Robert Downey Jr. & Christopher Nolan Answer The Web's Most Searched Questions

Hi, I'm Robert Downey Jr.

And I'm Christopher Nolan,

and this is the Wired Autocomplete Interview.

[Robert clicking his tongue]

[epic music]

I probably should have taken my blood pressure medication.

[Christopher laughing]

[epic music]

Does Robert Downey Jr have tattoos?

I have six.

That's the sixth one,

and that was the Avengers cast tattoo.

That happened the evening

of the premiere for Infinity War.

Scarlet got it first,

then Chris Evans got it, then I got it,

then Jeremy Renner got it,

then Chris Hemsworth got it,

even though he was a little tentative

about it and seemed to overreact to the pain,

and then Mark Ruffalo said, I'm not getting that tattoo.

I don't wanna be part of your Hollywood Inside game,

[Christopher scoffing]

to which I applauded him.

Fuck you, Mark.

Does Robert Downey Jr

[sticker peeling]

do his own stunts?

In a year where the level

and magnitude of stunts may be at an all time high,

I am committing to do less stunts every year

for the rest of my career,

[Christopher scoffing]

but yes.

Does Robert Downey Jr

[sticker peeling]

like ACDC?

Come on! Of course!

Back in Black from the first Iron Man.

[Christopher] Oh.

♪ Thunder ♪

[Robert making comical guitar strumming noises]

There's your sound bite buddy.

[Christopher] Does Robert Downey Jr like

[sticker peeling]

Gwyneth Paltrow?

I do not like Gwyneth Paltrow.

[Christopher laughing]

I absolutely adore her like a sister,

like a sister that you may have made

out with a few times

[Christopher laughing]

while still liking her.

[Christopher laughing]

That's for you.

Okay, I'd like to actually try this inverted

just to make this even more impossible.

There we go! This is gonna work like a fuckin' treat!

Why, Christopher Nolan?

Now, that in and of itself is just a question

if you think about it.

Why Christopher Nolan doesn't use CGI.

I find CGI, however versatile it is,

but it always tends to feel a little safe to me.

I think if you want something to have a bit of bite,

you've got the imagery to a better threat,

even if it's a miniature,

even if it's something very fake,

but something real on camera,

I think it gives you a better result.

[Robert] Why does Christopher Nolan-

[Christopher] We're in the why's.

[Robert] Shoot on film?

I shoot on film

because it's the highest quality imaging format

ever devised, particularly IMAX film, large-format film,

but film shows you the world kind of

the way your eye sees it.

Is it ridiculous for me to give a serious answer

while you are doing that?

But that's why I shoot film. Give the people,

give the people what they want.

Where does Christopher Nolan, oh, this one's important.

I better sit up.

[Christopher laughing] [Robert grunting]

Where does Christopher Nolan get his ideas?

All over the place.

Different on every film.

Oppenheimer, somebody had been interested in a long time,

didn't know that much about the specifics of his story,

then came to the book American Prometheus

and that absolutely got me hooked.

So in the case of Oppenheimer, the idea, I mean, gosh,

I trace it right back to, like, you know,

as a kid in the eighties

and we all thought we were gonna die in nuclear Armageddon.

Absolutely. Me too.

You remember Sting had that song, Russians?

Russians.

Oppenheimer's Deadly Toys.

Yes, How can I save my

little boy- Little boy.

From Oppenheimer's deadly toy?

There is no monopoly of common sense-

[Both] On either side of the political fence.

We share the same-

Biology, regardless of of ideology.

What might just save us,

me and you, is if-

Russians.

Where is Christopher Nolan

[both laughing]

from?

Where am I from?

Born in London, but I'm half American, half English.

My mother's American.

I've grown up kind

of both sides of the Atlantic,

but originally from England.

How come your brother doesn't have your accent?

He has his own accent.

Eventually- Yeah, I know that's right.

I know that he speaks the way he speaks,

but he sounds like he's from America and you don't.

Yes, but that's the American thing where you say,

How come you have an accent and he doesn't,

to which you say, Well,

he does have an accent.

It's an American accent.

You're right.

Just 'cause of when my parents

were living in different countries,

so he went to school in America,

I went to school in England,

and so you can't get fixed with that accent.

[cardboard shuffling]

Sorry.

No crew members were harmed- Thank you.

In the execution of this dalliance.

How did Robert Downey Jr

[sticker peeling]

become Iron Man?

It was God's will.

That's it? Really?

Well, I had a pretty good screen test,

but I'll really tell you what happened is,

the same weekend I did

a movie called Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

[Christopher] Uh-huh.

