Whatever the film, you know it's going to be a good time when RDJ is involved.
With his quick and silver tongue and boyish charm, Hollywood stalwart Robert Downey Jr. has made a career in film out of knowing just what to say and when to say it. Going all the way back to the mid-80s when he starred in films like Weird Science, Back to School, and even a season on Saturday Night Live, it was Downey who had the perfect timing to deliver a witty barb.
Since then, his career has evolved into more dramatic roles, but there's always a hint of that jokester with the winsome smile that underscores most of the actor's performances. He made one of the most colossal comebacks in recent memory when he landed the part of Tony Stark in the Iron Man films and subsequent MCU Avengers sequels. From a fringe member of the 'brat pack' to bell cow of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, here is a list of his best performances.
Tony Stark in the 'Iron Man' Franchise
Did Downey get a second lease on life after he deftly played Stan Lee's industrialist/superhero Tony Stark in the movie that essentially rebooted the entire era of the big-budget Avengers films, or what? Downey's strengths play right into what audiences wanted to see from Stark with his dry sense of humor and intelligence.
The original Iron Man (2008) did a whopping $585 million at the box office. After the sequel was deemed good but not great, Downey hit pay dirt again with Iron Man 3 which cleared an astonishing $1.2 billion. The overwhelming success of Downey in the three films really served to anchor the explosion of MCU movies that have hit theaters over the past 15 years.
Less than Zero is really Downey's announcement as an actor to be taken seriously. He had done well in a handful of films in the 80s like The Pick-Up Artist and had some other supporting roles, but in the film based on the novel of the same name by Bret Easton, his turn as the drug-addled black sheep of a well-to-do California family is the role that you can point to as the moment Downey proves that he is capable of playing heavy and supremely flawed characters. His portrayal of Julian Wells is without a doubt the springboard that would lead to a series of more dramatic roles that would come later in his career.
Charlie Chaplin in 'Chaplin' (1992)
Tackling the iconic silent film star in the biopic Chaplin garnered Downey his first of two Academy Award nominations. The true story of the mustached star who took on the persona of "The Tramp" during the early film era of the 1920s through the 1940s was a spot-on portrayal and the Academy took notice with a nod for Best Actor. Downey perfectly embodies the first true "movie star" who starred in films like The Kid, A Woman in Paris, and later in Modern Times and The Great Dictator. From his trademark penguin waddle to his slapstick physicality, Downey owns the role while establishing himself as one of the best actors in Hollywood.
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