Ninety percent of his Black pals thought Robert Downey Jr.’s Tropic Thunder performance was great, according to him
Robert Downey Jr. has been awarded many prestigious accolades during his long and illustrious career in the film industry.
From a ‘Best Actor’ Golden Globe win for his role in the 2010 adaptation of Sherlock Holmes to his multiple People’s Choice Award wins for his iconic portrayal of Iron Man in the Marvel series, Downey’s really secured a lot of victories in his time.
However, there’s always one particular movie that seems to crop up again and again during any Downey-centered discussion — and that’s his role in the comedy-action film, Tropic Thunder.
Directed by Ben Stiller, the movie tells the story of a group of actors who were shooting a big-budget war movie and were forced to become the soldiers they are portraying.
The 59-year-old played Kirk Lazarus, a character that saw him physically turn himself from a white man to a Black man, in a process that is more commonly referred to as ‘blackface’.
As per the Oxford Dictionary, ‘blackface’ is a term used to refer to the practice of «wearing make-up to imitate the appearance of a black person.
«The use of such make-up was associated with minstrel shows in the United States from the 1830s until the mid 20th century; it is now regarded as highly offensive.»
