Robert Downey Jr. thinks anti-superhero bias stopped him getting recognition for his acting as Iron Man

Robert Downey Jr. has shared that he thinks some of his best work was as Iron Man in the MCU – but it went unrecognized because of anti-superhero bias. 

“I felt so exposed after being in the cocoon of Marvel where I think I did some of the best work I will ever do, but it went a little bit unnoticed because of the genre," he told Rob Lowe's 'Literally!' podcast (via Variety). "[I] did myself a favor, because the rug was pulled so definitively out from underneath me and all the things that I was leaning on as opposed to what my understanding of confidence and security was, boy did they evaporate. And it rendered me teachable."

Downey Jr. played Tony Stark for over 10 years in the MCU, kicking off the cinematic universe itself with 2008's Iron Man before the character sacrificed himself in Avengers: Endgame.

Marvel boss Kevin Feige has confirmed that Downey Jr. won't return in the MCU. "We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again," Feige commented of Iron Man's sacrifice. "We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way."

Downey Jr. was most recently seen in Oppenheimer, and he's been getting plenty of awards season buzz for his role as Lewis Strauss. Whether that translates into a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination remains to be seen, but it's looking like a sure bet. 

Next up for Marvel is Deadpool 3, which hits theaters this July 26, 2024. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and TV shows.