John Favreau did a movie called Zathura.

They both tanked, and we were both really hungry

to try to do something that would make an impact,

and when Iron Man came out,

everyone that knew me

and loved me said,

This will do until 'The Dark Knight' comes out,

[Christopher laughing]

and here we are now.

[Christopher] What are Robert Downey Jr hobbies?

I have one hobby in that I take classic cars

and I do eco restomods on them,

thus take old cars and then make them

more energy efficient and climate-friendly.

Any follow-up questions to that?

No, 'cause it's getting dangerously close to a plug

for your TV show- Alright, you're right.

And we're here doing Oppenheimer.

Am I limited to three or four shameless plugs?

Yeah. [Christopher laughing]

Who does Robert Downey Jr play in Oppenheimer.

Lewis Lichtenstein Strauss,

he was the head of the Atomic Energy Commission.

He was a very conservative, patriotic American.

He and Oppenheimer were verging on Nemesis.

No spoilers. No spoilers.

None at all.

Yeah, complicated man.

He was a complicated guy.

Unlike me, as you can see. Exactly.

It takes one to play one.

[Robert laughing]

What year was Robert Downey Jr on SNL?

1985, oft considered the worst season

[Christopher laughing]

in the history of SNL.

I got that going for me.

[Crew Member] What's one skit that sticks out?

Suitcase Boy.

[Christopher laughing]

No?

[Crew Member] Could you tell me what that is?

I don't remember that one.

Well, no, that never made it to air,

[Christopher laughing]

and that's the one that sticks out.

Can Robert Downey Jr play piano?

Only well enough to compose at a medium to high level.

[Christopher laughing]

[sticker peeling]

What if Christopher Nolan directed The Avengers?

Whoa. That is the Multiverse conundrum.

Having worked with you on Oppenheimer,

there'd probably be a lot too much Tony Stark.

You'd be running away with the movie a little bit.

Like I didn't.

Indeed, and more, and not like in UCG,

would you be prepared to get on one of those jet packs,

the ones they make for real that do the-

Yeah.

If Christopher Nolan had directed The Avengers,

we would still be shooting it.

[both laughing]

What is Christopher Nolan's best movie?

The one I'm promoting.

I mean, that's how that works, right?

I'm telling you,

and I've seen every single film you've ever done.

Oppenheimer is the culmination of your life's work,

and it is a frickin' masterpiece, brother.

Thank you.

And that is the God's honest truth.

Thank you.

And now, back to my faux sincerity, which works better.

[Christopher laughing]

What makes Christopher Nolan tick? Unique.

He's supposed to answer this?!

Yeah, I was gonna say. I told you, he's-

I'm leaving that to you.

He already told you he's British,

so you're never gonna get that answer out of him.

[Christopher laughing]

There's such a mystique

around you that I think sometimes people feel intimidated,

and then when you actually get in proximity to you,

and particularly shooting a film,

it's arguably the least judgmental,

most nurturing environment I could have

ever imagined being in.

He's kind of like the Wizard of Oz,

except I think he dresses cooler.

[Christopher laughing]

That's gonna travel.

[both laughing]

Moving on.

Just remember, this was someone's idea to pair us up here.

What is Christopher Nolan's

California driver's license number,

I'm sorry, first movie?

My first movie is a film that Emma

and I produced together called Following.

We shot it on black and white, 16mm film.

We were working full time.

We were a group of friends

and we would shoot one day a week for about a year,

and we put it together that way.

You would never know.

It seems even your first film felt so complete.

What degree does Christopher Nolan-

[sticker peeling]

Have?

I have an English degree from UCL in London.

My gosh! Are these edible?

[Crew Member] No? Okay. They're not.

Sorry.

[hands patting]

Is Robert Downey Jr Tom Holland's godfather?

If by godfather you mean I do light yard work

for him on Thursdays

and detail his car every other Saturday, then yes.

[Christopher] Is Robert Downey Jr

related to Charlie Chaplin?

Not that I'm aware of.

Only in spirit.

Yep.

Speaking of great directors, Attenborough,

I got a complete education

on cinema and enthusiasm and trust and love.

How old were you when you did that?

I was 26, and you know what?

He's like you, he just cries a lot more.

[Christopher laughing]

Very sensitive man.

Is Robert Downey Jr going to ask Chris Nolan

to cry on cue for him?!

You're god darn right I am!

Go in tight. This is his screen test.

[Christopher] Is Robert Downey Jr a vegan?

No, I'm a vegetarian, occasional pescatarian.

