Nolan praises Downey Jr. for "Iron Man" as one of the greatest castings in history

Nearly 20 years ago, Robert Downey Jr. was announced to play Tony Stark in Marvel's first self-financed film, Iron Man. At the time, the casting was seen as a huge risk, as Downey had been in the news for his drug and alcohol abuse problems. Although he had previously made a small comeback with Kiss, the Beauty and the Golden Globes, alongside Shane Black, it was Iron Man that really put his career back on track.

That same year, Downey received his second Oscar nomination for his role in Tropic Thunder. Fifteen years later, he received his third nomination for his role in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer and was considered a favorite for Best Supporting Actor. In an interview, Nolan was full of praise for the star, believing that his choice of Downey as Stark was one of the greatest casting decisions in film history.

Nolan said: "Downey has that unique charisma of Stark. I think his casting as Iron Man is one of the most important casting decisions in movie history. I want to give him the opportunity to fully integrate into the role and immerse himself in a unique role, just as all great actors desire."

Nolan also praised Downey's generosity of spirit when it comes to acting. "When he's acting with other actors, he makes sure that everyone is doing their best. He helps them get the emotions right so that everyone can give their best performance."

While Downey was nominated for a supporting actor award, lead actor Cillian Murphy was nominated for Best Actor. The film also received Best Picture, Emily Blunt's first Best Supporting Actress nomination, and Nolan's Best Director nomination.