Robert Downey Jr. has taken aim at aspects of “influencer culture” while discussing how the idea of fame has shifted over the decades.
During an appearance on the Conversations for our Daughter podcast, the Marvel star reflected on how celebrity looks different now compared with when he first entered the public eye in the 1980s.
Downey Jr. rose to prominence in that era as part of the so-called Brat Pack generation, appearing in teen favourites such as Weird Science. Years later, he became one of the biggest names in entertainment through his portrayal of Tony Stark in Iron Man.
Looking back on the industry at the time, he suggested the bar was so high that you “shouldn’t even bother trying”.
He also addressed whether he believes influencers are the “stars of the future,” offering a blunt assessment of how easy it can be today to attract attention online.
He said: “Nowadays people can create celebrity without ever doing much besides rolling a phone on themselves,
“I don’t look at that as a negative thing. I just look at it as more like the challenge for individuation is being upped.”
While he questioned parts of the trend, Downey Jr. didn’t frame the conversation as entirely negative, sharing some optimism that many young people will still prioritize creating, learning, and building something meaningful.
He continued: “Hopefully the [larger] part of the youth of, let’s just call it America for locality’s sake, is gonna say, ‘Yeah, but that’s not my thing.
“I want to go do something, I’m going to make something, I want to build something, I want to educate myself and I want to have more inputs, so whatever my output is, it isn’t just a self-aggrandizing kind of influencer-type thing.”
When pressed again on the idea of influencers becoming the next major class of stars, he didn’t hesitate.
He said that was ‘absolute horseshit’.
Downey Jr. added that the pull of online influence can reach just about anyone, including his own family, explaining that his 14-year-old son briefly got swept up in the idea.
He said “[My 14-year-old son] kinda got caught up in this whole influencer thing, and next thing you know, it’s like, ‘Hey, if you like the way I’m playing this video game, do you wanna send me a donation?’ And really, it becomes a religion.
“So there’s something about the influencers today that are almost like the Evangelical hucksters of the information age. At the same token, it’s different because we’re playing in this new territory and so it’s a little bit of a frontier and I don’t really have a judgment on it.
“I also know when I am promoting a film now I’ve gotten to know a few of these influencers, and I find many of them grounded, accomplished, cool people.”
Downey Jr. is set to return to the wider Iron Man franchise in Avengers: Doomsday, which is scheduled to hit theatres on 18 Dec.
Despite having a huge online presence—58.1 million followers on Instagram—he said it’s not something he feels entirely at ease with, and he tries not to get pulled into it.
“I try not to get too deep down any rabbit hole,” he said.
He added that while people often tell him audiences enjoy seemingly spontaneous glimpses of his life, he’s wary of turning that into something manufactured.
“People say, ‘Robert, they just love it when you’re just kind of seemingly off the cuff and they’re getting a glimpse into your life.’
“And I go, ‘But yeah, but I’d be manufacturing that aspect for them. So it’s BS.’”
Robert Downey Jr’s representatives were approached for comment.