According to Variety, after being announced as the best supporting actor at the BAFTA for his performance in “Oppenheimer,” Robert Downey Jr. took to the stage to reflect on his career not resisting the urge to make a joke about it too. He also thanked Christopher Nolan for giving him a shot at reviving his dwindling career after playing Iron Man for 12 years.
“When I was 15, I wanted to be Peter O’Toole. When I was 25, I worked for Richard Attenborough and Anthony Hopkins. When I was 35, I finally understood why Dickie thought Tony would be a better role model for me than Peter,” Downey Jr. said.
“When I was 42, I did two films for Guy Ritchie and learned how to make big Hollywood movies with a civil British flare” he added, referring to 2009’s Sherlock Holmes and its 2011 sequel.
He continued, “I then played a guy named Tony in the MCU for about 12 years. And then recently, that dude Chris Nolan suggested I attempt an understated approach as a last-ditch effort to perhaps resurrect my dwindling credibility. So I share this with my fellow nominees, this has been an exceptional year.”
The actor also honored his fellow cast and loved ones with a special thanks to his wife saying, “I owe this to Chris, Emma, Cillian, the cast and crew, Universal, WME and honestly just British influence. And I place this at the feet of my alpha and omega: Susan Downey.”
Robert Downey Jr. played Lewis Strauss, a high-ranking member of the U.S Atomic Energy Commission, who became hostile to Oppenheimer and sought to prove he was disloyal to the U.S.
In his BAFTA category, Downey Jr. was up against Robert De Niro for Killers of the Flower Moon, Jacob Elordi for Saltburn, Ryan Gosling for Barbie, Paul Mescal for All of Us Strangers, and Dominic Sessa for The Holdovers.
#Clique, what are your thoughts on Downey Jr.’s BAFTA win?
