Celebrity: Robert Downey Jr – Ressurected

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The film is an adventure, but it’s also set in the period when the original stories were set. So, that’s the early 1800s and it gave both myself and my wife Susan – who is the producer on this movie – the chance to accept the challenge of such a project. I think we both really enjoyed it, and I hope everyone who goes to see it does, too.

What you’ve also got to think about is that, especially, when my wife and I work together on a project and our kids sometimes don’t get the opportunity to see the work that we do, that would have to have had a huge impact on the decision to choose this project. I’ve shown them a couple of the acceptable Marvel movies that I have been in.

But I feel that this is a film that they could both watch together, enjoy and then see what we both do for a living and what pays for the things that we do together and the house that we live in!

With being a regular in Marvel franchises, namely Iron Man, are you ever fully-accustomed to working with green screen and CGI animations?
I would say that the challenges I just spoke of, when you have green screen to work with, that’s a part of the challenges. You’re pretending and regardless of how many times you do it – yes, you do get more used to it – it is still working with the fact that you are pretending and trying to make things look as real and as believable as you can.

Working with the fellow actors who you won’t see in the movie as themselves, because they were dressed from head to toe in green suits to make sure that they couldn’t be seen in the movie, as they were replaced with the animals in the film, that’s obviously different than doing a scene were you’re having dialogue with a fellow actor who will be seen.

Fortunately, the green suited guys are very well trained, and they have been in other such movies like Star Wars and they are remarkable people. The need to pretend and for it to be seen as authentic and believable for the film is vital, and I would hope this has been achieved.

You’re having the ongoing experience of being a father again in later life. What kind of father are you and what kind of son have you been? Most people are self-obsessed, and I think having kids gives you such an opportunity not to think about yourself all the time.

Honestly, I think people can say they get pulled into something out of an obligation which then turns into something else, then you go: ‘Alright, this is absolutely not something that I can deal with.’ Then, you say: ‘Alright, I will deal with it a little bit,’ and then you get sucked into it.

On the other side of it, with all this resistance you had to it, you got something you never would have gotten unless you let go a little bit and it changed a little bit and you tried to understand rather than just have everyone understand you.

2020 will bring up 15 years of your marriage to your wife. Is that a time that has flown by and what has kept the bond so strong?
It certainly helps and assists in both of our work that we met whilst we were making a film together and that also makes things easier when we both thoroughly understand the time you spend when making a movie and the stresses and strains it puts on you.

When you work in the same industry, your partner knows exactly what goes on and what to expect with regards to the projects that you take on as an actor and I know how it is for a producer. Ever since we met on Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, we’ve not lived any other life than going from film to film, almost like a travelling circus. Family life also plays a big part and we have two wonderful children who we both love very much.

When you have a family – and believe me, we have similar stresses that every parent will have with regards to bringing children up [laughs], the refusals to go to bed, the interesting meal times and things like that – sometimes, working can be less of a distraction and more like a nice relaxing break to the madness that every family can have, from time to time.

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