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By Zack Zeigler
Tony Stark and his real-life alter ego Robert Downey Jr. are both going through a lot right now with "
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| Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark |
As for Downey, since captivating audiences as Stark and Iron Man in 2008, he's earned an Oscar nomination for a role in "Tropic Thunder," taken home a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes and, starting today, stars in the most anticipated movie of the summer.
That's a lot of momentum to ride on, but don't expect Downey to coast on it. He knew "Iron Man 2" was Stark's story to tell, and dug deeper into the character's psyche to find a way to tell it properly.
"The hero's journey is really what he's not telling people, not what he's doing with or without a suit on," Downey said in the film's production notes. "By the time 'Iron Man 2' starts you're essentially seeing Tony's persona, and he's showing that persona to everything and everyone
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| Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark |
But things have changed. Stark, we find out, isn't as invincible as he appears. Letting people in on that makes him look vulnerable. Those are some of the insecurities that come along with outing yourself as Iron Man.
There's also the U.S. government, who are on his back to fork over the Iron Man suit's technology. This insistence would put him at odds with friend Lieutenant Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes (Don Cheadle) on more than one occasion. Plus, there's that lingering sexual tension with executive assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). How will the introduction of Scarlett Johansson's character Black Widow affect that vibe?
"When you have a lead character as rich as Tony Stark, you really want to explore the trials and tribulations of his life," said Marvel Studios President and "Iron Man 2" producer Kevin Feige. "We sent the audience a curveball at the end of the first film... that immediately sets up the tension and the conflict for this film and that's what we wanted to continue to explore."
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