If I start feeling lightheaded,

I might have some shrimp,

or maybe a steelhead trout.

[Christopher laughing]

No scallops.

Just for the halibut, I might occasionally.

I like a bit of soul.

I don't know why that means soul.

I guess it's what goes beneath the surface.

I don't want this to end.

I mean, we're used to a bit of joviality, but this is.

This is another level.

That's for you. [Robert sighing]

[Robert] How Christopher Nolan became a director.

I started making films when I was a little kid.

Borrowed my dad's super eight camera.

I was about seven years old, started making films,

and I've kind of never stopped.

Seven?

Seven.

Who is Christopher Nolan's cinematographer?

Well, you can answer this one.

Hoyte van Hoytema.

Great Dutch director of photography and not afraid to pick

up an IMAX camera and hold it on his shoulder.

[Robert] How did Christopher Nolan recreate

a nuclear

[sticker peeling]

explosion? Explosion.

Well, we don't want to give away the tricks too much.

Didn't you CG.

Tried to come up with methods from the visual effects

and special effects department that were very small,

microscopic things that look huge,

but then also some giant big bangs out

in the desert that were pretty spectacular to live through.

And that is how you give an answer

without giving an answer!

Is Christopher Nolan

[sticker peeling]

a physicist?

No, I am not a physicist.

I've always been interested in physics and I've done a lot

of films that involve looking into ideas of physics.

Purely an amateur.

Don't know if I buy that.

Do you want another take?

No, I'm good.

Okay.

[Robert panting]

What was Robert Downey Jr's first job?

My first job was working

at the Indian Walk Shoe Store on Broadway and 83rd Street.

I made it about 10 shifts

before I was fired for my sticky fingers.

Okay. What music does Robert Downey Jr listen to?

Everything from Prokofiev to,

I'm into Sleaford Mods lately,

and also Indio Downey, my firstborn,

got an album coming out.

Fantastic.

[Christopher] What is Robert Downey Jr personality type?

You wanna take this one?

No, I'm really interested to know what you're gonna say.

I usually play Type A personalities.

No, no, no. Come on, come on, come on.

You're not getting away with Type A. That's too technical.

I'm curious.

Curious.

I'm loyal. I'm easily bored.

I thought you were gonna go with easy for a minute there

and I was gonna shake my head no

♪ Yeah, because I'm easy. ♪

What glasses does Robert Downey Jr

[sticker peeling]

wear?

That was a high degree of difficulty tape pull,

by the way.

Do you see how he's mastered it already?

All kinds of glasses,

I love all glasses, and shameless plug,

I'm probably gonna start my own glasses company.

Do you wanna just go in tight on this?

[Christopher laughing]

Downey Design Exchange.

They'll be out in probably 6, 9, 12, 16, 18 months,

depending on my personality type.

[cardboard thudding]

Does Christopher Nolan storyboard?

Only select sequences.

I don't storyboard much,

but if there's something that people really need

to take a look at, you know,

use 'em as a jumping off point for departments.

I did not know that.

Does Christopher Nolan have social media?

I do not.

That is a pointless question

if you know anything about him,

because you would think it was 1847

the way he communicates,

[Christopher laughing]

and this one just says Christopher Nolan.

Christopher Nolan influences.

Influences. Always like to talk about Ridley Scott.

Huge fan of his.

Stanley Kubrick, Terrance Malick, Nicholas Roeg.

I mean, there are just so many greats,

too many influences to name them all.

Nicholas Roeg is a really good pull.

Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy.

And Cillian Murphy.

My old friend, Cillian, we worked together for 20 years,

one of the great actors of his generation or any other,

and we've done six films together, I think.

This is six, Oppenheimer. This is six,

but this is the first time I got to use him

as a leading man.

It's amazing.

Yeah, first met him, he screen tested for Batman,

and I think we both kind of knew he probably

wasn't right for Batman,

but his test was so exciting

that the studio was okay for me to cast him as the villain.

Scarecrow?

Big star, Scarecrow.

I whispered it 'cause I have

a problem talking about DC

[Christopher laughing]

characters.

I don't know if I was programmed or not,

but I was in this room with a lot of flashing lights once.

Long story. Thanks, Kevin.

[Christopher laughing]

Well, that's done! Look what you got!

This is the most ectomorphic this man has ever been!

[Christopher laughing]

Well, Chris, Robert, we made it through all the boards.

I thought it was fun.

I think the time just flew by.

Flew by. I learned a bit.

I learned a bit.

Until next time.

[epic music]