By Christina Radish
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Robert Downey, Jr. with his wife, Susan Levin, at the premiere of "Iron Man" held at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, Calif. on April 30, 2008.
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AS CEO of Stark Industries, the U.S. Government’s top weapons contractor, Tony Stark has achieved celebrity status by protecting American interests around the globe for decades. But, Tony’s carefree lifestyle is forever changed when his convoy is attacked following a weapons test and he is injured by life-threatening shrapnel embedded near his already weakened heart. While held captive, Tony uses his intellect and ingenuity to build a suit of armor that keeps him alive and enables him to escape.
Upon his return to America, Tony vows to take Stark Industries in a new direction, despite the resistance from Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges), his right-hand man and top executive. With the help of his longtime assistant, Virginia “Pepper” Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), and his trusted military liaison, Lt. Colonel James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Terrence Howard), Tony uncovers a nefarious plot with global implications. Donning his powerful new red and gold armor, the tycoon vows to protect the world and right its injustices as his new alter-ego, Iron Man.
With a library of over 5,000 characters, Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies. Since 1998, Marvel films have grossed over $4.9 billion worldwide at the box office, and record-breaking franchises such as Spider-Man, X-Men and The Fantastic Four have resulted in a string of eight consecutive #1 box office openings. Now, Paramount Pictures is hoping for the same success with Iron Man.
Co-stars Robert Downey, Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow, along with director/executive producer Jon Favreau, spoke with MediaBlvd Magazine about taking on the potential franchise.
ROBERT DOWNEY, JR. (as Tony Stark/Iron Man)
In casting the role of Tony Stark, filmmakers went against the grain in casting Academy Award-nominated actor Robert Downey, Jr. Not the most obvious choice from the studio’s point-of-view, but the best person for the role by far, Downey saw the chance to slip into the character as a childhood dream come true.
MediaBlvd Magazine> What made you decide that you wanted to take on this role?
Robert Downey, Jr.> I’m not a kid anymore and, if you’re going to do something like this, you want to do it while there’s a very low embarrassment factor, age wise. Also, it’s Jon Favreau. That guy is a national treasure. To be able to do something like this, with him, and maybe have the opportunity to do it a couple more times, was a no brainer.
MediaBlvd> What did you respond to, in Tony Stark?
Robert> It goes back to the obvious metaphor that his weakness, ultimately, winds up being the source of his strength. Stan Lee said he created this character on a dare to see if, in the very anti-establishment, mid to late 60's, he could make a Howard Hughes-esque billionaire weapons manufacture, in a very non-military, industrial complex-oriented society, and have him have this wound. And, he said that they got more fan mail than they’d gotten for any of their other characters, particularly from women, who felt that, somehow or other, they could turn Tony around. That was before Alanon.
MediaBlvd> Did you like Tony Stark, as a superhero, because he’s not so clean and soft, like Superman is?
Robert> Sure. He starts off as a guy who’s just desperate to save his own life, and is very surprised that he was put in a position where he has to do so. I don’t think he had a sheltered life. He was just in a lot of denial about the ramifications of what he did for a living. I don’t think it’s a film about someone’s conscious getting the better of them. It’s a film about survival and being conflicted. It’s a pretty apt metaphor for the 21st century human being. We have such a wealth of information and ability now. Twenty years ago, you couldn’t just go online and say, “Oh, that’s my opinion.” You tended to go out and say or do something about it, or write a letter, or whatever. I love that take-action stance. Tony Stark is someone who’s been sheltered by choice, and then takes action.
MediaBlvd> Did you collaborate with Jon Favreau on this?
Robert> The character is a combination of Jon and I. Tony Stark is his direction and my execution, and sometimes my ideas and his direction of those ideas. It’s my line of dialogue that he scratched, and then challenged me to write something better. And then, his line of dialogue that I judged, and we shot anyway. Or, something that we wrote together and then looked at on paper and said, “Wow, this isn’t going to work,” but we shot it and it really worked. Or, sometimes it would look really great on paper, and we’d get there and say, “We knew that the other shoe had to drop.” We were so lucky and fortunate, every day. We always made the day, and were always happy with what we’d done, at the end of the day. If we were less happy, we’d give it another shot, or we’d realize it was how it was supposed to be.
