Robert Downey Jr. Was Fired From Multiple Jobs in 2 Weeks Before His Hollywood Stardom
Hollywood is truly blessed to have Robert Downey Jr. as one of its most versatile actors. But little did fans know that before he stepped into the acting world, Downey Jr. had multiple unplanned exits from his previous jobs.
During the 2024 Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Robert Downey Jr. opened up about the unemployment rollercoaster he rode before transforming into a fan-favorite actor. The Oppenheimer star played diverse job roles in real life just to get fired from all of them. Downey Jr. revealed working in a sandwich shop, a shoe store, retail work, and a club. However, since he lacked some or the other skills, all his employment resulted in termination.
Robert Downey Jr. Revealed Getting Fired From Multiple Jobs Before His Acting Career
Considering Robert Downey Jr.’s illustrious acting career, many might think that he always had great opportunities and skills. However, that’s not the case at all. Before the actor became a household name in the entertainment industry, he faced several setbacks. The Iron Man star was recently honored with the Maltin Modern Master Award and talked about the journey of unemployment in his life.
Also Read: “That was a really tough one”: Robert Downey Jr. Agrees With Ryan Gosling After Oscar Controversy
The Dolittle star mentioned getting fired from a sandwich shop and a shoe store in two weeks, just because his fingers were sticky. However, those terminations couldn’t break Downey Jr.’s passion for work as he stepped into some other jobs. During the conversation at SBIFF, the actor said:
“Well, I worked at a sandwich shop. I worked at a shoe store, but I had sticky fingers, and I got fired after two weeks… This is before those closed-circuit cameras where they monitor who might be sitting. … I was not very good at it.”
While opening up about getting fired quickly, Robert Downey Jr. then tried working as a retail worker at Thrifty’s. However, again, he couldn’t make it and started working as a club busboy, and this time, Downey Jr. lacked the skills of a waiter, resulting in another termination. The Due Date star added:
“And I worked in clubs, and I worked at Thrifty’s in Santa Monica. I made it to busboy, but I didn’t really have the panache to be a waiter, I was told, so I had to resort to theater.”
After facing significant failures, Robert Downey Jr. finally decided to enter the entertainment world, and the rest is history. From playing Marvel’s most iconic Iron Man to slaying roles like Lewis Strauss in last year’s summer blockbuster, the actor is now considered one of Hollywood’s most versatile and exceptional artists.
Cillian Murphy Was Impressed By Robert Downey Jr.’s Remarkable Personality
During the same event, when Robert Downey Jr. sat down for a long conversation, even Cillian Murphy couldn’t stop praising the charisma of the actor. The Peaky Blinders who played the titular role in Oppenheimer alongside Downey Jr.’s Lewis, the main antagonist of the film, Murphy shared that he never met someone like the Avengers star.
Also Read: Cillian Murphy Has a Very Specific Condition for Peaky Blinders Movie: “Then I will be there”
While Cillian Murphy was expressing his thoughts and gratitude after co-starring with the Gothika star, he said:
“Honestly, I am thrilled to be here because I want to take the opportunity to say publicly that I have never worked with or met anyone like Robert Downey Jr… In my opinion, he is the most versatile actor of his generation.”
The actors were introduced to each other through Christopher Nolan, for Oppenheimer. In this little time, Murphy was able to sense the incredible personality and skills of Robert Downey Jr. Even the True Believer star spikes highly of his co-star, saying he’s a “f—ing force of nature.” Downey Jr. has received an Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actor, and fans are considering him the most deserving nominee.
Oppenheimer is available on Prime Video.
