Robert Downey Jr.

Made films the shows talk about.

Wikidata Q165219: matched by corpus:resolve, told apart by the only person by that name on Wikidata.

No film of theirs is counted: acting and studio count only when asked for, so what they drew on and who drew on them comes only from the lines with them at one end. Count them as actor (33 films) instead.

Draws on

What the speakers say they, or a film of theirs, drew on. Each is a speaker's account: “the maker said so” when they report the maker's own words, “the host's read” when the read is theirs.

Mel Gibson: 1 line

  1. unmapped (backing) · them, directly: Mel Gibson ⇒ Robert Downey Jr. (the host's read). After Air America together, Gibson put up the insurance bond so Downey could be hired when no one else would insure him.
    “Mel Gibson puts up the insurance bond because he believes this guy needs a chance, but the movie doesn't do very well.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Judging The Judge · 0:17:49 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

Drawn on by

What the speakers say drew on them or a film of theirs, marked the same way.

No line says anything drew on them or a film of theirs.

What the speakers said they did

Acting (51) everyone in acting

Other (1) everyone in other

What was said about them, by kind

career (9)

  1. career (career): Robert Downey Jr. → Pound. Pound is called Downey's first movie as an adult.
    “Excuse me, his 1st movie is Pound.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · After Hours with Alison Sivitz · 0:41:17 · unknown host (0.30 sure it was them)
  2. career (career-detour): Robert Downey Jr. → Ally McBeal. Downey went from lost movie star to TV in Ally McBeal season four, won a Golden Globe, and was fired.
    “Very nice job. And he's fired by the end of that season.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Judging The Judge · 0:13:34 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  3. career (career-turning-point): Gothika → Robert Downey Jr.. Gothika, though a bad film, was his first big-studio return on the straight and narrow, and led to Susan.
    “Gothica's weirdly the turning point, okay?”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Judging The Judge · 0:18:03 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
  4. career (career-turning-point): Kiss Kiss Bang Bang → Robert Downey Jr.. As a critical hit with Downey leading, it worked as a calling card to prove he could carry a movie.
    “It is a critical hit and it is, yeah, it's basically a calling card.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Judging The Judge · 0:19:52 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)
  5. career (career): Robert Downey Jr. → Less Than Zero. Downey did not really pop until Less Than Zero.
    “I don't think he really popped until, uh, until less than zero.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Weird Science’ With Bill Simmons and Kyle Brandt · 0:49:45 · Bill Simmons (0.45 sure it was them)
  6. career (career): Iron Man → Robert Downey Jr.. Downey was a gamble at that stage of his career.
    “Robert Downey Jr. was it sort of a, you know, that was a crapshoot when Iron Man one came out.”
    The Big Picture · The Past, Present, and Future of Superhero Movies | The Big Picture (Ep. 35) · 0:13:01 · David Shoemaker (0.50 sure it was them)
  7. career (career): Robert Downey Jr. → Shane Black. Downey is described as pulling Black up after Kiss Kiss Bang Bang failed and sent Black back to drink; Black says he got sober for this movie.
    “Shane Black was like, I got sober for this movie.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man 3 · 0:12:29 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
  8. career (career): Iron Man 2 → Robert Downey Jr.. Tony's blood toxicity is read as a stand-in for the alcoholism storyline, suggested by Downey's own life.
    “It's their way around like the alcoholism thing where it's basically like he's an alcoholic who's on the road to ruin.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man 2 · 0:15:24 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
  9. career (career): Robert Downey Jr. → Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Downey's performance template and real comeback came in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, which made no money.
    “But he'd already given you the template for this performance in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, which is his real comeback movie.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man · 1:47:57 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

contrast (1)

  1. contrast (contrast): Sam Rockwell → Robert Downey Jr.. Rockwell plays the shadow Tony Stark and is more likable than Downey, who is overdoing it.
    “he's kind of more likable in this movie.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man 2 · 0:15:52 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

craft (4)

  1. craft (craft): Robert Downey Jr. → Mark Ruffalo. Banner now dresses like Tony Stark.
    “now Bruce Banner just dresses like Tony Stark”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 0:42:41 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
  2. craft (craft): Robert Downey Jr. → Avengers: Infinity War. Downey's growing control of the Tony Stark wardrobe.
    “It is funny how increasingly he gets complete control over the wardrobe.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 1:25:10 · unknown (0.35 sure it was them)
  3. craft (craft): Robert Downey Jr. → W. C. Fields. Downey plays W.C. Fields to Harley, which stops the cute kid being annoying.
    “That's the thing this movie does write is he makes Downey Jr. WC Field to this kid.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man 3 · 1:01:48 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
  4. craft (craft): Jeff Bridges → Robert Downey Jr.. Bridges and Downey threw the script down and made the scenes real acting exercises.
    “And the 2 of them and Favreau are controlling the scene because they decide to throw the script down.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man · 1:46:24 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

industry (4)