MediaBlvd> Can you talk about working with the other actors, and what they brought to this, to make it more real?
Robert> Gwyneth’s instincts were really sound. Jon and I tended to not be far off, on any given day, but if we weren’t sure, we’d check in with her. And, Terrence is so smart. A lot of the dialogue or ideas were things that he would come up with at rehearsals. We were really concerned about the Rhodes and Tony relationship. We were juggling so many relationships. We go through a series of events together -- with him coming on my massive private plane to go to this weapons test, to being at the weapons test, to after the weapons test, to after my escape and/or rescue -- that are really good, by any movie standards, even if it wasn’t an action movie. Some of it’s really touching, and some of it’s remarkably funny and off-beat, and really pushes the limits, but that was all stuff we created. And then, Jeff Bridges was the old school master. During the time we were shooting, I said to my son Indio, “Are you ready to see The Dude?” He said, “Who’s The Dude?” We went to Blockbuster and bought The Big Lebowski and watched it. At the end, he said, “That was awesome!”
MediaBlvd> So, now that you’ve played Iron Man do you feel stronger?
Robert> No. I’ve shrunk up again. It’s nice not to be carrying the extra pounds. My arms were one centimeter bigger.
MediaBlvd> Any complaints with the armor? Did you sweat a lot?
Robert> There were two other guys, and we took turns complaining. I’d come in on the day one of them was shooting 2nd Unit, and he’d be laid out in a pool of sweat, still in half the suit. He’d be like, “Dude, you’re on tomorrow right?” And, I’d be like, “Yeah, we’re going to do close-ups.” We had a support group. He’d come in the next day and hold my Iron Man hand and be like, “Man, can I get you something? Maybe an Advil?” Then, we’d both go visit the third guy.
MediaBlvd> Do you feel any extra pressure, when you’re acting, knowing that it’s a character that a lot of people love and you have to get it right?
Robert> There’s always that point, in any process, where you feel the pressure. That’s self-centered fear. In this case, I just became a geek for Iron Man, myself. The added value is that I think I’ve got the chops to be able to pull it off. I really worked on my arms, for those 11 seconds in the trailer. I will never be that muscular again.
MediaBlvd> Are you ready to see your face on merchandise?
Robert> Yeah. Why not? We’re with Burger King.
MediaBlvd> You’ve done so many big movies. Is there a chance you’ll go back to small movies after this?
Robert> I started off in theatre. There are no small movies. I’m just so tripped out and excited and proud about Iron Man.
MediaBlvd> Did you have a lot of fun with this role?
Robert> Yeah. I’m the guy who can see a mediocre trailer in the theater and, when everyone else goes, “Oh, whatever!,” I’m sitting there, feeling embarrassed because I have chills. So, to see something really work, and to be the person who’s the guy in that, I still don’t quite get it.
MediaBlvd> Were you sad when the film wrapped? Do you miss playing Tony?
Robert> I wouldn’t wish this on an enemy, but I finished this and, two weeks later, I was shooting Tropic Thunder in Hawaii, with Ben Stiller and Jack Black. That was fantastic, but wrapping something that was this epic, and then going into pre-production and make-up tests and starting something so soon, was tough. But, truth be told, it was ideal because the crash from this would have been so hard. I probably would’ve been thinking, in my head, “I’m not Tony. Why can’t I be Tony again?”
GWYNETH PALTROW (as Virginia “Pepper” Potts)
An indispensable part of the eccentric Tony Stark’s life, Virginia “Pepper” Potts is always there to put out the fires that Tony often leaves burning in his wake. For Academy Award winner Gwyneth Paltrow, taking on such a role was her first opportunity to be involved in such a large-scale superhero production.
MediaBlvd Magazine> Is there a comic book character that you love?
