Robert Downey Jr. has never had a problem drawing a line, and he showed that clearly during an honest chat on ‘The Howard Stern Show.’ There, he explained why he isn’t part of one of the most praised films of the past twenty years, Alfonso Cuarón‘s ‘Gravity.’
The movie came out in 2013 and pulled in $723 million at the box office. It also swept up Oscars, BAFTAs, and Golden Globes, with Cuarón taking home Best Director. George Clooney and Sandra Bullock carried the film as its only two actors, and each reportedly walked away with around $70 million.
Robert Downey Jr. Reveals Why He Turned Down ‘Gravity’ Role
However, before either of them was cast, Downey was attached to the project, and he actually got pretty far into signing on. “Everybody winds up doing what they’re supposed to do,” Downey told Stern, talking about how the part eventually landed with Clooney. He said he joined the project early on, before it had really come together. At that point, he mentioned Angelina Jolie, who was being considered for the lead actress role, wasn’t even part of the conversation yet. What he did have was a real connection with the director. The two, as Downey put it, “really hit it off.“
That connection wasn’t enough to get him through the technical side of filming, though. ‘Gravity‘ was known among crews for how hard the shoot actually was. Actors were strapped into a rig inside a lightbox, acting almost completely alone while a custom robotic camera moved around them to create the zero-gravity effect used later for the CGI. Downey said he went in to test that setup himself, checking out what he called “a new sort of multi-spherical camera thing” the crew was using to build the film’s visuals. It didn’t take long before he’d had enough.
By his account, about 20 minutes in, he asked how much more time the test would take. He was told another two to four hours. That was where he drew the line. His answer to Stern was simple, “No, it isn’t.” Soon after that, he left the project.
Robert Downey Jr. Says Boundaries Matter More Than Money
Downey didn’t describe the exit as losing his nerve. He framed it as knowing himself. “You’ve got to have boundaries,” he said, adding that the trick is walking away “before you flip out.” For someone who has spoken openly about his past struggles and how disciplined he’s had to be with his life and career since getting sober, this moment sounds less like a diva move and more like him protecting himself.
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Stern pushed back a bit, pointing out how much money Downey gave up considering what Clooney and Bullock eventually earned. Downey didn’t seem to have regrets about it. He said nobody could have known back then that the film would turn into such a massive success, since it was an experimental project with a format nobody had really tried before. He also added that there’s a limit to what one career can hold. “Any of us can have anything, but we can’t have everything,” he said.
That line has stuck with Downey ever since, coming up whenever people ask him about roles he didn’t take. Between building the Marvel empire as Tony Stark and the awards he’s collected since, it’s hard to say Downey has missed out on much. Still, the ‘Gravity‘ story gives a rare, honest look at how he separates ambition from what he’s actually willing to put himself through, even when walking away meant turning down a possible $70 million payday.
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