  1. industry (awards-theory): Robert Downey Jr. → Rain Man. Best case for Downey was playing Tom Cruise to Duvall's Dustin Hoffman, supporting the Oscar-bait part.
    “Best case scenario, he's the Tom Cruise to the Dustin Hoffman and Rainman.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Judging The Judge · 1:24:25 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  2. industry (awards-theory): Robert Downey Jr. → Meryl Streep. Streep keeps getting nominated because she visibly changes things up; Downey should surprise audiences similarly.
    “I'm not saying she's always good, but she is always at least changing it up.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Judging The Judge · 1:27:01 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  3. industry (industry): Robert Downey Jr. → Captain America: Civil War. Downey used this film's draw to negotiate a $20 million Civil War deal with box-office bonuses over Winter Soldier.
    “where he gets paid $20 million with a bonus if it outgrosses Winter Soldier by like some amount.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man 3 · 1:15:16 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
  4. industry (industry): Robert Downey Jr. → Scarlett Johansson. Downey renegotiated Marvel's thrifty early contracts and raised co-stars' pay.
    “He renegotiated for all of them so that Scarlett Johansson started making actual money off these movies”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man 3 · 1:16:34 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

people (8)

  1. people (producer): Robert Downey Jr. → The Judge. The Judge was Downey's first film as a producer, under his new banner at Warner Bros.
    “This is his 1st film as a producer. He sets up a 1st look deal at Warner Brothers to bring them properties.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Judging The Judge · 0:27:27 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)
  2. people (suggested-collaboration): Robert Downey Jr. → Paul Thomas Anderson. To get an Oscar he needs a director who will push him out of his zone, such as PTA or Sam Raimi, not Dobkin.
    “But someone like Paul Thomas Anderson. You know who's not going to let him close.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Judging The Judge · 1:27:31 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)
  3. people (missed-casting): Robert Downey Jr. → Oz the Great and Powerful. Downey would have improved Raimi's Oz, though still not made it good.
    “He actually would have been great and I was the great and powerful.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Judging The Judge · 1:27:38 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  4. people (people): Benedict Wong → Robert Downey Jr.. While shooting this film Wong flew to New York on Downey's private jet to see Serafinowitz.
    “And he took a trip back to New York on Robert Di Jr.'s private jet to visit Peter.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 0:32:05 · Griffin Newman (0.70 sure it was them)
  5. people (people): Robert Downey Jr. → Shane Black. Downey, who worked with Black on Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, was the obvious route to getting Black the Marvel job.
    “But he was an obvious choice to work with Robert Downey Jr.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man 3 · 0:09:22 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
  6. people (people): Marisa Tomei → Robert Downey Jr.. Downey has done several films with Tomei, so he may have pushed for her as Aunt May.
    “And Donnie Jr.'s done a bunch of movies with her before.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man 3 · 0:55:10 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
  7. people (people): Robert Downey Jr. → Joss Whedon. Downey pushed to be the star of the team movie in his first meeting with Whedon, then admitted he was wrong.
    “I know you think you're making a team movie, but I'm the big star.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 0:11:22 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
  8. people (people): Robert Downey Jr. → Mark Ruffalo. Downey personally lobbied Ruffalo, promising fun, money, and financing for his other movies.
    “It will let you get the other movies financed, which I think is what really pushed him over the edge.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 0:26:12 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

theme (1)

  1. theme (parallel): Doctor Strange → Robert Downey Jr.. Strange's origin as a brought-low egotist who rebuilds mirrors Tony Stark's.
    “the true origin story of Doctor Strange is so parallel to Tony Stark”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 0:37:00 · John Hodgman (0.40 sure it was them)

unmapped (3)

  1. unmapped (intervention): Jodie Foster → Robert Downey Jr.. On Home for the Holidays Foster confronted Downey about his behavior even though he still delivered.
    “Jody Foster would come in and be like, I know that no one calls you out on this because you're still able to deliver, but I will not let you behave this way.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Judging The Judge · 0:11:37 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  2. unmapped (backing): Mel Gibson → Robert Downey Jr.. After Air America together, Gibson put up the insurance bond so Downey could be hired when no one else would insure him.
    “Mel Gibson puts up the insurance bond because he believes this guy needs a chance, but the movie doesn't do very well.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Judging The Judge · 0:17:49 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
  3. unmapped (suggested-biopic): Robert Downey Jr. → Chaplin. He should do another physical biopic like Chaplin, such as sad old Buster Keaton.
    “Biopic, you know, like you did with Chaplin, something where you're really physically testing yourself as an actor.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Judging The Judge · 1:24:39 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)

what-if (2)