Gwyneth Paltrow> My geeky-ness is more about food or interior stuff or music, so the comic thing was new to me. I’d never really read comics. My brother read a lot of comics, growing up, and it was very interesting because it’s this whole world that I never really knew about. Of course, I knew it existed, but I didn’t really know the extent of how passionate the fans are.
MediaBlvd> Had you been aware of the Iron Man character prior to this?
Gwyneth> No. I was not a comic book reader, except in a tangential way. I’d heard of Iron Man. I’d heard of Spider-Man. My brother had comics around. But, I didn’t really know anything about comics, except for my brother’s underoos in 1982.
MediaBlvd> How is Iron Man different than Superman, Spiderman and Batman?
Gwyneth> Robert Downey, Jr. I’ve always wanted to work with him, since I was a teenager, before I even acted. I always thought he was so brilliant, and it’s always been a dream of mine to work with him, and Johnny Depp. It was amazing. They called me and said, “There’s this movie being directed by Jon Favreau,” and I love his films. And, they said, “It’s Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard and Jeff Bridges,” and I was like, “Great, I’m in! What is it?” They said, “It’s a comic book, called Iron Man.” I was like, “Wow, what’s that?” Then, I got familiar with it, and I’m so glad I did it. I had the best time.
MediaBlvd> What was working with Robert Downey, Jr. like?
Gwyneth> He is so brilliant. I’d always wanted to work with him. It has always been a dream of mine. And, I was so happy to have the opportunity because he’s just amazing. When he’s working, he’s so free and he’s so present, and he tries all this great stuff. It just feels very electric. It feels new. You don’t feel like you’re trudging through your day. It’s always something unexpected. That’s exactly why I did it.
MediaBlvd> What makes Robert Downey, Jr. such a good Iron Man?
Gwyneth> Because the character itself is complicated. And, he looks amazing. He looks like a proper action man. He looks really good, and he’s such a great actor, so he brings this amazing thing to it.
MediaBlvd> Was it hard to keep a straight face, working with Robert?
Gwyneth> He is a totally amazing human being, and he made me laugh, all the time. His sense of humor is so weird. He’s a modular thinker, not a linear thinker, so he comes out with all this amazing stuff, and analogies. It’s hard to follow. He’s here, and then he’s there. He really kept me on my toes. And, it’s so great for the character. It’s so human and so good and so alive.
MediaBlvd> Was this great cast the attraction for you?
Gwyneth> That’s exactly why I did it. I love Jon Favreau’s movies. That cast was a dream. How can you say no to Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard and Robert Downey, Jr.?
MediaBlvd> How does Pepper Potts fit into the Iron Man story?
Gwyneth> Basically, Iron Man started as an anti-communist comic, back in the day. The protagonist, Tony Stark, is a messed up figure. He’s an alcoholic and a womanizer and he’s, basically, an arms dealer. He’s a Howard Hughes type, who’s a little bit reckless. Pepper Potts is his assistant. She’s his Girl Friday. She’s really the closest person to him. They have that kind of repartee. It’s a little bit fraternal, and a little bit sexual. They have a very fun relationship. She’s the moral center. She’s constantly trying to reign him in.
MediaBlvd> So, you’re not wearing any costumes? You didn’t have to work out for this role?
Gwyneth> Oh, I had to work out. They wanted me to look good. But, I didn’t have to wear any superhero things. I had 15 pounds of baby weight to lose, on the treadmill, before I started. I was a post-baby nightmare, so I worked really hard. I have an amazing trainer. I worked out twice a day, and did dance cardio, and felt like a complete nerd. I just really worked hard and got in shape. I also got a stomach bug in Mexico, which really helped.
MediaBlvd> Does your character get to do any physical stuff?
Gwyneth> At the end. I don’t have any fights. I don’t have a gun.
MediaBlvd> How do you find the reality of a comic book story?
Gwyneth> What was so great was the heart of the story. For me, our relationship is the heart of the film. It was a very layered, real, complicated relationship. I wasn’t there when they were blowing everything up.
