Christopher Nolan on 'Oppenheimer' star Robert Downey Jr.'s 'Ironman' role

Christopher Nolan reveals why and how he has always wanted to work with Robert Downey Jr. and how important he thinks the stars role of Ironman always has been for both the actor and Marvel.

Christopher Nolan came on The Late Show for a lengthy interview with Stephen Colbert, during which the filmmaker heaped praise on his Oppenheimer star Robert Downey Jr., who is widely regarded as the Oscar frontrunner for best supporting actor due to his performance as Lewis Strauss.

Nolan stated that he has always wanted to work with Downey Jr. due of his "generosity" and "charisma."

The director went on to describe Downey Jr.'s portrayal as Iron Man, which launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe and carried it for a decade, as one of the most crucial casting decisions ever made.

“With anybody you work with, with actors…you’re looking for some kind of connection emotionally, empathetically,” Nolan said about being appreciative of Downey Jr.

“You’re looking for some kind of generosity. He has this incredible generosity of spirit. It means when he’s in a scene with other people he’s making sure they are all doing their best, that they are all able to bring their best to the table. He’s helping them clarify those emotional connections.”

“I’ve always wanted to work with him. I’ve always seen that in his work,” Nolan added.

“And he has such charisma as Tony Stark. Him playing Iron Man is one of the most consequential casting decisions that’s ever been made in the history of the movie business. I wanted to give him the opportunity to lose himself in a part, lose himself in another human being the way great actors love him.”

However, Downey Jr. was also seeking for an opportunity similar to that one. 

In an interview with The New York Times Magazine last summer, he said he was apprehensive about his acting abilities after 11 years as Iron Man in the MCU.

The actor first played the superhero in 2008's Iron Man and was killed off in 2019's Avengers: Endgame, starring in a total of nine Marvel films.

“You start to wonder if a muscle you have hasn’t atrophied,” Downey Jr. said about the downsides of staying in the same role for over a decade.