Robert Downey Jr. said he wished Elon Musk would control his public behaviour more, and that the claim that any conduct is justified by the goal of reaching Mars did not persuade him. He also acknowledged Musk’s accomplishments. The remarks came in an episode of On with Kara Swisher published October 21, 2024; the phrase “lightly trashes” is a headline characterization, not Downey’s own wording.
What did Robert Downey Jr. say about Elon Musk?
Downey said he had met Musk only a few times and wished he would rein in his behaviour. As reported by Catherine Shoard in The Guardian on October 28, 2024, Downey said: “I’ve only met him a few times. As an almost 60-year-old recovering white American male, I just wish that he would control his behaviour a little more, but that’s not on me.”
He also questioned the idea that reaching Mars could excuse other behaviour: “I know that this idea of ‘It’s all OK because we’ve gotta get to Mars’ doesn’t really hold water with me. But again, you know, you have to look at all that he’s done that demonstrates why he’s valuable.” These quotations are reproduced as The Guardian reported them; the episode listing does not provide a transcript, so the wording has not been independently checked against the audio.
Where and when did he make the comments?
The comments were discussed in an episode of On with Kara Swisher published October 21, 2024. Its listing describes a conversation about whether Downey was more like Elon Musk as Tony Stark/Iron Man or in his then-upcoming role as Doctor Doom. The Guardian’s October 28 report covered Downey’s remarks.
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Why are Elon Musk and Tony Stark compared?
Musk and Downey briefly appeared together in Iron Man 2, in a scene set at the Monaco Grand Prix. The Guardian reported that Musk’s character tells Stark he has an idea for an electric jet.
The comparison also has a behind-the-scenes connection, but it should not be overstated: screenwriter Mark Fergus said in 2022 that Musk partly inspired the screen version of the Marvel hero and described traits he saw in common. That is Fergus’s account of one influence, not evidence that Musk was the sole or definitive basis for Tony Stark.
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Were Robert Downey Jr. and Elon Musk in Iron Man 2?
Yes. They shared a brief scene in the film, with Musk appearing as himself. The cameo helps explain why interviewers draw comparisons between Musk and Downey’s Iron Man character, but Downey’s 2024 remarks were about Musk’s public behaviour and the Mars rationale—not a claim that the two men are interchangeable.
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