MediaBlvd> Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow was all green screen. How was this film easier?
Gwyneth> It was easier because it actually hurts your ears when guns are shot and things blow up. They did crazy things. They really blew things up. It was like, “Wow!” It’s not your average day at work. It took eight hours to set all the charges, and then they really blew the whole thing up.
MediaBlvd> Did you sign on for three Iron Man movies?
Gwyneth> Yeah. I signed in blood.
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Gwyneth Paltrow at the premiere of "Iron Man" held at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, Calif. on April 30, 2008.
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MediaBlvd> Isn’t that weird for you? You’ve never done something like that before, have you?
Gwyneth> It was weird when I did it, but the first day on set was so great, and I love Jon and everybody so much, that now I just hope there’s a sequel.
MediaBlvd> Much like people are with comic books, was there something you were passionate about, as a kid, that you’ve carried into adulthood and can share with your kids?
Gwyneth> Those old musicals, like Mary Poppins. I loved the old Haley Mills movies. I was obsessed, when I was little. I’ve already shown Mary Poppins to my kids, and they loved it.
MediaBlvd> Are you back in full-time work mode, acting wise, or are you still focused on being a mom?
Gwyneth> I’m going to do both. You won’t see me every three months, that’s for sure. I did so many movies in my 20’s, and it was amazing, but it was a lot. It was a real blessing for me to have time off, and have kids. There was really a point where I thought, “I don’t know if I want to do this anymore.” Then, when Moses was about 6 months old, I really felt the desire coming back. I thought, “I’ll wait until he’s a year old, so he’ll get all of my time for a year. And then, maybe if people still remember me, there’ll be something for me.” And, luckily, this came up. I started it just after he turned a year old. It was really good. I had the best time making it. What’s nice for me is that I feel so much enthusiasm for my work again. It was really important for me to have that break. I really needed it, and it was great for me. And, I’ve come back to the whole acting world with such an appreciation for it. I feel really excited about it.
MediaBlvd> Did you just feel like you needed to get your life back?
Gwyneth> It wasn’t so much about getting my life back, but it was about the artist in me that needed to be fed. A few months go by, and then the years go by, and you’re pureeing sweet potato, and you’re like, “Okay, this is amazing, but there’s also a part of me that needs to survive, and that’s important.” I think it’s about finding a balance. I’m very excited that, when I decided to go back to work, there was work for me. It’s been a really fun time. It’s been really good.
MediaBlvd> What are you looking to do now?
Gwyneth> I just want to have fun, try new things, and try roles that I’ve never tried. I feel like, if I’m going to work, then it has to be something that’s invigorating and exciting to me. It doesn’t have to be Shakespeare. It can be anything, as long as I feel it’s worth my time, and that I’m working with really good people, and I’m learning something.
MediaBlvd> What do you have coming up next, after Iron Man?
Gwyneth> A smaller movie, called Two Lovers, set in New York. It’s from a really good independent filmmaker, named James Gray.
JON FAVREAU (director)
To get Iron Man into production, Marvel was faced with the challenge of finding a director who could not only handle the technical aspects of executing a large-scale action film, but more importantly could infuse the story with the human element that so dominated the comic book characters. Jon Favreau, who had previously directed the comedy Elf and the sci-fi adventure Zathura, seemed the perfect choice.
MediaBlvd Magazine> So, why make Iron Man?
Jon Favreau> Avi Arad, who I met on Daredevil, was talking to me about securing the rights to the properties. I’ve always been curious about Captain America, as a character. I loved him. I love the idea of a guy being frozen in ice, in World War II, and waking up at the turn of the century, and seeing who our allies and who our enemies are, and what America is. There was room for a lot of social commentary and humor, but as far as the action goes, it’s much more challenging. With the technology we have today, this is the first time you can make a movie about this hero, that stays true to the vision in the books. You can depict what the suit can do, and you never could before.
MediaBlvd> How is it working on a bigger canvas, like the one that Marvel is spinning, now that they are their own company and they have a bunch of characters that they own the rights to? They’re doing Iron Man and The Hulk, and they have Captain America, and others. Do you see these characters mingling together?
