Robert Downey Jr. has broken his silence on the comparisons between his iconic Marvel character Iron Man and the real-life tech mogul Elon Musk. In a recent sit-down on New York Magazine's On With Kara Swisher podcast, the actor expressed some reservations about Musk's behavior and how he's perceived by the public.
When asked about Musk, Downey Jr. revealed that he's only met the entrepreneur a few times, but his impression of the billionaire hasn't been particularly impressive. Specifically, the actor isn't thrilled about Musk's association with his Tony Stark/Iron Man character.
According to Downey Jr., Musk's actions and behavior often give the impression that he's 'cosplaying' as Tony Stark – the genius billionaire philanthropist character Downey Jr. portrayed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The term 'cosplaying' might seem innocuous, but it suggests that Musk is mimicking something he admires rather than being genuine.
Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, has been the subject of numerous comparisons with Tony Stark due to his innovative ideas and ambitions. However, rather than being flattered by the comparison, Downey Jr. believes that Musk needs to tone down his behavior and become more authentic.
'I just wish that he would control his behavior a little more,' Downey Jr. said. It's not the first time someone in the public eye has criticized Musk for his actions, particularly on social media. Over the years, the billionaire has been involved in various controversies due to his tweets.
Downey Jr.'s comments might come as a surprise to fans who view Musk as the real-life embodiment of Tony Stark. Nonetheless, the actor's words should give us a lot to think about. While Musk has undoubtedly done some groundbreaking work, perhaps it's time for him to focus on leaving a more positive impact on society.
One thing is for certain – Downey Jr.'s candid response has sparked an interesting conversation about the blurry lines between reality and fiction. Given Musk's past antics, it's likely that this won't be the last time we hear about the tech mogul's portrayal in popular culture.