Although Robert Downey Jr. was on the 2024 Santa Barbara Worldwide Movie Competition to just accept the Maltin Fashionable Grasp Award, the Finest Supporting Actor frontrunner used a big quantity of his time on stage to fête his “Oppenheimer” co-star Cillian Murphy, who was in attendance.
“It’s been very seldom in my profession that I’ve realized that I used to be born to play a supporting function in favor of anyone else rightfully having the highlight,” Downey stated earlier than introducing the present Finest Actor nominee to the stage to share some remarks about their time working collectively on the Christopher Nolan movie. “I used to be afforded a deeply humiliating clinic on masterful performing in distinctive cinematic experiences.”
About Murphy, he stated “I’ve all the time recognized him and all the time revered him and liked his work and all of my friends know he’s nice, however he had but to have a car the place he may absolutely show the breadth of his capability and I’ve by no means seen something prefer it. And it’s an honor to be method beneath him on the decision sheet for ‘Oppenheimer.’”
In return, his co-star referred to as Downey “probably the most versatile actor of his technology,” saying “Robert works extremely onerous to make it look really easy as a result of all the good ones do,” to a lot applause. After explaining how he’s now discovered himself settled into the function of Downey’s straight man, Murphy received fun from the viewers by saying, “Each minute that I spent with him on digicam was pure bliss, regardless that his character wished me to vanish right into a black gap and by no means come again.”
Downey later supplied extra perception on how “Oppenheimer” writer-director Christopher Nolan described the connection between the titular protagonist and his character Lewis Strauss. “He stated, ‘Principally Cillian’s “Amadeus”—he’s Mozart, your Salieri—get into it.’ And I used to be like, ‘I’m normally enjoying Mozart,’” stated the evening’s honoree, eliciting laughter. “He’s like, ‘Cillian’s the man for this, belief me. Entire fucking film is about him and also you’re enjoying the unhealthy man,’” added Downey. “Yep. Sounds about proper.”
Popping out of a decade as the very best paid actor within the trade as “Iron Man,” the determine who launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Downey felt humbled by the method of capturing “Oppenheimer,” feeling grateful that he was even provided the chance to play Strauss. “I wouldn’t be right here tonight if I hadn’t participated with Cillian as the pinnacle of the performing division beneath the tutelage of Chris Nolan,” he stated. “There’d be no motive to have me right here as a contemporary grasp, as a result of what have I performed for you recently?”
Whereas he has stored busy since his profession comeback in 2008, showing as Tony Stark in 10 MCU movies, Downey stated of his current work, “I’m not saying I’d gotten in any respect lazy, however it was extra like rolling off a log for the final 10 years or so.” There was a component of “Oppenheimer” that intimidated him. “I wouldn’t say I used to be mortified, however Cillian has solely seen me on this final movie the place if I’m not ready inside an inch of my life, I’ll in all probability evaporate,” he stated. “You don’t roll off logs round Chris Nolan.”
Already having referred to as the movie “the most effective film I’ve ever been part of,” one of many final issues Downey stated in his acceptance speech, after his longtime buddy Rob Lowe and Murphy handed him the precise statuette for the Maltin Fashionable Grasp Award, was a clarification of what his co-star expressed earlier. “Cillian is a straight man to nobody,” he stated, once more to a lot applause. “He’s simply starting to know by the response he will get when he involves locations that he’s a fucking pressure of nature.”
