Christopher Nolan admits to feeling a bit intimidated by Robert Downey Jr. during their Initial encounter for Batman Begins

Robert Downey Jr. and director Christopher Nolan reminisced about their first encounter during a recent interview with The New York Times, recorded the day after "Oppenheimer" received 13 Oscar nominations in January. Nolan, feeling apprehensive, recounted the time they met while he was casting roles for his 2005 film Batman Begins.

Nolan's Apprehension

Downey recently garnered attention for mentioning a brief encounter with Nolan regarding the possibility of portraying the Batman villain Scarecrow. Reflecting on this meeting, Downey noted his intuition that Nolan wouldn't extend the role to him—a sentiment Nolan affirmed during their conversation with The Times.

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Nolan expressed admiration for Downey's talent but admitted to harboring some apprehension due to the numerous wild stories he had heard about the actor. When questioned about how Nolan overcame his misgivings about Downey's reputation before his decade-long portrayal of Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the director quipped "You let 10 or 12 years pass and watch the news cycle."

From Struggles to Stardom

Downey, a nominee for Best Supporting Actor at the forthcoming Oscars for his performance in Oppenheimer, gained widespread attention in the late 1990s due to multiple arrests. However, the actor embarked on a journey to sobriety in 2002, well before his encounter with Nolan and his groundbreaking casting as Tony Stark in 2008's Iron Man—an event Nolan regards as one of the most pivotal and consequential decisions in Hollywood history.

Downey's Post-Marvel Career

Downey's portrayal of Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer marks only his second feature film role since bidding farewell to Iron Man following the character's demise in 2019's Avengers: Endgame. According to Nolan's remarks to the Times, collaborating with Downey in his post-Marvel career was particularly enticing for his Oppenheimer character. Strauss, who clashes with J. Robert Oppenheimer throughout the film, offers a stark contrast to the charismatic Tony Stark.

Downey's performance has already earned him Best Supporting Actor awards from both the Critics' Choice Awards and the Golden Globes. He is widely regarded as the leading contender to win the Oscar.

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