Jon> I hope so. I don’t know how many Iron Man movies you can make before you need to see The Avengers happen or Shield. Legally, they’re getting into position where they can do it. There are different challenges, from a business standpoint, about doing that. Making Ocean’s 11 is a different business model than making a movie that Brad Pitt is starring in. If they could navigate those waters, then I think it would make a lot of sense, creatively. It would be a lot of fun, and I hope to be the guy who gets to do it.
MediaBlvd> How do you plan to get the non-comic book audience to see Iron Man?
Jon> The biggest hurdle was getting the comic book audience to know we got the right guy to play Tony Stark. They were hailing the movie with the right tone, the right humor, the right personality, the right look and the right suit. Right now, the fans are the only people who know who Iron Man is. So, it’s about educating the rest of the public. What Transformers showed is that, if you have enough visual interest on the screen, there will be a curiosity about a movie like that. People will go see it. Although Iron Man is a superhero, and the film has all the wonderful aspects of the Marvel tradition of a conflicted, flawed hero, you also have the layer of technology that ILM has been doing great work on. There is going to be a visual interest with the suit and the choreography. People want to see movies like that. They know they’re in for a wild ride, when they see a Marvel movie.
MediaBlvd> With a PG-13 rating, is this movie appropriate for little kids that are fans of the comic?
Jon> I would be very comfortable taking my son to the film, and he’s six. As far as language, sexuality and violence, there are PG-13 movies, like Van Helsing, that I had to turn off with my son watching. Even Daredevil was a little tricky to show him because it was made to be very violent, at times. In this, I wanted to make sure that the action was appropriate for all audiences, but I didn’t want to make it a PG-rated, family fun film because it was Tony Stark. Tony Stark likes to screw, he likes to drink, he likes to party and he likes to drive fast cars, and Iron Man gets rough and tumble. It’s about a guy who’s ambushed in a convoy, in Afghanistan. So, there’s a way to treat that material where it’s not cleaned up too much for me, and where I’ll enjoy watching it, but I wouldn’t feel irresponsible letting my kids see it. But, that’s my kid. Not everybody’s kids are the same way.
MediaBlvd> Why did you decide to do the effects in camera, rather than with CG?
Jon> I did both. There’s a lot of CG, but to do CG effectively, you have to play a game with the audience, where you show them something real, and then show them something fake. The fake stuff should look real, and the real stuff should look CG. Stan Winston’s design was something where we could work with craftsman. You see a lot of details in the Mark I suit. That keeps ILM honest. And, if ILM could make this guy acrobatic and fly in the air, the suit can’t be so restrictive that it looks like the Power Rangers. It has to look like the same person. You lose the audience, emotionally, if they don’t buy the transition between the two.
MediaBlvd> Is there more of Iron Man or more of Tony Stark in the film?
Jon> Iron Man is different from the DC heroes, where Batman is the character and Bruce Wayne is his cover story, or Superman is the character and Clark Kent is the disguise. Tony Stark is the character and Iron Man is his alter ego that he only first begins to explore. Later on, as the character develops, is when there’s more of a conflict in what he stands for and how hard it is to be Tony Stark, when he really becomes Iron Man. That’s when you get into the demon in a bottle, and how that pulls a person apart. You’re going to be seeing more of Tony Stark, and you begin to learn who Iron Man is, as Tony Stark learns who Iron Man is.
MediaBlvd> Robert said that this film was a culmination of both of your ideas. How did that work?
Jon> There’s always a collaboration between the filmmaker and the star because you have to put so much footage in the camera and you have to try so many different things, when you’re the lead, to give the filmmaker the ability to make decisions in post-production. When you’re a supporting character, you come in and rip it up, and they either use you or cut you out. If you get laughs, they keep you in. If not, you go away. But, when you’re the lead, it’s a real back and forth. There was a lot of 2nd Unit performance done, when Robert wasn’t around, so we had to discuss how Iron Man would move, act and fight. And, all the stuff we did at ILM with him flying, I had to work out all that choreography with a whole different group of people. And then, ultimately, he had to come back in and voice it. He also did close-up work for inside the helmet. So, there was a lot of back and forth between us.
