Robert Downey Jr. has taken a break in recent years since the sad conclusion of “Avengers: Endgame,” in which he bid farewell to Tony Stark/Iron Man. Aside from acting in “Dolittle” in 2020, the actor has primarily focused on producing films such as “Perry Mason” and “Sweet Tooth.”
Downey will star in the HBO adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s 2015 novel of the same name, “The Sympathizer.” In order to prepare for the role, Downey enlisted the help of his two children to shave his head, resulting in a startling new appearance that is a far cry from his slick hairstyle as Marvel’s intellectual, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.
Downey Jr. revealed his shaven look at the “Sr.” premiere of the 2022 AFI festival on Friday. The forthcoming documentary examines the life of the actor’s father, the director Robert Downey Sr.
Robert Downey Jr. in attendance at AFI Fest
Photograph by Phillip Faraone/WireImage
The film, directed by Chris Smith, has already received widespread acclaim from critics, receiving an early 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
On the red carpet, where he was joined by his wife Susan Downey, the actor wore a striking blue suit and tinted glasses to complement his new look.
Downey’s close buddy Jon Favreau, who is well-known for directing the first two “Iron Man” films and playing Harry “Happy” Hogan in several Marvel films such as “Avengers: Endgame” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” also participated.
At AFI Fest were Susan Downey, Jon Favreau, and Robert Downey Jr.
Leon Bennett/Getty Images
In late October, the actor posted a video to Instagram showcasing his change. In the video, he surprised Exton Elias and Avri Roel by giving them the opportunity to shave their father’s head as they were carving pumpkins.
His daughter Avri painted the back of Downey Jr.’s newly bald head to resemble a pumpkin, and the two siblings had a lot of fun with it.
A post that Robert Downey Jr. shared. Authoritative (@robertdowneyjr)
The video also provides fans with an interesting snippet of information about “The Sympathizer,” as Exton Elias reveals that Robert Downey Jr. is playing “five characters or whatever” in the film.