In a recent podcast interview, Robert Downey Jr., best known for his depiction of Marvel’s Tony Stark, spoke out about a public personality often linked to his superhero character: tech mogul Elon Musk.
Despite the similarities between Musk and Tony Stark, Downey Jr. does not think the comparisons are as simple as some may imagine.
While Tony Stark is a fictitious character motivated by science and creativity, Musk is a real-world revolutionary in space exploration, electric vehicles, and artificial intelligence.
The actor expressed his ideas during an appearance on “New York Magazine’s On With Kara Swisher” podcast. During the discussion, the idea of Musk “cosplaying” as Tony Stark came up, provoking an honest answer from Downey Jr. He stated that, while he has met Musk a few times, their lifestyles rarely meet.
In 2016, Jon Favreau, the director of the “Iron Man” films, claimed that Musk had a considerable influence on Tony Stark’s characterization.
Musk even let “Iron Man 2” be filmed at SpaceX, further connecting the two personalities in popular culture.
In reality, screenwriter Mark Fergus stated in 2022 that Tony Stark’s character was influenced by a combination of Musk, Trump, and Jobs.
While these effects were noticed during the character’s early creation, Downey Jr. now has a different perspective on Musk’s behavior in recent years.
The actor voiced concern about Musk’s engagement in political controversies, particularly his use of X (previously Twitter) to disseminate misinformation.
Although Musk’s bold intentions for space exploration, such as sending humans to Mars, have sparked enthusiasm, Downey Jr. is skeptical that such goals justify his behavior.
“This idea of ‘it’s OK because we’ve gotta get to Mars’ doesn’t really hold water with me,” Downey Jr. stated during the interview.
The actor’s concerns about Musk’s deeds and public persona appear to originate from the tech magnate’s growing controversial impact in society.
However, Downey Jr. acknowledged Musk’s accomplishments, saying, “You have to look at all that [Musk has] done that demonstrates why he’s valuable.” However, he highlighted the difficulty of distinguishing an individual’s successes from their own behavior in today’s divided society.
“Nowadays separating the individual from their behavior is a tough thing to do because hell is other people and that has been hijacked in this information age, to divide us rather than allow for discourse, debate, and dialogue,” Downey, Jr. said.
The actor’s concerns reflect a larger discussion about public personalities and accountability in an age where every action is scrutinized.
After considerable speculation, Downey Jr. eventually expressed his open thoughts on Elon Musk, adding, “I just wish that he would control his behavior a little more.”
While Musk’s influence may have molded Tony Stark’s early vision, Downey Jr. is clearly uncomfortable with the tech billionaire’s real-life behavior.
Featured Image Credit: (Paramount Pictures) (Instagram/@robertdowneyjr)
