process in Playing Tony Stark/Iron Man Across 10 Marvel Films

Two-time Academy Award-nominated actor Robert Downey Jr. has had a roller coaster of a life and career, playing roles in every genre from comedy to esteemed drama, and returning after a personal hiatus that many didn’t think he could bounce back from. Downey was hired by Marvel to play their Iron Man, and it ended up being one of the biggest roles of his lifetime. He played leader of the Avengers, Tony Stark, across 10 films, and though he’s known for being an intense method actor, he was able to keep the role fresh.

Filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo, aka the Russo Brothers, talked about that in a recent interview with Vanity Fair, in which they described Downey’s process, with Joe saying:

“When he’ll come back to set, Robert is famous for throwing the plan out the window and climbing on top of the couch and whatever, sort of going off-book. He does this because he likes to surprise himself. He likes to keep things fresh. He lights up for that.”

Anthony added:

“There’s no other way that he could have played that character for 10 movies unless he was doing that. Robert has certainly lived a complicated life. He understands the stakes, he understands loss, he understands the turns life can take between ups and downs. He’s always looking for that level of depth, that level of complexity. I think he knows that’s what we all come to movies for in the first place.”

Downey did a fantastic job playing Tony Stark - a funny, kind, brilliant, and selfless leader. I am so glad he was given the chance to play the part, which will now forever be tied to him.