Before becoming the face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Robert Downey Jr. jockeyed for Cillian Murphy’s role in Christopher Nolan’s Batman films.
During a recent Q&A at the American Cinematheque theatre in Los Angeles, Downey Jr. (58) said that he had a meeting with his Oppenheimer director, Christopher Nolan (53), about playing the villain Scarecrow in 2005’s Batman Begins.
Robert said, “I’m pretty sure I heard about (this role) and I was like, ‘I’m Scarecrow.’ And then I remember meeting (Christopher) for tea and I was like, ‘He doesn’t seem like he’s really in on this interview.’ And he was polite and all that. But you can tell when someone is kind of like, ‘It’s not going to go anywhere’.”
Though not as Scarecrow, Robert first appeared as Tony Stark in 2008’s Iron Man. He took the Marvel Cinematic Universe for a decade until appearing in Oppenheimer last year. This is his second feature movie role after Avengers: Endgame (2019).
The actor last appeared in Oppenheimer. At the forthcoming 96th Academy Awards ceremony, he, Christopher, and Cillian have been nominated for Academy Awards. Sterling K Brown has stated that Robert will win the trophy for best actor in a supporting role category for Oppenheimer at the upcoming awards.