Actor Robert Downey Jr. recently weighed in on Elon Musk during an appearance on the “On with Kara Swisher” podcast. Downey, best known for playing Tony Stark in the Iron Man movies, was asked about Musk’s penchant for behaving like Stark outside of the movies.
In ‘Iron Man 2’, the two men met for a few brief seconds. Musk made an appearance in himself and met Tony Stark portrayed by Downey when he attends the Monaco Grand Prix. He even makes yet another person related to the movie say that “because of his ambition, charisma, and intelligence, Tony Stark reminded them of Musk.
Speaking directly about Musk, Downey said that he has met Musk a few times but could offer some critical insights. When he is approaching his 60s, Downey wished Musk will “control his behavior a little more”.
He further said that the philosophy of “It’s all okay ’cause we’ve gotta get to Mars” does not have an impact on him. However, Downey admitted that he had contributed in front of the world and appreciated the value through his work.
The open discussion brought out the realities that Musk is a polarizing figure in business. He remains the CEO of Tesla and the founder of SpaceX as well as the owner of X (formerly Twitter), making him one of the most talked-about figures in contemporary culture.
His controversial decisions and public behavior normally attract criticism from various sectors, including Hollywood. For instance, Hollywood actor Michael Keaton recently spoke about these two figures, saying that they don’t care about their supporters and often mock them behind their backs.
These have helped shape the perception of Musk not only by his deeds but also by his personality and actions. The words of Downey seem to represent the voice of many who like his innovations but are concerned about his approach and behavior.
Interestingly, a biopic on Musk is already in the works. It was taken from Walter Isaacson’s authorized biography on him. Attached to the project is director Darren Aronofsky. Downey is listed as one of the potential actors who are considered to be able to portray Musk on screen. This further underlines the influence of Musk and the fascination surrounding his life and career, continues to generate interest in Hollywood.
Finally, Downey’s comments present a balanced perspective of Musk, in which he acknowledges what Musk is doing but presses for better behavior in public.
