Many Marvel fans did not give Robert Downey Jr. a shot at playing Iron Man owing to the highly publicized issues in his personal life.

Having kickstarted the MCU in 2008 with Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. went on to become the talisman of the Marvel franchise apart from being a key member of the Avengers. Over 11 years up until his character’s emotional farewell in 2019 with Avengers: Endgame, the star and his character Tony Stark aka Iron Man have been a match made in heaven.

While it seems impossible now to disassociate the superhero from the actor, Downey Jr.’s casting was initially frowned upon by many viewers. Having had his share of personal challenges with drug and alcohol addiction, including being arrested for heroin and cocaine possession, fans expressed their lack of faith in the celebrity and his commitment to this marquee role due to his controversial reputation.

Some Fans Did Not Give Robert Downey Jr. Any Chance Of Doing Justice To His Marvel Role

There is no doubt that Tony Stark aka Iron Man could not have been portrayed better by anyone other than Robert Downey Jr. He not only personified every nuance of the comic book superhero to perfection, but also brought his unique swag and style to the role that struck a chord with audiences globally.

As difficult as it is to believe, the Tropic Thunder star was initially dismissed by fans when news of his casting became public. It is no secret that Downey Jr.’s career has been marred by many personal challenges and obstacles that has seen the star being ousted from films. Apart from issues with drug and alcohol addition, the actor was also infamously arrested for the possession of heroin and cocaine.

While The Judge star ultimately cleaned up his act and went through extensive rehabilitation before getting back to working in marquee projects, his reputation for courting trouble unfortunately did not sit well with fans when news of his Marvel gig was confirmed. In an old Reddit post discussion, it seemed evident that a few fans believed the actor’s past actions and demeanor would deeply affect his work in the franchise.

Despite facing a complete lack of confidence from some viewers, the Oscar winner proved that the only way to resurrect himself after hitting rock bottom was finding his way to the top by shutting out all the noise and letting his work do the talking. The rest, as they say, is history.

What Made Robert Downey Jr. Emotional in Avengers: Endgame?

From being written off initially for being cast as Iron Man to becoming completely synonymous with the character in the MCU, Robert Downey Jr. answered his detractors in the best way possible. For actors, the characters they play become so much a part of their personal lives and experiences, that bringing their stories a full circle is sometimes heartbreaking.

The Marvel alum went through these roller coaster of emotions while hearing the final script of Avengers: Endgame, which terminates his character’s arc with his death. But the celebrity’s reaction also proved that there was no better way to have culminated the superhero’s impact and aura in the franchise.

In a book titled The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe by Tara Bennett and Paul Terry, the Russo Brothers who directed the Avengers films, spoke about why they were relieved to see Downey Jr.’s eyes well up with tears on hearing of his character’s fate. In a quote from the book that was shared by Screen Rant, the directors said,

When we started winding down the pitch, and getting to his death, Robert started crying. And when we were done, he said ‘That’s f**king awesome.’ That’s when we knew that we had to do it. Because he felt it.

The Oppenheimer star’s emotional breakdown proved to the Russo brothers that he was not only invested in his character, but also had a deep respect for the Marvel franchise and their work which gave him huge stardom for over a decade.