Robert Downey Jr. Encouraged Chris Hemsworth To Enjoy “The Sweet Spot” During Avengers: Endgame

In one of his last interviews before Avengers: Endgame, Robert Downey Jr. praised Chris Hemsworth’s performance.

By Mabel Judith Andrady
December 1,2022
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In an interview given recently, Chris Hemsworth recalled with fondness the time when Robert Downey Jr., who plays Iron Man in the 2019 Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbuster Avengers: Endgame, encouraged Chris his performance as Thor.

Since Endgame is widely regarded as Tony Stark’s final appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Robert Downey Jr. is no longer a part of the regular Marvel film ensemble, yet that doesn’t mean his influence and camaraderie with his co-stars have diminished.

Although this film marked the end of an era for Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers—who, along with Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth, had each headlined all three films in the MCU’s Infinity Saga—Hemsworth has continued to portray the role of Thor into the ongoing Multiverse Saga. Thor’s fourth solo film, Thor: Love and Thunder, was released this past summer.

An Outstanding Finale Turn by Chris Hemsworth

Chris Hemsworth said in a recent interview with Josh Horowitz for “Happy Sad Confused” that after shooting the sequence in Avengers: Endgame in which Thor recounted his life story and discussed everything he had lost, Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man) took a minute to encourage Chris for his performance as Thor.

Avengers: Endgame | Wiki of Nerds
Marvel Studios

As Hemsworth prepared to give his monologue as the depressed “dad bod” Thor, Downey reminded him, a few times in your career, you have little moments where you hit the bullseye and it’s like… you’re in the sweet spot … enjoy it”:

Horowtiz: “Have you ever felt like really, I don’t know when with that character, but like I would imagine like ironically some of the most dramatic stuff you did was like as that [version of] Thor. And being in that and having to deliver these really dramatic emotional moments, I’m sure on set, you’re like, ’Wait, is this gonna work?’”

Hemsworth: “Yeah, you’re always like, ‘Is this gonna work, you know?’ I mean, I remember that scene [in Avengers: Endgame] where I sort of start breaking down, pitching everyone the mission, and talking about my family, and who died, and so on… just little moments like that in your career where just everything lines up, and there was a bit of improv, and so on. And I think it ended with me saying, ‘I want a Bloody Mary,’ to Downey, and he said to me, ‘How do you feel?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I forgot, it’s pretty special.’ He goes, ‘Every now and then, a little like… a few times in your career, you have little moments where you hit the bullseye and it’s like… you’re in the sweet spot.’ And he said, ‘Oh, enjoy it.’ And… I really appreciated that, because I definitely felt something special about that moment… but who am I to judge, you know? And so, to have the godfather lean over and say, ’Well done, son…’”

The impact of Iron Man on the present Marvel Cinematic Universe is substantial. Indeed, as this exchange between Downey and Hemsworth demonstrates, Downey’s influence goes well beyond the box office results of any one film. It’s fitting to refer to Robert Downey Jr. as “the Godfather” because he helped found the modern Marvel Cinematic Universe cast and has served as a father figure to its leading actors.