  1. what-if (what-if): Robert Downey Jr. → Weird Science. Downey would have been the right Wyatt, with Hall and Downey as the two stars.
    “I think you could have realistically put him in that in that Wyatt spot and it would have played.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Weird Science’ With Bill Simmons and Kyle Brandt · 1:07:02 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)
  2. what-if (casting-what-if): Robert Downey Jr. → The Royal Tenenbaums. Proposed modern Royal: a franchise star who needs a real movie.
    “you've wasted like 15 years now on franchises, like make a real movie.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ With Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald · 1:20:47 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)

Fun items about them

  1. fun, about Robert Downey Jr.: His first on-screen line in his father's film Pound, at four or five, was a crude one about body hair, which says a lot about the household.
    “And his 1st line is, what, you don't think I got hair on my balls?”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Judging The Judge · 0:09:22 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
  2. fun, about Robert Downey Jr.: On Inside the Actors Studio, Downey called Home for the Holidays the most relaxed performance in film history because of the heroin, and said Jodie Foster once confronted him.
    “Yeah, home for holidays, which on that episode of Inside the Actor Studio, he refers to as the most relaxed performance in the history of film because of how much heroin he was on.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Judging The Judge · 0:11:26 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  3. fun, about Robert Downey Jr.: Pitch to Downey for an Oscar: play Buster Keaton, whose voice was a gravelly surprise after MGM made him do talkies with Jimmy Durante.
    “He'd be great old, sad Buster Keaton.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Judging The Judge · 1:24:49 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  4. fun, about Robert Downey Jr.: Downey told Howard Stern he and Rusler joked about leaving a deposit in a trailer and did it in a female castmate's trailer, not LeBrock's.
    “He admitted they eventually did it in one female cast member's trailer, but it was not Kelly LeBrock.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Weird Science’ With Bill Simmons and Kyle Brandt · 0:47:24 · Kyle Brandt (0.65 sure it was them)
  5. fun, about Robert Downey Jr.: Downey's line on working for Fincher, from the dossier: he can do it because he understands gulags.
    “I think I'm a perfect person to work for him because I understand gulags.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Zodiac with Leslye Headland (Ad-Free) · 1:07:32 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
  6. fun, about Robert Downey Jr.: Downey's Oppenheimer press-tour story: after 60 takes, Fincher made him watch the footage on the monitor and Downey had to admit it was not right.
    “And he made him watch all the takes on the monitor.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Zodiac with Leslye Headland (Ad-Free) · 1:07:59 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
  7. fun, about Robert Downey Jr.: Griffin recalls Downey's baffling Instagram video announcing a Rolling Stones and NASA collaboration, in front of a 1997 screensaver.
    “Have you guys seen the video of Robert Downey Jr. announcing the collaboration between The Rolling Stones and NASA?”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Avengers: Infinity War with John Hodgman · 1:44:19 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
  8. fun, about Robert Downey Jr.: Black wrote Tony chained to a wall for several scenes to work around Downey's broken ankle; production paused and Black edited in the break.
    “But I think they purposely wrote him chained to a wall for several scenes so that he could like have a giant cast on.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man 3 · 1:38:55 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
  9. fun, about Robert Downey Jr.: Downey asked to pick the magnetic bracelets in the final suit-up and ad-libbed the Gallagher-at-the-computer riff that became a real shot.
    “he was like, can I pick the bracelets?”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Avengers · 1:41:27 · David Sims (0.30 sure it was them)
  10. fun, about Robert Downey Jr.: The ending: Tony Stark appears in backlight to Thunderbolt Ross at the bar, with a sharper goatee and more hair height, saying they are putting a team together.
    “But it's so weird that he says, we're putting a team together too.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Incredible Hulk · 1:49:19 · Griffin or David (0.35 sure it was them)
  11. fun, about Robert Downey Jr.: Downey did 20 screen tests, got the role, and immediately told Favreau they both agreed the script was bullshit.
    “And then the 2nd he gets the part, he sits down with Favreau and he's like, so we both agree the script is bullshit, right?”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man · 0:35:38 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
  12. fun, about Robert Downey Jr.: The Monday after opening he told Jimmy Kimmel he'd been locked at a $25,000 raise for the sequel and now held the cards for $20M.
    “And now I hold the cards, baby.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man · 2:07:41 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)