MediaBlvd> What did you change in the script? Was it the dialogue?
Jon> We had some dialogue changes. We learned things about the characters, as we went. We refined the story on the set, but that is part of the process. The Marvel movies do that a lot because it’s more about the story. For me, there has always been a component of improvisation in the movies I’ve worked on. I was lucky to have actors who could handle it.
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Director Jon Favreau at the premiere of "Iron Man" held at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, Calif. on April 30, 2008.
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MediaBlvd> Why did you decide to communicate with Iron Man fans on the Internet, before the film opened?
Jon> With movies of this kind, there’s a real dialogue between the fans and the filmmakers. If you don’t accept it, it backfires. There are certain filmmakers, like Steven Spielberg, who have been around long enough that they can keep a completely buttoned down, closed set, and people will give them the benefit of the doubt because of their body of work. But, when you’re dealing with a character, like Iron Man, and you’re coming in it without a body of work that would suggest you can do a good job with a movie of that genre, you have to make a case for yourself. The fans are also a tremendous resource for me to learn what people expect of this character. There’s no way I can go through 40 years of comic books and learn everything I need to learn about this guy. And so, in getting that information and hearing what people have to say, even when they’re talking to one another and you get to listen in on those conversations on the various fan sites, you learn what people like, who they gravitate to and what their concerns are. You’re not just humoring them to try to get their support. You actually show that what they have talked to each other about has influenced the way the movie was made. Certain filmmakers like to give complete access to the set, and do weblogs every day. For this movie, I felt that was going to reveal too much, too early. I wanted to save some surprise. But, I didn’t want to close the set either. And so, I always wanted to be a little bit ahead of what people were finding out about us. Fortunately, the stuff that leaked out was stuff that the people seemed to like. We’ve been very lucky that the reaction, to both the official and unofficial stuff that’s gotten out there, has been very good.
MediaBlvd> How nervous were you, about showing comic book fans that first footage?
Jon> When you say Iron Man to most people out there, in the world, they think that it’s a Black Sabbath song. Comic book fans know who the guy is, what he stands for, what the movie better do or not do, and what the pitfalls are, from having seen other books adapted in a way they didn’t think was respectable, or geared towards them. Over the last year, we’ve been listening to them, as well as telling them what we’re doing. At a certain point, we had to release the image of the Mark I, which was a tremendous leap from what was in the books, and we got a nice little reaction from that. Then, we had to release the image of the Mark III, with the red and gold, and they liked that, too. Little by little, we got our feet wet, until finally I said, “Let’s just show them what we’ve got.” Fortunately, because of the Stan Winston suits that were built, we had a lot of practical, in-camera footage to show, and ILM scrambled to get those last five shots together, so that we could show him flying, along with the high tech version of the suit. And, it played well. So, we put it out there and it worked out well.
MediaBlvd> How did you decide on the villain for the film?
Jon> It was very hard to choose a villain for Iron Man. The big villain is the Mandarin, but the Mandarin is not the type of villain where, right off the bat, you could watch him squaring off with Iron Man. You can’t stay true to the books, in that regard, without putting off the mainstream audience. As he’s depicted in the books, I don’t know that that depiction would work, nowadays. I don’t know if that’s the thing that people are expecting. In Star Wars, you had the Emperor, but Darth Vader was the guy you wanted to see Luke Skywalker fight. You work your way to the time when the lighting bolts are shooting out of the fingers, and all that stuff can happen. You have to lay enough down in the storyline, so as the story unfolds, you get there. In our depiction of the universe and the reality that we’re dealing with, there aren’t other superheroes with other powers, in this world. I wanted everything to come out of the technology that Tony Stark developed, and watch it grow out from there. As you cut the movie together and you see how it plays, and you learn the personality of the film, you can then go deeper and deeper. Eventually, I’d love to get to the point where the movie could accept that, and you could develop a reality where that would work.
