Remember Tropic Thunder? The 2008 action-comedy film was directed by actor Ben Stiller, who also played one of the leads in the film. The movie was about a group of egoistic actors roped into filming a war epic in a tropical jungle, and how they accidentally get entangled in a drug ring while thinking they are guerilla-shooting for the movie. Tropic Thunder had an ensemble cast, with Stiller himself playing one of the leads. Another actor who played the lead in the film was Robert Downey Jr. Avengers: Endgame Watch Party: Russo Brothers Share Exciting Trivia and BTS Videos of Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans and More From the Sets (View Tweets).
The movie came out in the same year as Iron Man, a movie that was responsible for RDJ's rise as a global superstar, and was the beginning of what was an exciting phase for the actor. Downey Jr played Kirk Lazarus, an Australian actor who is so obsessed with method-acting makes him undergo surgery to go 'blackface' in the war film so that he can be passed off as a black person.
Obviously, the role, just like the whole film, is a satire on actors who go to extreme lengths in the name of method-acting (hello Christian Bale!). But apparently certain section of social media users failed to get the message.
Because People Weren't Stupid Then!
Remember that time Robert Downey jr did full blackface and nobody said ANYTHING pic.twitter.com/pyBwgFewOO
— e (@elijvhx) April 29, 2020
It Should. And It Shouldn't.
Robert Downey Jr. blackface just didnt feel offensive idk y
— idiotboy (@systmbraika) April 30, 2020
Have You Met Drax? You Two Can Find A Lot in Common!
Who needed to know that people who did blackface are stupid? Furthermore, who needed Robert Downey to convey that message.....while in................blackface.....?
What a dumb movie.
— B (@_Bleachh) April 30, 2020
Then See The Movie First!
no i didn't see tropic thunder will someone please tell me what about the movie could possibly make robert downey jr's blackface acceptable
— (nsfr) shane is the struggle tweet (@wkwardparacadet) April 30, 2020
Errr.... Google Search Was Still Available Then
the first time i ever saw robert downey jr. was in the movie he did in blackface so i thought he was black and when i saw him in ironman i was very confused
— ً (@sexyidiotgirl) April 27, 2020
Why Can't You Tell Yourself?
Somebody remind me how we felt about Robert Downey doing blackface.
— Petty Olive (@antifugazzi) April 25, 2020
Those who have watched Tropic Thunder - a personal fave of this writer - knows that Stiller is mocking at the real-life tropes that Hollywood actors and studios often display. Through Kirk Lazarus, Stiller not only takes a dig at method-acting, but also the industry's lack of respect to racial representation. The movie also pokes fun at star egos and drug abuse. Not to mention, studio interference and how crap some of the bosses can be. Remember the foul-mouthed Les Grossman, played in the most entertaining manner by an unrecognisable Tom Cruise? Robert Downey Jr Birthday Special: From Chaplin to Tropic Thunder, 5 Best Movies of the Actor that You Need to Watch Right Away.
Watch a Scene From Tropic Thunder here:
So for those who are still bothered as to why RDJ went blackface in the film, here's a little trivia - RDJ was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards the next year for his performance in the film (he lost it to the late Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight). And maybe you can have a laugh over Lazarus' famous dialogue in the film.
SPOILER ALERT: Lazarus actually doesn't undergo pigmentation surgery. It was all a fake!
Tropic Thunder also stars Steve Coogan, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Brandon T Jackson, Bill Hader, Nick Nolte and
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 30, 2020 10:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).