Robert Downey Jr. Took A Swing At The MCU In BAFTAs Speech

Iron Man

The 2024 EE BAFTA Film Awards took place early this week, and it was not without its drama. There was a The Game Awards-style stage invader, though thankfully they didn’t try to say or do anything, but the biggest drama seems to have come from Robert Downey Jr.

Downey was the recipient of the best actor in a supporting role award at the British awards show, awarded to him for his role in Oppenheimer as Atomic Energy Commission chairman Lewis Strauss, and in his acceptance speech took the time to take a bit of a dig at the MCU and his time in it.

“I played a guy named Tony in the MCU for about 12 years,” Downey said during the speech, “Recently, [Christopher Nolan] suggested I attempt an understated approach as a last-ditch effort to perhaps resurrect my dwindling credibility.”

Ouch. Downey spent almost 15 years in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Tony Stark, the man behind the Iron Man mask, and having spent so long in such a role, it’s no surprise he might be a touch bitter about it — although we imagine the millions he made for it probably helps dull the pain.

Of course, Robert Downey Jr. is well known for his dry, sarcastic wit, and he’s had nothing but positive things to say about the role in the past. Still, there’s no shaking the “Tony Stark” moniker from his career now, although movies like Oppenheimer certainly go a long way in removing him from the MCU, which Kevin Feige says probably won’t feature Iron Man in the future.

Things could have turned out very differently, though. Last year it was revealed that Timothy Olyphant and Sam Rockwell could have been the MCU’s Iron Man, with both having been eyed off for the role prior to Robert Downy Jr.’s casting.

Related: EA’s Iron Man Game Is Being Made With Marvel Fan Community