Robert Downey Jr. offered MCU newcomer and Ironheart star advice about blockbuster projects.
Even Downey hasn't been part of the on-screen MCU since 2019's Avengers: Endgame, he still fills that Tony Stark mentor role behind the scenes.
In the past, the Iron Man actor notably gave Moon Knight's Oscar Isaac advice about working with Marvel Studios.
And now, another Star Wars star has shared how Downey advised him ahead of his own MCU Disney+ debut.
What Robert Downey Jr. Told Ironheart Star
In talking with The Hollywood Reporter, Alden Ehrenreich discussed getting to work with Robert Downey Jr. who advised him about "'microdosing' commercial projects."
The Solo star has a number of big-name projects set to release in the coming months, including Cocaine Bear, Oppenheimer, and Marvel Studios' Ironheart for Disney+.
According to Ehrenreich, the experience of filming Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer was "just terrific" as everyone's "bringing their A-game:"
"[Oppenheimer] was just terrific. I’ve had a few experiences where I’ve gotten to work for master filmmakers like that, and it was so thrilling just because of the way people feel on set all day long. It’s a different quality. Everyone’s super focused. They’re bringing their A-game. They’re honored to be able to be a part of it, and you just feel in the hands of this master."
The actor also revealed that all of his scenes in the upcoming Nolan film "are with Robert Downey Jr."
And, after he was approached for Ironheart, he called the Iron Man star to "talk to him about it:"
"All of my scenes are with Robert Downey Jr., and we developed a really nice friendship. And then when 'Ironheart' happened right after, I got to call him and talk to him about it before I started. I also wrote and directed a 15-minute short right after, and being around [Christopher] Nolan right before that was such a huge kind of cinephilic and inspirational thing."
As to what Downey had to say, Ehrenreich said the actor talked about "'microdosing' commercial projects alongside artistic ones:"
"Well, it wasn’t so much advice. He was talking about 'microdosing' commercial projects alongside artistic ones, and then right before I said yes to it, I just FaceTimed him and was like, 'Is there something that I need to know before I sign on to this?'"
Apparently, the Solo actor was expecting Downey to echo Harrison Ford's advice about Star Wars, explaining:
"I was like, 'Is he going to say, ‘Don’t do it’?' I think they asked Harrison Ford before [Solo] what he would say to the next Han Solo, and he said, 'Don’t do it.' But Downey didn’t say that, and I sort of had the honor of introducing [Downey and Thorne]. They didn’t know each other and hadn’t talked yet, so I put them in contact with each other. He is so unf******believably generous and sweet and giving with his time, and he was so happy to talk to her and encourage her. So that was really nice."
In regard to any parallels between Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm, Ehrenreich confessed that "[Ironheart] felt really different" and was a "much more laid-back experience:"
"['Ironheart'] felt really different. I think I was a part of a very different … At this point, the Star Wars universe is a lot more expansive, but at the time [of 'Solo'], it was just a movie a year. So 'Ironheart' was a much more laid-back experience for a lot of reasons, but similarly, the people there are excited and fun while the kid in them is coming alive. So it was nice to be back in that kind of environment."
How Alden Ehrenreich Connected Iron Man with Ironheart
Alden Ehrenreich has been off the radar since his role as Han Solo in the 2018 Star Wars film.
While MCU fans don't know just when Ironheart will premiere on Disney+, 2023 looks to be the beginning of his comeback due to Cocaine Bear and Oppenheimer alone.
Of course, comebacks are something that Robert Downey Jr. knows quite a bit about, and it's interesting to hear him advising Ehrenreich about "microdosing" big-name projects in conjunction with artistic choices.
It's also fascinating to learn that Ehrenreich actually put Downey in contact with Ironheart's Dominique Thorne, allowing the MCU veteran to encourage another Marvel rookie and one inspired by his own Marvel character.
Even though little is known about Alden Ehrenreich's own MCU role and when Ironheart will debut, it's safe to say that helping Marvel actors is something that Robert Downey Jr. will continue to do in the years to come.
Ironheart is currently slated for a Fall 2023 release.