MediaBlvd> Did your experience on Daredevil influence you, good or bad, on how you approached this film?
Jon> It was very different. I remember Mark Steven Johnson’s concerns, and the challenges that he faced. Fox was making a movie that was geared towards everybody, and there were things they were able to do from the books, and there were things that they weren’t able to do. He’s a real fanboy filmmaker, who wants to stay as true as he can. I learned things about how lucky I was to be working with Marvel, as a studio. They were no longer the people lobbying to the studio for their vision. They were the people who had the money, and they were looking after the character. Their concerns were different. It was fun to work on. As a filmmaker, coming from the independent world, it was good for them because I came in on time and on budget. I know how to be responsible. I’ve slowly worked my way up to this budget level, and have seen how other filmmakers before me, who come from my background, were able to do it. Peter Jackson made the leap. Chris Nolan did a fantastic job on Batman Begins, which showed the studio that you can be rewarded for getting a cast that actually has some chops and integrity. Don’t make it a star-driven movie. Make the hero the star, and then just make the best movie you can, and the marketplace will reward you. So, there were a lot of people who opened the door for me to do what I was able to follow in the footsteps of.
MediaBlvd> Since they’re both superhero movies, what did you learn by working on Daredevil, as an actor, that you were able to bring to Iron Man, as a director?
Jon> As an actor, I didn’t really learn a lot because I was so on the periphery, as a comedic sidekick, supporting character. I learned that you don’t shoot more movie then you intend to put on the screen, or you waste a lot of time and money. You have to really get the story right before you go into production. I also learned that, if you make a movie, make it something that you don’t have to be a comic book fan to appreciate. With Daredevil, a lot of effort was put into keeping it true to the books and, tonally, it never broke to the next level of success. It was certainly a successful film, but it could have done better, if the audience for it was broader.
MediaBlvd> What can you tell us about the comic book you’re writing?
Jon> Adi Granov and I started working together, in designing the suit for the movie. I wanted him as involved as he could be, to stay true to that vision. I thought his vision for the hero was wonderful. Then, he hit me up and said, “Have you ever thought of writing books?” I said, “I don’t really know that much about that process,” so he said, “I’ll help you with it.” And, we’ve been very collaborative. It’s going to be Iron Man: Viva Las Vegas, and he’s going to fight Fin Fang Foom on the Vegas strip.
MediaBlvd> Will it take place in the movie universe or the comic universe?
Jon> I broke out of this movie universe. It’s too restrictive. I wanted to have him changing with an attaché case, and I wanted to be able to draw on the Marvel universe.
MediaBlvd> When will that be coming out?
Jon> Issue #1 comes out on May 7th.
MediaBlvd> You look great. How did you lose so much weight?
Jon> Running from my chair to the front of the camera a lot, to talk to the actors. As a director, you always eat a lot, and you still manage to lose weight. You burn so many calories, by worrying and staying up and working so hard that you usually lose a little bit of weight. This time around, I decided not to go to the craft service table, and was very careful about what I ate, and the weight came off, in a few months. It was very conscious. I knew I would do a cameo in the movie, so I wanted to look good. I just kept going with it, just watching how much I was eating and eating less food. It sounds silly, but that was my big secret.
MediaBlvd> So, no more acting for you because then you gain weight?
Jon> I like acting a lot, and I hope to do some more. I always manage to do something with Vince Vaughn, and hope to do maybe do some comedy with him. We’ll see how this goes. The jury’s out on this movie until it comes out. It’s a two-year process to make these types of movies, so between now and if I’m so lucky to make another Iron Man movie, hopefully I’ll do some acting in other movies.
MediaBlvd> Who is a real hero, to you?
Jon> In real life, I’m a big fan of Tony Blair. I like him a lot. I have a lot of respect for the guy, and I wish him well in what he’s doing now. I think he’s an interesting leader, but I think it’s going to be a whole new cast of characters coming into the world of politics, in the next year. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens.
